In my experience not many people book seats together. Extra legroom yes but not, I wouldn't think just ordinary seats. If you get to the airport early before the queue to check in builds up, I think you'll be fine. But, if the seats are very important to you, and the extra cash isn't too much then, for peace of mind pre book

Thanks i will keep checking to see how many are left unbooked and take it from there. Always get to airport early, and not bothered about where we sit as long as its together. Thanks Denham

We always pay just to make sure ! On a long flight it's worth more than the price to be able to use each other as head rests !

I would pay for a long haul flight, but not for anything under 4 hours.

I agree Helen, unless we book extra legroom (son whinges as he's tall so we book EL even on short haul ) Without the son we just take a chance - never been separated so far

I think it's just another way to extract cash from travellers. We've never booked seats and have always been able to sit in adjacent seats.

roma wrote:

I think it's just another way to extract cash from travellers.

Agreed....a lot of the airlines are at it.

The list of extras for our Monarch flight were as follows:

Seats together, just normal sardine can seats as we can't have extra leg room seats as we're travelling with my young son.

Hold baggage, I know people sometimes travel out with no luggage but out and back is unlikely and you can't have a bag just one way.

In flight meals, you're not allowed to take your own food so okay I thought I'll have the diabetic option which they then said they couldn't guaratee they'd be able to provide and no I wouldn't get a refund as they'd make sure that "A" meal was available just maybe not the one I'd paid for

Air port transfers, £ 30 each for the bus transfers when the taxi costs about a tenner for the three of us.

Then on top of it all a charge for paying by DEBIT not CREDIT card.

some agents are also doing similar things, like Icelolly advertising a rate and then adding on a fee for booking it through them.

Yep Thomson have just charged us 3 quid to book by debit card.Outrageous.

Papa

Payed £64 to choose our seats bothways with thomas cook, but was not charged for useing debit card.

£64 thats outrageous!!
chilly

I'm not sure if this is across all Thomas Cook's charter flights, but when we flew from Stanstead to Bodrum in June 2009 they pre-allocated seats.

We were among the first to check in but when we asked for a window seat we were told that we'd been allocated B & C and they couldn't be changed.

Denham
if you've not already paid to book, it might be a good idea to ask the question on the specific Thomas Cook thread on the 'Flights' board.

Hi Prettypollycat booked seats last friday, and have got emailed conformation of our chosen seat numbers. Just hope we get them or i will be angry, as someone on HT or another site said even affter doing this they did not get the seats they had booked on the way home. Also check in staff did not care. Not going anywhere yet untill we get hubbys visa back, just over 3 weeks for them to sort it. Denham.

On our Monarch flight last November the couple next to me got some food out of their hand luggage when the meals were being served and explained to the air hostess that they had not paid for in-flight meals.

"Qh, everybody gets them" was the reply and they were served just the same as everyone else. The in flight staff obviously have no idea who has or hasn't ordered food so if it's shown as an extra charge, I'd leave it off!

I am not completely sure but I thought it was a CAA regulation that on longhaul flights meals had to be provided included in the ticket cost.

Papa

Hi Prettypollycat booked seats last friday, and have got emailed conformation of our chosen seat numbers. Just hope we get them or i will be angry, as someone on HT or another site said even affter doing this they did not get the seats they had booked on the way home. Also check in staff did not care. Not going anywhere yet untill we get hubbys visa back, just over 3 weeks for them to sort it. Denham.

Denham
I'm sure the visa will be sorted out in time and that you'll get your pre-booked seats both ways - but just in case you don't, remember to keep hold of your boarding cards to prove that you'd paid for something you didn't get.

Fingers crossed for the visa.

I booked seats of your choice with Thomas Cook last year, we had no problem going out but didn't get our requested seats coming back, we where still sat together but unfortunately we were placed in seats were there was no window, we managed to get moved to other seats but this was only because the plane was only 70% full

We have picked the row of window seats near the toilets at the rear,dont mind if we get changed on way back as long as its any of the twin seats at rear. Thanks Prettypollycat i am hounding them with emails everyday. Have rang the 02 number for 3 hours on monday but was either off the hook or constanty engaged. Thanks everyone, Denham

we have booked with air india,picked our seats and have not paid any extra,also just had an email from them saying that tickets booked between 16th jan and 16th march have 46 yes 46 kg luggage allowance.not bothered about going out but handy coming back,also last time we booked with thomas cook ended up on monarch and had to perbook meals,£34,wish we hadnt bothered it was the worse meal we have ever had.couldn,t even tell you what it was but our friends went with thomson,didnt prebook the meal but got one anyway,

Brillian luggage allowance Valleylady. We could do with that but will have to make do with the usual 20kg.