Is it risky not booking flight seats? £35 pp each way

[nats1211]

Are you travelling with any children under 12? We are and with 5 days to go they allocated our seats together. We decided to risk it as if my partner was across the aisle from my son and I it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

[mseagle]

Originally Posted by Galaxygirl1993

Me again :-)

Just wondering what is peoples opinions on whether to book flight seats (at £35 pp) per way , or risk it until 24 hr book in.

There is 7 of us going so will pricey to book the seats, wanting to chance it for the 24 hr check in BUT if there is literally no chance we can be together we may consider booking seats.

Will be flying sept 2020 if that makes a difference. (Maybe Sept not as busy for flights so more chance of getting to choose seats... ?)

See more...

Would never look to pay for seating. Always been paired up and no one has ever been on their own. Can see they would split up a group of that size into smaller groups but that’s about it.

[Tretinker]

I won't pay out of principal but at the same time im optimistic and think we wont be completely split up.

[fizzypop]

We flew with BA I need the summer, 3 adults, and didn’t pre book seats and they sat us together both ways. We are flying with them again next summer and won’t prebook our seats, I would rather spend the money on something else.

[Sew109]

Originally Posted by Tretinker

I won't pay out of principal but at the same time im optimistic and think we wont be completely split up.

See more...

What principal is that ?

We want to sit together we pay to book, up to anyone else whether they want to take the risk as long as they don’t moan, expect others to move or assist their kids if they get split up it’s fine.

Regardless of what you think or how many times you have all been seated together families including children will be split up every year, you can reduce the risk of this by booking seats.

[Dinglebert]

Originally Posted by Sew109

What principal is that ?

We want to sit together we pay to book, up to anyone else whether they want to take the risk as long as they don’t moan, expect others to move or assist their kids if they get split up it’s fine.

Regardless of what you think or how many times you have all been seated together families including children will be split up every year, you can reduce the risk of this by booking seats.

See more...

I would imagine the one where the airlines used to do something for free but are now trying to "blackmail" people into paying for something with an implied threat that unless you pay you may be sitting apart. One of two of the budget airlines used to delight in ensuring people who didin't pay were sat as far away from each other as they could engineer it.

[Sew109]

Originally Posted by Chair1519

I would imagine the one where the airlines used to do something for free but are now trying to "blackmail" people into paying for something with an implied threat that unless you pay you may be sitting apart. One of two of the budget airlines used to delight in ensuring people who didin't pay were sat as far away from each other as they could engineer it.

See more...

The reason many airlines charge is because of trying to get the lowest base price, personally prefer to pay for only what I want rather than a bundle, I am happy to pay for seats but we only have one big bag between three of us so rather be able to select to pay for luggage.


Did you know that the average profit in an economy ticket on a transatlantic flight is around $23 ? Doesn’t take many empty seats for the plane to fly at a loss.

In real terms transatlantic flights are incredibly cheap last year I paid more for a train from Kent to Manchester than I did to fly from Heathrow toDenver and back.

It annoys me when people say they are paying enough already or they are being blackmailed by te airline they are not, the airline is offering them an additional service that they can or cannot take but if they want it there is a charge.

[Goldia]

We were a party of 6 flying with BA this summer to Orlando, we didn't pay for seats and on check in 24 hours before the flight we were sat together in two rows of three.

It really does depend on how you would feel about being split up though. While we've always been lucky and not been split it isn't guaranteed. If you are able to do online check in as soon as it opens then you should be able to pay for seats then if you find out you have been split as there always seems to be options for changing the allocated seats.

Personally I would leave it but as others have said it's down to how much of a risk you want to take.

[Mazbar]

I always think if you don’t mind being split up then don’t pay simple, but if you do get split up don’t expect other people to move just to help you out and don’t make a scene either. This doesn’t apply to the op as everyone on the dibb is awesome, but some people expect others to put themselves out to make their flights easier.

[Dinglebert]

Originally Posted by Sew109

It annoys me when people say they are paying enough already or they are being blackmailed by te airline they are not, the airline is offering them an additional service that they can or cannot take but if they want it there is a charge.

See more...

You appear to be missing my point. The airlines used to do this for free now they charge. That is their right. What is not correct however is for them to deliberately split people up because they didn't pay. Fair enough if the only way to sit people is apart because of the choice that those who paid have made but to deliberatley do it to "punish" those who choose not to pay is just wrong.

I don't care if the airlines don't make much money from flying the atlantic. Thats their issue and their pricing structure and for them to decide. The market finds the correct price. Airlines are in business to make money for their shareholders. Carrying passengers is secondary. I will make the choices I want. I refuse to pay for seats and will accept the seating I am given. I prefer to use the money saved for other purposes when I am on holiday. When on the plane we tend to go in our own bubble anyway. Watch different films, read different books.