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

[Deleted member 37369]

got you, wife was in the middle, boyfriend of aisle girl was window, makes sense now. usually window is the preferred seat I guess, maybe thought they were doing you a favour.

I made it clear to the chap that I'd specifically booked the aisle seat ... as I always do ... and I have reasons for doing so. He wouldn't listen and I only loved in the end due to the aggressive chap sat behind us who really had nothing to do with it! Even the bloke's son (sat behind) was embarrassed at his dad getting involved ... but I didn't want the confrontation to get worse and therefore I was the one that had to move!

The chap that wanted 'my' seat was originally in a row or two ahead of us ... but he wanted to sit next to his wife. It's funny really as on a couple of occasions we've had someone sat in the window seat next to me and my wife whilst their other half as been sat across the aisle and they've actually said they were delighted they could get 4 hours peace and quiet on the flight

 

[Deleted member 37369]

I've just realised that Mrs Cottager and I appear to have been allocated seats at the opposite ends of consecutive rows on a forthcoming Easyjet flight, so I may get to try out some of your advice firsthand. This assumes she wants me to sit next to her.

See the last bit of my post #121

 

[drew]

Unless it's changed 12 year and under have you legally sit with at least 1 adult.

Realistically it's almost impossible to sit all families all together on certain flights and routes, reasonable people realise this, entitled twats kick off

But the airlines can allocate seats as soon as bookings are made. Kids with at least one parent can't be hard to sort out if they can't keep the whole family together. The airlines don't because they can charge for the privilege of selecting a seat. It seems bizarre that you should have to pay for a bog standard seat halfway down the plane. Yes, if people prefer extra leg room then fine but otherwise just include it in the price.

 

[Gabbafella]

This is why noise cancelling headphones were created

It's why I put my headphones on and let my Mrs put up with it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Wow what a gift you have. How exactly can you tell between the two in 10 seconds, I'm really intrigued.

I just accept my gift, I don’t try to understand it.

 

[Cornwallboy]

I just accept my gift, I don’t try to understand it.

In other words you can't provide a proper answer.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

In other words you can't provide a proper answer.

You can tell a lot by looking at someone, even more when they open their mouth.

I guess my talent is a mix of experience and natural ability; it’s got easier over the years.

 

[The Clamp]

Quick blowy from the wife or husband, depending on who’s the sexier of the two and I’d swap, no problems at all.

Edit; maybe something from the duty free catalogue too, to sweeten the deal.

 

[The Clamp]

Wow what a gift you have. How exactly can you tell between the two in 10 seconds, I'm really intrigued.

I know this one;

The poor are well mannered but have inexpensive clothing.

The bone idle usually wear a flesh coloured wrist support, have one NHS crutch which they don’t use properly, and the manners of a sex-starved chimpanzee.

 

[BadFish]

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!

I have learned through many experiences to book direct with the airline where possible.

 

[BadFish]

To me, this boils down to the absurd idea that once you have booked your ticket on a plane you then need to book your seat. It's a f***ing racket and nothing else on behalf of the airlines.

A ticket on a plane should include the f***ing seat, when you book your tickets you book your seat if you need four seats together and they are not available you take a different flight.

Want to charge more for the front, emergency seats etc, do it but charge more when you buy your ticket.

Flying is stressful enough without having to worry about this shit.

It is all avoidable if the airlines weren't trying to make extra cash.

Maggie and Ronald should have thought about this when they ruined capitalism

Twats!!

 

[BadFish]

You can tell a lot by looking at someone, even more when they open their mouth.

I guess my talent is a mix of experience and natural ability; it’s got easier over the years.

I usually beware of my judgemental nature, I find that often when the opportunity to explore the evidence arises, I find that it has let me down.

 

[BadFish]

So . . . The question here seems to be:

Can I book seats in advance away from my kids?

Asking for a friend!

I am My friend is happy to staple instructions on when they should be taking their Ritalin, with the caveat that it's hard to judge on long-haul flights.

 

[Cornwallboy]

You can tell a lot by looking at someone, even more when they open their mouth.

I guess my talent is a mix of experience and natural ability; it’s got easier over the years.

I'm a 'don't judge a book by it's cover' person but then again I'm not a leftie middle class snob.

 

[BadFish]

I'm a 'don't judge a book by it's cover' person but then again I'm not a leftie middle class snob.

I'm a 'don't judge a book by it's cover' and a leftie middle class snob.

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

 

[Badger Boy]

I would, and have, but only if there's no net loss to myself or if there's a really good reason. I paid for additional leg room once and was asked to move so a child of around 10 could sit with his mother but I was already in pain and did not want to give up the seat I'd paid extra for, especially not for a kid. In the end, it was sorted out and someone else moved forward so got the seat I'd paid extra for without the expense which was unfair but no net loss to me. I have moved previously when an elderly couple were a few rows apart and there was no difference to me at all.

 

[Giraffe]

Long haul - if purchased seat more comfortable (leg room or chosen aise or window seat) I think I'd want to keep my seat. Short flight I'd probably just go with it.

Hard to know without knowing the circumstances so haven't voted. Would probably also depend if they were nice people or total nutters.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'm a 'don't judge a book by its cover' person but then again I'm not a leftie middle class snob.

Charming.

 

[Cornwallboy]

Charming.

If the cap fits. You are happy to reference 'the poor' and 'bone idle' so have some back. Still intrigued as how you have this amazing ability to differentiate between the two.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If the cap fits. You are happy to reference 'the poor' and 'bone idle' so have some back. Still intrigued as how you have this amazing ability to differentiate between the two.

As I said before, it’s mainly natural talent. I can’t explain this. If I could, I’d bottle it and sell it.