[Travel] Should you give up your pre booked seat on an aircraft so families can sit together?

[Thunder Bolt]

If you don't want to move and sit next to me and my 3 year old.... be my f***ing guest!

I'm not a good flyer, so it helped me when flying to Malaga. A family of four with two right-hand seats, myself and my other half in two of a three row in the middle.
Dad sat next to the fiver year old so he could talk to him and let him look out of the window. The Mum apologised to me that she had had a young toddler on her lap. I said please don't apologise, as I'm a Mum and Grandma. I loved playing with the toddler, which helped her and took my mind off the flight. Winners all round.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I always book a seat in the emergency rows as the scabby little brats aren't allowed to sit there.

Nice. You were a child once.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

People kindly did it for us, when the kids were young.

They suggested it, attendants weren’t part of the conversation.

So I’d probably do the same.


Subject to I need decent legroom, I’m tall.

Feel sorry for the flight attendants now other this situation

They get dogs abuse for asking people if they can move or get dogs abuse and if they don't ask people to move from the family asking, they can't win.

Some companies have instructed them to just stay out of it now

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Provided you know what is on offer and have other airline options then sure, pay for what you want.

However, sometimes Ryanair etc. are the only option. If so then one should check the rules.

People that book Ryan air etc then complain about what they are famous for are ridiculous.

I'm a big fan of the Ryanair Twitter page mocking some of these people.

 

[Skuller]

Don’t believe all you read in the newspapers. Some writers sensationalise stories which are not necessarily accurate.

Quite right. Social media is full of stories about this topic and I’m convinced the vast majority are made-up click-bait (see also all the social media screen shots of text message exchanges of bosses being horrible to their workers, they’re similarly mostly invented).

 

[stewardxxx]

I used to fly solo a lot for work and very quickly you find a preferred seat on flights (3c on most or 9/10c on BA) and I would often get the travel lady to pay extra to secure them (speedy boarding and speedy exit along with the extra carry on were key benefits which are invaluable in that game when you just want to get to a certain place quickly and with your laptop bag and small case) in these scenarios there is not a chance I would have moved.

When it comes to flying with the wife and kids, there are 4 of us so when flying in Europe those 3 typically take a row and I will take the Aisle seat on the other side. as long as the seat someone wanted to swap was an aisle seat I would have no problem moving to help out but middle seat or window is a deal breaker for me as I did a flight from Abu Dhabi to Sydney in the middle and it was horrific.

If we are flying further afield as a family then I will pay the extra to put us in premium and take 2 rows of 2 seats on the side of the plane so not a chance I would swap (some American woman tried that coming back from Florida last year, even offered $75 so she could be across the aisle from her friend)

 

[Icy Gull]

Provided you know what is on offer and have other airline options then sure, pay for what you want.

However, sometimes Ryanair etc. are the only option. If so then one should check the rules.

I’d rather go to an airport 59 miles away and hire a car to get to my destination than fly with them. I have friends who fly with them by choice though

 

[peterward]

Seen a few articles about this recently, what are your thoughts?

Of course there will be exceptions due to families being bumped off an earlier flight or emergency trips but in the main would you willingly give up your seat for a family who couldn't afford pre seating or were just too bloody idle to do it and work on the basis that others will need to move to accommodate them?

I wouldn't, I don't like flying and always pre book a window seat to avoid being disturbed by other passengers going to the loo or for a walkabout

In fact unless there were extraordinary circumstances I'd refuse and put up a fight about it, why should I be inconvenienced because a family haven't planned things properly. If you want to be guaranteed to be seated together, pay the supplement and pre book

I get where youre coming from, but its not really your choice or within your remit to decide, the T&C's that most people tick and never read give the airlines the right to move you, children of an age can not legally sit on their own or older kids only within a certain distance of adults, so if they tell you, you need to move (maybe they'll even ask "if you mind"), ultimately theyre not really giving your the choice, they are entitled under the booking conditions to do so.

 

[Greavsey]

Parents fault 9 times out of 10 though surely? From the articles I’ve read, there is a lot of entitlement from these families

are you serious!? You'd let a five year old kid sit on their own just because their parents are dis-organised/inept!?

 

[Icy Gull]

are you serious!? You'd let a five year old kid sit on their own just because their parents are dis-organised/inept!?

No, one of the parents can sit on their own

 

[peterward]

are you serious!? You'd let a five year old kid sit on their own just because their parents are dis-organised/inept!?

Theyre not legally allowed, its very simple.... all those saying "I'd dig my heels in and not move"... yeah you will! or you'll be offloded, it is an offence not to follow the orders of the aircrew under the air navigition order.....

Moving seats so families sit together isnt to be nice or preferential to families, its because kids cannot legally sit alone, and you will find many folks (no accusations here) who will for instance, book window and aisle of a row of 3 to try and get more room.

Nobody likes doing it, the cabin crew dont want the hassle nor the peed off passengers, but they simply have to get to get kids with adults legally and that trumps those without kids, even if they have booked a seat.

If you want to guarantee, that you will not be moved for a family, then book or pay additional for an emergency exit seat (often sold as extra leg room) on front row or overwings as kids re not legally allowed in those seats, so you cannot be moved.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

No. I have previously offered my seat because a lady had mobility issues but if it's just for convenience nope.

 

[Icy Gull]

Don’t believe all you read in the newspapers. Some writers sensationalise stories which are not necessarily accurate.

Are you suggesting that these situations never arise? Can a mod delete the thread then please

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

are you serious!? You'd let a five year old kid sit on their own just because their parents are dis-organised/inept!?

I would. What's the issue with leaving a 5 year old sitting on their own on a plane? If you were to ask if I'd leave them at Gary Glitter's house I'd say no. A plane yes.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

would you willingly give up your seat for a family who couldn't afford pre seating or were just too bloody idle

Although I'd be more inclined to be sympathetic to a family which cannot afford to sit together.

 

[Icy Gull]

Although I'd be more inclined to be sympathetic to a family which cannot afford to sit together.

You are a better man than me Gunga Din if you can make that assumption just by seeing a family on an aircraft expecting you to move to accommodate them

 

[LeicesterGull]

Booked a holiday through Trailfinders to Singapore over Easter for family of four (11 and 13 yr old). We were told that we would be able to reserve seats 30 days before departure, direct with Quantas. We were lucky to get the last four seats together on the way out, but for the return we were all in single seats miles from one another (13 hr flight!). My only guess is that booking direct with Quantas allowed you to reserve seats at the same time....we weren't able to. Quantas and Trailfinders couldn't help, saying we had to sort this out with the ground staff on our way back from Singapore. The anxiety (both kids have ADHD) near ruined our holiday. When checking-in for our return we were able to get a couple of doubles together, but this really was by pleading with the groundstaff. I can't understand why they thought it was acceptable to split us up, surely there's a safeguarding issue here with two kids under 13!

 

[Greavsey]

I would. What's the issue with leaving a 5 year old sitting on their own on a plane? If you were to ask if I'd leave them at Gary Glitter's house I'd say no. A plane yes.

I think I'm going to bow out of this thread. Not good for the blood pressure or my faith in humanity!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You are a better man than me Gunga Din if you can make that assumption just by seeing a family on an aircraft expecting you to move to accommodate them

A casual 10 second observation is all I need to tell the different between the poor and the bone-idle.

 

[Icy Gull]

Booked a holiday through Trailfinders to Singapore over Easter for family of four (11 and 13 yr old). We were told that we would be able to reserve seats 30 days before departure, direct with Quantas. We were lucky to get the last four seats together on the way out, but for the return we were all in single seats miles from one another (13 hr flight!). My only guess is that booking direct with Quantas allowed you to reserve seats at the same time....we weren't able to. Quantas and Trailfinders couldn't help, saying we had to sort this out with the ground staff on our way back from Singapore. The anxiety (both kids have ADHD) near ruined our holiday. When checking-in for our return we were able to get a couple of doubles together, but this really was by pleading with the groundstaff. I can't understand why they thought it was acceptable to split us up, surely there's a safeguarding issue here with two kids under 13!

Definitely a case of exceptional circumstances and airlines should be sorting this out, which it seems they did..after a fashion. Although having been in the travel industry I am 99% certain you could have booked seats on booking if you’d agreed to pay for them. I accept that the costs on a QF flight to Australia to do this are eye watering, up to £100 per person per direction