Thomas Cook Seat Allocation

[Jlo31]

Hi,

We booked a holiday via travel republic for Florida in August and our flights are with Thomas Cook flying from Stanstead. I declined paying for seat allocation as I have my wife and a 13 and 16 year old and thought at the worst we would be allocated one child to adult.

Am I right or am I risking us all sitting seperatly around the plane? I begrudge paying extra but if this is a real risk I may need to reconsider?

What are others peoples experience with this?

Cheers

James

[fizzypop]

We are flying in July with Thomas cook and have pre booked our seats. Our children are a bit older than yours but not much. I thought that at 13 and 16 they aren't classed as children when it comes to seat allocation for a child with an adult but I could be wrong. We decided not to take the chance and paid up.

[MrPenguin]

Originally Posted by Jlo31

Hi,

We booked a holiday via travel republic for Florida in August and our flights are with Thomas Cook flying from Stanstead. I declined paying for seat allocation as I have my wife and a 13 and 16 year old and thought at the worst we would be allocated one child to adult.

Am I right or am I risking us all sitting seperatly around the plane? I begrudge paying extra but if this is a real risk I may need to reconsider?

What are others peoples experience with this?

Cheers

James

See more...

If it's a busy flight then yes, you could be split up all over the cabin. They will of course try their best but no guarantees.

As other people would of booked and paid for their seats they're unlikely to move.

[papamouse]

its always the same I'm afraid - if you want to (almost) guarantee seats with any airline then you have to pay.

I think the seats with TC are £20 or £30 - 1 row of 4 in the middle would cost you £80 per trip.

what works in your favour if you leave it to check in is that the plane lay out is 2 - 4 - 2 so a good chance of getting either 2 x 2 behind each other or a row of 4.

But I would be first in the queue at check in if this is when you leave it til...

Also worth a look - but see if any of you planes have premium... (I think it will just be the all econ airtankers) but if they have premium and you snag an upgrade at the right time, you can get it as low as around £25... usually £80-200! and even for £80 its worth it. Priority check in and luggage, better seats, better food, free drinks, free ife upgrade, etc etc at cost is worth about £150+ but its all about timing - and booking priority includes picking you seats included in the cost.

Good luck

[Jlo31]

Thanks for all your replies.

Good food for thought.

Cheers

James

[Jlo31]

Thanks for your replies. I bit the bullet and paid up £160 and reserved our seats for the the trip there and back.

Wife was not keen to risk it.

Cheers

James

[ILoveLeith]

For what it's worth, I think you have done the right thing.

If it was only partner and I flying, we would take the chance of not sitting together to save the money, but with daughter age 12 it's simply not worth taking the chance she could be sat in her own.

[dmurrayuk]

Do you have the option of doing online check in with TC, and selecting your seats free at that point, the way you can with Virgin?

[Jlo31]

I don't think you can but I may be wrong.

[Robblps]

Its pretty wrong though isn't it. Anyone classed as a child, should be sat by a guardian in any circumstance. When you pay for a ticket, and they see 2 adults and 2 children, they should allocate you 4 seats for free and tell you.

for Example

Adult - 12 A
Child - 12 B

2nd Adult - 22 A
2nd Child - 22B

That way, you know you have both your kids secure... but then you can chose to pay to sit closer together.

It wouldnt surprise me though, if it is allocated with you next to each other and cant be changed so a child sits by a stranger... they cant tell you this though, as they would lose ≈≈≈≈ loads of money as no-one would reserve seats then. They have your fear which makes you pay