Airlines today often tack on additional charges for baggage, booking, and check-in fees. It's become quite common for extra costs to apply if passengers want to ensure they sit by their friends or family during a flight.
In the UK, there aren't any laws compelling airlines to seat families together; hence some carriers might charge extra for this service. However, guidelines from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) suggest that efforts should be made to seat children under 12 in the same row, or at most one row or aisle apart, from their parents or guardian.
The CAA details: "Many airlines charge for seat selection. Carriers should aim to seat children under 12 in the same row, or no more than one row or aisle away, from their accompanying adult and make all reasonable efforts to seat a disabled person or person with reduced mobility with the person accompanying them. Most airlines have processes in place to ensure this happens, but we recommend you contact the airline to confirm their seating policies."
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Thus, for those not flying with children, whether you'll sit with your travel partner depends on the airline's policy and could result in a game of chance.
Many carriers automatically seat individuals who book together at no extra cost, regardless of their relation, rendering additional payments for preferred seating often superfluous. However, it's wise to be clued up on specific airline policies to determine the necessity of paying for seat selection in order to ensure you're seated with your travel partners, reports the Express.
Here's what you need to know about the current seating protocols for British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, and Ryanair before you make your booking:
British Airways
British Airways makes clear that passengers can view available seats grouped together when online check-in begins 24 hours prior to departure, allowing them to pick their seats without charge, barring those with a Basic ticket, who will have their seats assigned to them.
Customers may opt to pay in advance for particular seats to confirm they'll sit together during their flight. The pricing for this choice changes based on seat type and cabin class.
The airline's policy states: "We'll do our best to seat your family together by assigning seats a few days before your flight departs. However, seat selection may be limited at that time and your seats may be split across different rows or the aisle.
"We'll make sure each child under 12 years sits next to an adult from your booking but children over 12 years are booked as an adult in our system and may sit separately."
easyJet
easyJet offers an allocated seating system, where passengers have the choice to pay extra to pick their seats either when they book or later online. For those who do not wish to select their seat, one will automatically be assigned during check-in.
The airline explains: "Our system will try to allocate you seats close to other passengers on your Booking, but this depends on availability and is not guaranteed."
Jet2
Jet2 follows a first-come, first-served basis for seat allocation if passengers haven’t chosen their seats before check-in online. You can pick your seats either when booking your holiday or up until six hours before the flight departs.
For anyone desiring to ensure they sit together, Jet2 advises pre-booking seats at a cost, which varies depending on seat position and flight route. Without pre-booking, seats are assigned by the airline at check-in.
Jet2 points out: "If you don't pre-book your seats, they will be allocated when you check in online or at the airport on a first come, first served basis. Please note that seats across the aisle or in the row behind or in front are classed as 'together'. If you want to change your seat once you have booked and paid, you will need to pay the relevant seat charges."
Ryanair
Ryanair emphasises its commitment to family travel, stating: "As a family-friendly airline we will always endeavour to seat children and infants under the age of 12 next to their accompanying adults. If this is not possible for any reason, we will ensure children are seated as close as possible, and no more than one row away. We would encourage you to pre-book your seats in advance to ensure you reserve the seats you want for your travelling party."
The airline offers both reserved seating and free seating options, with the latter being allocated randomly during check-in. For those who don't book a seat, Ryanair assigns one free of charge within 24 hours to two hours before departure, but warns that this may result in being separated from your group.
Ryanair advises: "We recommend that you reserve your seat when booking or when checking in to guarantee a seat beside your travel companions. If you choose not to reserve a seat, then a seat will be randomly allocated to you free of charge when checking in, but it is unlikely it will be beside your travel companions."
The airline also outlines safety requirements for young travellers: "For safety reasons, children under the age of 12 must sit beside an accompanying adult, and infants (aged 8 days to 23 months inclusive) must sit on an accompanying adult's lap. It is mandatory for an adult travelling with children under 12 (excl. infants) to reserve a seat.
"A maximum of four children for every one adult on the same booking will receive a reserved seat free of charge. This ensures parents of young children sit together during the flight. This will also allow you to check-in for your flight 60 days before departure. It is not mandatory for any other adults or teenagers in the booking to reserve a seat, however they may choose to do so if they wish to seat with the rest of the family."
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English (United States) ·