Wheety wrote: » Just check in as soon as it's allowed. You should get 2 seats together. but even if you don't it'll be a very quick flight. Just grab a newspaper or something and you'll be landing before you know it.
OldNotWIse wrote: » I'm curious about this too. I recently checked in my parents and called and explained to them that they could either pay 48euro return to be guaranteed a seat together or pay nothing and take a chance. They bought their seats :rolleyes: Perhaps I am bad minded but I have a feeling if people book together but don't buy seats together, Ryanair might deliberately scramble the seat allocation, so that the same people will make sure to book seats next time? You know what Ryanair is like, up to every trick in the book.
Wheety wrote: » Nope. I have always got seats together with my partner when checking in together. People thinking like you and your parents are what gives Ryanair free money and keeps the cost down for the rest of us.
toadfly wrote: » We always get seated together and have never paid for seats before they are available for free. I think I would only pay for a long haul flight - not worth it to me to pay for less than that.
Troy McClure wrote: » I have just come across this change now as we are flying with our 2 young kids to the UK this weekend. This is Ryanair simply price gouging as, apart from a minority, no one cares where they sit. They seem to be gerrymandering families with kids into rows 18-30, forcing them to pay for seat allocation in areas where no one would otherwise buy them. Kids are not allowed on exit seats.
billie1b wrote: » Totally incorrect, the system is made that way due to the fact Boeing aircraft are a nose heavy aircraft. When more kids sit towards the back of the aircraft it trims it out better and leaves for less shuffling of pax around to retrim it at the end of boarding. Plus it's only €4, not too bad in the bigger scheme of things.
Troy McClure wrote: » Utter Rubbish I believe. I have a friend of mine who is an aircraft mechanic for over twenty years and has just chuckled when I call him to read your post. Ryanair's PR company must me on there was the reply, or another kite flyer (whatever that is!). Even if you were right then why not just keep and assign those seats to families without having to charge them. They already know from the bookings the ages of younger travelers. On top of that they have no problem with kids sitting at the front as long as you pay extra of course. So Ryanair don't even subscribe to your argument either. I have flown with who know how many airlines and have never heard of other airline doing this. On the 4€, charge it in the fare if you like, but this is a stealth fare for parents have no choice but to pay it. They're bigger scheme of things may not be the same size of yours my friend. As for the other post I was pointing out there are exit seats in this same area and for good reason kids are not allow to sit at them.
Troy McClure wrote: » You could be one of the Ryanair customer service guys if you ask me. This seems to be a viable issue for you and Ryanair alone to defend. I have not come across this on other airlines with my kids or without them. I guess they are been incompetent so. Bless Ryanair for been so prudent! I suspect your interests are aligned for whatever reason. Always a problem with boards forums I guess.
Kolido wrote: » If the airplane is nose heavy, would it not make more sense to put the kids at the front as they are lighter or am I misreading it?
Fagashlil wrote: » Think I'll trust a dispatcher over a mechanic any day for this discussion! I frequently have families with small children booked in the forward part of the cabin. It's a legal requirement that to occupy an emergency exit row (1ABC, 16/17 on a FR737) that you must be over 16. The charge is €4-and all the children on the booking are allocated seats next to the paying adult. The reason for it was during high season, child heavy flights, the flights were departing late as crew were having to relocate passengers to accommodate families sitting together, which whilst perfectly reasonable, was delaying everybody, so to avoid this and make it simple, they brought in this policy. Add €4 to your overall flight cost, fairly simple and inexpensive
Troy McClure wrote: » I never argued children should been allowed to sit at exit seats, so I think you misunderstood. It clearly is an adult role if required. Ryanairs reason for this change is to ensure families who want to sit together have control to do so without causing issues at boarding point. That's it! Nothing else according to them. However this could be done without charging them. They already have the age profiles when bookings were made, to which they can allocate any sections of the plane they want upon online check in. So seats could be allocated accordingly to how they see fit at check in, as was before this change. They have actually decided to do this, but also to sneak a charge into the equation that's mandatory if you have children U12 telling parents you get to choose. The amount is irrelevant but this 'issue' could be solved easily without an extra charge. Before last October seats were allocated by Ryanair at checkin, seating you where they choose to put you, unless you elected to pay for otherwise. So thus, with this charge, it cannot be argued in has anything to do with sitting in wrong areas, for the planes sake. People still can change around after take off to other empty seats on emptier flights anyway. It's just pure spin and opportunism. What other airlines do this? No one else but Ryanair. Please!
