just returned from a week's holiday to majorca.
we paid £30.00 for pre-bookable seats with portland direct flying with air europa flying from edinburgh airport.
on arrival at the airport we checked in at the check-in time that was indicated on the tickets, the girl at the check-in desk advised me that the best she could do was 3+1, i advised her that i had pre-bookable seats which included 2 window seats, she acknowledged this and checked us in.
it was clear on the boarding tickets that she went ahead and gave us the 3+1, when we boarded the aircraft i showed the air hostess my tickets which clearly stated that i had paid and reserved seating together to include two window seats, i was acknowledged with a shrug of the shoulders and advised that the aircraft was full.
on the return journey the same thing happened, this time when we boarded the aircraft the flight could not have been more that 50% full, there were empty seats both in front and to the back of me and not just one row either side there were many.
i paid £30.00 (not much money) but i would have not bothered if i had known that it made no difference at all as the check-in staff paid no notice to the booking request and the flight crew did not care at all, the flight home especially as the aircraft was only half full there was no reason why our request could not have been met.
in future i will not purchase pre-bookable seats especially on a short-haul flight and save the money for something from the duty free instead.
nemo.
Thats very unfortunate, and not fair really. I suppose when you pre-book seats their first priority is to sit you together, therefore you were allocated 3-1. But if youd specifically requested window seats you should have had them. If I were you I'd contact Portland and ask for your money back, you didnt get what you paid for.
I never pre-book seats its a waste of time and money. Ive never been separated from my party, even last summer I went away there was 24 of us on a 130 seat plane, we still got seats together.Most of the time the check-in agents work logically. they fill the aircraft from front to back, so you usually get seats together anyhow.
I never pre-book seats its a waste of time and money. Ive never been separated from my party, even last summer I went away there was 24 of us on a 130 seat plane, we still got seats together.Most of the time the check-in agents work logically. they fill the aircraft from front to back, so you usually get seats together anyhow.
I pre booked seats once and never again. It seems that it's only on the outward jouirney you reserve your seats (or not as in your case Nemo). When I got to the airport on the way home, the ground staff hadn't a clue about reserved seats and said it just doesn't happen on the return leg of the journey. As I've said in a prevoius thread, it's just another way of the tour companies to rip the punters off.
i've written to portland direct to rquest the refund. i will keep you posted but in future i will no longer pre-book my seats as i am convinced that it is just another way to extort extra money.
in fact we never pre-purchased in-flight meals and those passengers who brough on board there own packed lunches there food look much more appealing than that provided by the airline.
i can see it coming in the near future where you will be banned from taking food on board the aircraft other than food only to be consumed when purchased from the company... again another way to raise money, wait and see.
nemo.
in fact we never pre-purchased in-flight meals and those passengers who brough on board there own packed lunches there food look much more appealing than that provided by the airline.
i can see it coming in the near future where you will be banned from taking food on board the aircraft other than food only to be consumed when purchased from the company... again another way to raise money, wait and see.
nemo.
oops!! i should have replied at least a week ago.
tui repaid me the £30 for the pre bookable seats with a letter of apology, saying that i should have been seated as requested and paid for.
despite the refund i will never pay for pre bookable seats for shorthaul again.
tui repaid me the £30 for the pre bookable seats with a letter of apology, saying that i should have been seated as requested and paid for.
despite the refund i will never pay for pre bookable seats for shorthaul again.
we had the same problem 2 years ago, because a large group of 26 travelled we pre booked our seats to make sure we sat together, the outbound flight was ok but on the way home 1 memeber of our party was seperated about 20 rows towards the front, and it was opnly when a spare seat appeared near the rest of the group when they allowed him to re-join us, silly really, i know it can be difficult to plan the seating arrangments but if they offer a service they should be ablr to provide it
Glad you got your money back.
We went to Mallorca from Bristol with Portland last month but didn't book the prebookable seats ( just thought we'd go a bit earlier) Had the ticket booklet getting you to buy the extras, but decided not to.
At checkin told we had prebooked seats, so we would be seated together (3+1 across the isle),
I hadn't booked it but also got free kids clubs and was told they weren't included when I booked! Haven't had a bill yet anyway!!!!
We went to Mallorca from Bristol with Portland last month but didn't book the prebookable seats ( just thought we'd go a bit earlier) Had the ticket booklet getting you to buy the extras, but decided not to.
At checkin told we had prebooked seats, so we would be seated together (3+1 across the isle),
I hadn't booked it but also got free kids clubs and was told they weren't included when I booked! Haven't had a bill yet anyway!!!!
We always fly Easyjet now but previously I wouldn't pre-book any seats when we used to fly on package holidays as it was about £10 per person, more now I think. Having said that, I usually got pre-booked seats because I would ask for a diabetic meal (I DO have diabetes) and so they know where the diabetics, vegetarians etc. are on the plane, they would allocate their seats beforehand. As I travelled with my husband we were always seated together although there was no choice of where we sat but at least it saved us paying to make sure we sat together.
Nowadays, what with Easyjet not serving meals and having a free for all when it comes to choosing seats (well, it's supposed to be like that but they call them in blocks according to the number on your boarding card so it's not really as "free" as all that) I don't get pre-allocated seats. I wouldn't bother ordering a diabetic meal now anyway because they weren't that much different from a normal meal.
Nowadays, what with Easyjet not serving meals and having a free for all when it comes to choosing seats (well, it's supposed to be like that but they call them in blocks according to the number on your boarding card so it's not really as "free" as all that) I don't get pre-allocated seats. I wouldn't bother ordering a diabetic meal now anyway because they weren't that much different from a normal meal.
Thomsons told us this week that allthough we paid for bookable seats when we booked our holiday that it was a mistake and that you can never book seats on aireuropa flights.
See my other post for more details
Anne
See my other post for more details
Anne
or do you chance it that you'll be sitting together?
We prebooked last year but were advised not to bother this year as we have a 5 year old & were told that they would probably seat us together anyway. No way will they ever split children from both parents so it depends how much you'r eprepared to pay to sit next to other adlts in your party (more important long haul I guess).
We usually pay and have the extra leg room seats as my hubby is tall. It's very uncomfortable for him in the regular pitch seats. I'm 5ft 3" so it's a bit of a luxury for me!
I usually pre-book if there is an option to do so, but last year we got a cheap deal to Lloret without pre-booking seats. We just arrived at the airport a bit earlier than the suggested check-in time to make sure we near the front of the check-in queue and could sit together. I think as long as you're not the last in the check-in queue you should generally be OK.
We usually just take a chance and so far, we've not had any problems.
Although we are flying off to Tunisia at 6am in the morning so I've probably jinxed myself now!!
Although we are flying off to Tunisia at 6am in the morning so I've probably jinxed myself now!!
Complete con and waste of money imo.
If nobody paid it, they would probably scrap it, but as they sell it in a scare tactic type manner people pay it.
We have never ever not been sat together.
If you get to the airport in plenty time there should not be a problem.
If nobody paid it, they would probably scrap it, but as they sell it in a scare tactic type manner people pay it.
We have never ever not been sat together.
If you get to the airport in plenty time there should not be a problem.
totally agree. Never ever paid to sit together and yet we have never sat apart. Perhaps understandable for families but I would never bother for couples.
Always pre-book last year I was talking to the checkin guy and he told me that the seating plan is sent to them by Brittania,I dont know if this is true.
A Couple of years ago,we were on a flight back from Majorca
and the cabin crew were asking people if they would mind changing
seats,as a mother and a toddler were going to have to be seperated :shock:.It was the 6 week holidays and the flight was full of families so i have prebooked this year,although we are a family of four,i would'nt like to be seperated from my family
and the cabin crew were asking people if they would mind changing
seats,as a mother and a toddler were going to have to be seperated :shock:.It was the 6 week holidays and the flight was full of families so i have prebooked this year,although we are a family of four,i would'nt like to be seperated from my family
I think the key is to get to the airport early if your concerned about not being seated together, although your not in control of that when you return as its usually the holiday company who take you to the airport from your hotel. Unless you can actually pick the seat numbers, prebooking your seat wont necessarily guarantee you to be next to each other directly, you might still be behind each other or across the isle.
i am flying with Air Europa in 3 weeks and have not booked pre bookable seats, as on the booking page there was no option i booked through Thomas Cook.
I am a very nervous flyer, would you suggest i book them over the phone if i was to ring Thomas Cook up or get to the CheckIn well in advance
Thanks Emma x
I am a very nervous flyer, would you suggest i book them over the phone if i was to ring Thomas Cook up or get to the CheckIn well in advance
Thanks Emma x
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