Easyjet seating policy

zagfles

maman wrote: »

I'm not sticking up for the airline industry and the way they try to make money at every turn BUT....

I still think it's a parent/carer's responsibility to put their child first. I'm convinced that some parents are irresponsible and 'use' their child to get 'free' seats just to make a financial point or save a few bob. Surely it's a far better (and safer) travelling experience if the whole family are seated together.

Until a few years ago, this wasn't an issue. All airlines, even Ryanair, sat you together wherever possible, so unless you checked in very late you'd always end up together. In fact in the early days Ryanair and some others IIRC didn't even allocate seats, you just got on and sat wherever you wanted - and they let families board first.

When ours were young I never paid extra to choose seats, there was never any need to. We were never separated. And we flew several times a year.

These days, kids grown up, we simply don't care if we get split up. But it's only ever happened on Ryanair.

Anyway point is, if you have a desire for a particular seat, it's fair enough for airlines to charge for it. But if you have a need, it isn't. Any more than people who have a need for reserved seats on buses, trams etc for those who are disabled, infirm etc. Should they pay extra because of their need? Or should anyone be allowed to pay for those seats and if a disabled person is too tight to pay doesn't, they are forced to stand?

I had a miserable experience a few weeks back when a very large family had obviously decided not to pay and were scattered throughout the plane in small groups. They spent the whole flight up and down the aisle, getting in the way, 'visiting' each other in their various seats, including letting the children do the same.

Same happened to me, I was in the aisle seat and someone stood at my side was chatting to his friend in the middle seat. After about 10 mins I said to the standing guy "want to swap seats", he said "no I'll sit back down in a minute" but half an hour later they were still gassing!

On another flight I was in the middle seat with a couple either side of me. I asked them if one of them wanted to swap, but they didn't, turns out they'd deliberately chosen those seats because one of them likes the aisle and the other likes a window seat. Fair enough, but then they start chatting over me, passing sweets etc over me :mad: But luckily I had a broadsheet newspaper, which I got out and started reading whenever they got annoying

Going off topic, I feel the same about people who abuse blue badges for parking and similar examples. There's someone who posts on here about all the activities she does both alone and with family and friends. That's great but somehow though she qualifies for a free ticket for a carer when she goes to English Heritage sites.:(

Which is different - if parents got free seat selection just because they're parents, and even when they fly without children, it would be the same. But they don't. They only get what they need for safety when they need it.

It seems when journalists ask airlines what their policy is, they'll say it's to seat families together, eg see the Independant article linked above, and this MSE article https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2015/06/family-tax-dads-outrage-as-ryanair-tries-to-seat-three-year-old-away-from-family/
where Easyjet told MSE they'll guarantee children will be sat with parents (though may be out of date now)

fifeken

Since the new OP (post 24) hasn't been back to let us know the seat allocations, I suspect the rant was completely unwarranted or was just a troll post.

Doing a dummy booking shows there is still a block of 3 available at the cheapest rate if she had wanted to pay.

Murphy_The_Cat

fifeken wrote: »

Doing a dummy booking shows there is still a block of 3 available at the cheapest rate if she had wanted to pay.

That is the crux of the matter - the rantors don't want to pay. They want the "additional service" but aren't prepared to pay for it.

brianposter

Murphy_The_Cat wrote: »

That is the crux of the matter - the rantors don't want to pay. They want the "additional service" but aren't prepared to pay for it.

But being seated together is not an additional service - it is what usually happens naturally if the computer is left to its own devices.

Murphy_The_Cat

brianposter wrote: »

But being seated together is not an additional service - it is what usually happens naturally if the computer is left to its own devices.

If you / someome else wants to work on that presumption/hope/expectation, thats absolutely fine - but don't then throw your toys out of the pram when your expectation clashed with reality in an unexpected way :beer:

leylandsunaddict

But being seated together is not an additional service - it is what usually happens naturally if the computer is left to its own devices

But it is. You buy a seat on public transport to get you from A - B. Choosing to pick a particular seat is extra. Left to it's own devices a computer wouldn't do anything.

budgetflyer

And of course, Ryanair have removed this problem by giving Free seat selection for children. Accompanying adult has to pay though for their seat.

eDicky

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

But it is. You buy a seat on public transport to get you from A - B. Choosing to pick a particular seat is extra. Left to it's own devices a computer wouldn't do anything.

Until quite recently, people booking and traveling together were always seated together (if possible) on check-in without any kind of payment. This was done as a matter of course, either manually at the check-in desk or by the system online.

onwards&upwards

zagfles wrote: »

Yes the videos of the recent Russian crash are unbelievable, I really hope they look into charging all those !!!!!!s who you could see clutching their bags going down the slide with the manslaughter of those who died.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/russia-plane-crash-emergency-landing-rules-cabin-bags-evacuation-a8901371.html

Maybe that should be spelled out in the safety briefing at the start of every flight. They say something like "in the event of an emergency evacuation, leave everything behind", maybe they should add "otherwise you may be charged with manslaughter if you impede the evacuation". Maybe bit OTT, but it'll get it through the thick heads of the absolute !!!!!s who think their possessions are more important than other peoples' lives.

Exceptions to be made for people grabbing essential medications. Insulin, inhalers, epipens etc.

comeandgo

onwards&upwards wrote: »

Exceptions to be made for people grabbing essential medications. Insulin, inhalers, epipens etc.

Absolutely not. If you have to evacuate a plane it's an emergency, a very pressing emergency, you leave everything behind.