Airlines accused of splitting up groups

[EssexSue]

Originally Posted by birdiesX4

On the virgin Atlantic trips we had 4 separate seats through the plane. We asked for two this or a one and a three but were told there was nothing available so we all had to sit apart.
Our children didnt come on the other trips with easy jet and jet2 it was just he two of us.

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Sorry I misunderstood.

[alexisemma31]

I went to Majorca last summer with my mum and daughter. We flew with Jet2.

At check in at Manchester, we were allocated seats in separate parts of the aeroplane. I asked if there was no possibility of being sat together, or at least near to each other, and I was told that families had had to be split up. When we got on the plane, there were lots of available seating; my daughter was sat in an aisle seat, and just across the aisle was a middle row of 3, completely empty. Obviously, once we were up in the air, we moved and sat together. We were just blatantly lied to.

[snowbelle]

Eight of us flew with Ryanair to DUB last year, and the whole group except me, did'nt want to pay for seats ..I did'nt pay as I thought it might make me look as if I didn't want to be with my group ( I usually pay for my seat on RA even if travelling alone )

When we got on all eight of us were allocated middle seats and everyone of us was in the middle of either a hen or stag party, sat either side of us.

I think that was more than coincedence.

[grottyrotty]

I flew to Dublin with Ryanair. I did the online check-in for 2 adults and we were sat at opposite ends (and sides!) of the plan both ways. This was despite having an empty seat next to mine! It was only a half hour flight, so I wasn't really concerned, but it's the principle! Oh, and so many people were asking other people so swap seats too. Chaos!

DH, DD and I are travelling to Graz, Austria, next week. Outbound: Manchester to Munich, Munich to Graz. Inbound: Graz to Vienna, Vienna to Manchester.

We haven't paid for seats together with Lufthansa/My Austria airlines - waiting to see what seats we get with online check-in

[CrispyA]

Originally Posted by duchy

You are assuming all passengers are all family groups and all book early. From the airline viewpoint these are the least loyal and the least profitable segment of a plane's occupancy. There is far less imperative to please them than the later booking, higher revenue business traveller who will have paid three times the cost and will travel several times a year so the airline actively seeks their loyalty ahead of the once a year or less traveller who will happily choose another carrier if it saves £10 a ticket.
If you were an airline whose business would you want to keep more and offer the best seats to rather than theleftovers as you suggest ?

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I’m not sure why that makes any difference? If a business class passenger books late at the moment, they can take whichever seats are left. It was the same when seats were allocated at check in. And if seats were allocated at check in, then your business class traveller could have already been allocated a seat.

Airlines saw a chance to make more money out of travellers and pretend that it’s doing us a favour. And now people pay up because of the threat of being split up if they don’t. People generally aren’t paying to book seats because they want to - it’s because they are worried what will happen if they don’t.

[SimonB]

Originally Posted by duchy

You are assuming all passengers are all family groups and all book early. From the airline viewpoint these are the least loyal and the least profitable segment of a plane's occupancy. There is far less imperative to please them than the later booking, higher revenue business traveller who will have paid three times the cost and will travel several times a year so the airline actively seeks their loyalty ahead of the once a year or less traveller who will happily choose another carrier if it saves £10 a ticket.
If you were an airline whose business would you want to keep more and offer the best seats to rather than theleftovers as you suggest ?

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That is absolutely spot on as to what actually happens.

Customers have a value code and higher tier exec club members even have seats next to them blocked out on not full flights to give them extra space. You will only see available seats for your fare and passenger value code so not an actual reflection on what seats are unsold.

Do I agree? No, but sadly it’s the way the business is going.

[linder]

We went with Thomas cook last year didn’t pay for seats so we’re split up a few rows from each other. When we went to check our bags in the night before we asked if it was possible to sit together this was done no problem, no charge so in reality they could have sat us next to each other in the first place this was at manchester

[Feebee2]

Yes it's true Ryanair do this. It happened on each leg last August with me and DD, we were both sat in middle seats rows apart.
I've just booked seats for a couple of friends to join me on a trip to Gdansk, Ryanair said pre book you seats from £3. None to be found at that price so they chose to take the risk and sit where the computer finds most inconvenient!

[Guest]

My Wife made me pay to book seats with Virgin as she didnt want the children to be separated from us

Its just another earner, which doesnt surprise me with airlines these days

[sue97]

I think I would prefer flights to be affordable and this to happen then being priced out of flights because you can pick your seats. Airlines are in it for the profit.

We flew from Dub to London when DS was just gone 3 with Ryanair and they put him sitting beside strangers. I could see him but not near enough to dagger look him for misbehaviour. He sat sideways with his legs pushed into the lady beside him for most of the flight and chatted to her for the whole flight. I on the other hand got to read my book I was amazed she did not offer to swap seats to get rid of him.