Thomson Pre-paid seat allocation

Pollycat

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

I wouldn't have paid for something that would happen whether I paid or not, no.

In an ideal world I agree that Thomson say it won't happen.
But what if all the seats together are taken by parents with children and the only seats available for the parent with a 2 year old are not together?
Do you really think Thomson cabin crew will start to reorganise the whole plane? :rotfl:

Thomson says it always aims to allocate family seats together. “However, we would suggest that to avoid disappointment and to guarantee seats together customers opt to pay the fee in advance,” a spokesman said.

From this article (April 2015):
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/airlines-charging-families-extra-88-5582905

Would I believe someone on the other end of the phone after a conversation like this:

Paully232000 wrote: »

Phoned Thomson and at first i was told you have to pay to choose your seats, I said no, and after some tooing and frooing and me being adamant that I was not paying the customer service clerk comes up with,

When you get to check in they will allocate you a seat together as we do not allow children under 12 to be sat away from their adult/carer.

No. I'd play safe and pay for seats together.
I guess you'd be happy to leave it to chance on the say-so of somebody on the other end of the phone after 'tooing & froing' but I wouldn't.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

Send me £50 and I'll guarantee the sun will come up tomorrow. Why leave it to chance?

Silly analogy.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

You can say "shame on you, you vile person" all you like. You'll only be showing yourself up further. This thread was posted as useful advice for anyone travelling with Thomson.

Some people may take it as useful advice but I personally wouldn't take that chance.
Their choice.
My opinion.

esuhl

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

Try reading the post I quoted. Mine might make more sense to you then.

Errr... Nope. Have I missed something?!

Pollycat wrote: »

If I hadn't chosen to pay for my seat & I was asked politely if I'd move to accommodate a parent & child, I would do so.

But if someone came at me will attitude (which I can imagine the OP doing from his responses), then it would take cabin crew insisting I move before they got my seat.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

I can imagine a situation where you wantonly strike down an old woman on the street.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself for this imaginary behaviour.

So, just to get this straight... Someone who says they would move if asked politely, but not if they were confronted with "attitude" makes you imagine them wantonly striking down an old woman in the street?

Not only that, but that person should be ashamed because you imagine them striking someone?! Ha ha ha! Don't be so silly! :rotfl:

zagfles

OP - see http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/travel/2015/06/family-tax-dads-outrage-as-ryanair-tries-to-seat-three-year-old-away-from-family?_ga=1.110740421.134932888.1451414882

and in particular the note about Thomson:

(ii) It told us: "If, in very rare circumstances, a child is initially allocated a seat away from the parent, it will be reassigned (usually at check-in)." Most complaints we've had on this topic are about Thomson.

Paully232000

That was an interesting thread.
Anyway, to bring closure to the thread. I got to check-in and was able to choose seats next to each another. I was able to choose from the many unallocated seats on the more than one unallocated whole row, on the check-in persons computer screen.

SandC

As it should be Paully232000 and indeed how it used to be. Check in person given the benefit of having common sense and allocating seats to passengers in a sensible fashion, ie where possible parties on same booking sitting together or close to.

Only time I ever didn't get to sit with my partner before all this charging for seats nonsense came in was when he and i had a slight 'communication' problem on what time to depart from home, rendering us the last two to check in to the flight, hence he sitting somewhere near the back of the plane, me somewhere near the front. Such is life. :-)

Enjoy your hols Paully!

MacMickster

SandC wrote: »

Only time I ever didn't get to sit with my partner before all this charging for seats nonsense came in was when he and i had a slight 'communication' problem on what time to depart from home, rendering us the last two to check in to the flight, hence he sitting somewhere near the back of the plane, me somewhere near the front. Such is life. :-)

For this very reason I would always choose to pay a small amount to reserve seats together in advance. I would hate the idea of feeling that we must get to the airport early "just in case" and then regularly find myself spending an extra 90 depressing minutes in the airport terminal just to save a few pounds.

Different stroke for different folks.

SandC

We were the very last people to check in though MacMickster. Having said all that, these days I regularly pay for extra legroom seats unless they're already booked - I'm usually travelling alone anyway and it's just another holiday treat for myself. :-)

You're right, it's everyone's choice but it's the fact that it's an extra - why can't you choose your seats free of charge online in advance for example? Only having to pay for extra leg room/premium etc.? They do play on people's worries....

Anyway, happy hols all. :-)

takman

MacMickster wrote: »

For this very reason I would always choose to pay a small amount to reserve seats together in advance. I would hate the idea of feeling that we must get to the airport early "just in case" and then regularly find myself spending an extra 90 depressing minutes in the airport terminal just to save a few pounds.

Different stroke for different folks.

On Thomson flights you can check in online 7 days before. I always check in at the earliest moment I can and the system will automatically put your party together. I've never paid for seats and have always been seated with the rest of my travelling group even when there were six of us!.

So there is no need to get to the airport early unless your one of those people who don't check in online and hold the queue up because they have to check you in and print your boarding passes!.

zagfles

Paully232000 wrote: »

That was an interesting thread.
Anyway, to bring closure to the thread. I got to check-in and was able to choose seats next to each another. I was able to choose from the many unallocated seats on the more than one unallocated whole row, on the check-in persons computer screen.

Well done for not falling for the scare tactics to get you to pay :money:

Malthusian

MacMickster wrote: »

For this very reason I would always choose to pay a small amount to reserve seats together in advance. I would hate the idea of feeling that we must get to the airport early "just in case" and then regularly find myself spending an extra 90 depressing minutes in the airport terminal just to save a few pounds.

Being one of the post 9/11 generation I would always aim to get to the airport 2 hours early in case security decide to be annoying. It just means that I spend some time in the airport reading or playing games instead of at home reading or playing games. Or asleep. Plus it gives you leeway for other unexpected problems, like the dreaded leaving your passport on the bedside table scenario.