As I started this thread I feel I should thank all those members that replied, It has made me think about seating alot more as i din't realise sitting in differant rows behind or in front or a aisle seat was considered sitting together, it probably hasn't helped my thought about the airlines putting pressure on you to pay for allocated seats for what I consider a fair amount of money.many thanks

I think people have to realise that airlines charge for fares, very much like car dealers do for cars. You have a basic fare/model car. You can then add extras such as baggage, food, seating together. I think airlines are starting to realise we all have individual needs, so therefore rather then make everyone pay the same fare, they use the add-ons. I believe more and more people are paying for peace of mind. Its a stressful time getting to the airport as early as you can and sitting at the front of the queue and hour before check-in with children who get bored easilly.I would rather pay for peace of mind, and not rush to get to the airport, sit down have a cup tea and check-in when the rush has died down knowing that i already have my seat. Its not about airlines putting pressure on us to pre-book, its about airlines trying to keep the price low, and then WE have the choice to add-on what best meets all our individual needs.

I can see about having the choice to pay for what you need out of a flight. My main gripe is before you where asked to pay for sitting together we allways sat together, after we were given a choice and did not pay we were put apart ( was this putting pressure on to pay) so the sensible thing is to pay to sit together,this is fine as long as you are put together but I believe sitting in front or behind or across the aisle is classed as sitting together.I personly don't think this is right

have just checked in with thomas cook and was still given the choice of 3 and 1 or 2 and 2 behind which is what we went for so hubbys legs dont get crushed

Familygem, obviously there are four of you but only two of us so a differant seating need, out of interest did you pay to sit together? Have a great holiday werever you are going.

We have now returned from our holiday and it does appear that Thomas Cook do pre-allocate seats prior to arriving to the airport. We were seated together, in one row, both outbound and inbound.
We arrived at the airport outbound 3 hours before departure,with no queues at check-in, and were given row 39 in a 757-200, on return we were allocated row 40. These were probably the most uncomfortable, tightest seats that I have ever had the misfortune to sit in when flying. Thankfully it was only a 3 hour flight.

were travelling in four weeks in premium class, our friends have already prebooked there seats at a charge as my friends hubby wont sit by a window seat! i think that when we have already paid a premium on top of standard flights it should be included...but then thats my opinion!

to be honest i dont think we will book ours.... do first choice pre allocate seats? or is it worth gettin to check in early?

thanks

xsunseasandx,

Refer to page 1. Thomson Airways pre-allocate seating the day before the flight.

Darren

Have just returned from holiday today a thomson flight, we was orignally worried about not paying for prebookable seating but this wasn't a worry we had 4 seats across aisle on outbound flight and had 2+2 seats 2 in front of 2 so was together on both flights, so i think this is another ploy for the airline to get a bit more money from you

another ploy for the airline to get a bit more money from you

I totally disagree... I think this option is for people that want to purchase the seats together and guarantee them, it's not about any ploy or force being used to make you pay.

I've never once been forced to pay for this service or even been asked...I also have to ask the travel agent to book them if I want them which is every time I fly regardless of cost.

Well i flew out to Dom Rep in May with hubby and ten year old son, i decided to book "premium cabin" as a treat being 9 hours flight. A few weeks before departure i discovered you could atually pay a little extra to reserve particular seats in the cabin and did so as i wanted a set of 3 together at the front so phoned and booked 1CDE received a email comfiming my purchase. On arrival at airport check in did not receive selected seats and was told that it was still allocating seating on best fit so paid extra and still ended up sitting split by an aisle. When we got on the plane a fair few others in our cabin had also prebooked seats and not received them, and nobody at the check in desk seemed intrested. So the moral of the tale is dont waste your money because they will sit you where it suits the computers "best fit". None the less the FC aeroplanes are absolutely fantastic as is the "premium service" and "premium staff"

A few weeks before departure i discovered you could atually pay a little extra to reserve particular seats in the cabin and did so as i wanted a set of 3 together at the front so phoned and booked 1CDE received a email comfiming my purchase. On arrival at airport check in did not receive selected seats and was told that it was still allocating seating on best fit so paid extra and still ended up sitting split by an aisle.

So you paid for specific seats but didn't get them?

Did you ask the Tour Operator for a refund of what you'd paid for this?

Well i flew out to Dom Rep in May with hubby and ten year old son, i decided to book "premium cabin" as a treat being 9 hours flight. A few weeks before departure i discovered you could atually pay a little extra to reserve particular seats in the cabin and did so as i wanted a set of 3 together at the front so phoned and booked 1CDE received a email comfiming my purchase. On arrival at airport check in did not receive selected seats and was told that it was still allocating seating on best fit so paid extra and still ended up sitting split by an aisle. When we got on the plane a fair few others in our cabin had also prebooked seats and not received them, and nobody at the check in desk seemed intrested. So the moral of the tale is dont waste your money because they will sit you where it suits the computers "best fit". None the less the FC aeroplanes are absolutely fantastic as is the "premium service" and "premium staff"

As prettypollycat says I would request a refund, on booking did you print out your confirmation and take it with you? This is always the advice thomascook gives on booking any reserved seating.

I've never had any problems with my reserved seats and always got what I've requested, I think you have been really unfortunate on this occasion.

yes i took the print out of my email confirming my seat numbers and fees paid, check in staff just shrugged shoulders and said seats were done on computer best fit system. He offered me a phone number to ring on my return. I did get my seats on return leg, only because my husband exploded at rep in resort and she did sort it out thankfully

Duffnufu.
In the Airlines T/C it says for prebookable seats "We will try to accomidate your party on one side of the aisle,although we cannot guarantee this and may have to seat you across the aisle"
if i have been seated together as a family without paying the extra costs on a full plane for the seats then all i can say is - it is the airline trying to rake in a bit extra from you.

Even though there is only 2 of us traveling normally we still pay for specific seats most of the time and even when we don't we just book seats together and we are never across an aisle and we travel a lot. we would probably be sitting together anyway with it only being 2 people, however I have no issues with any pre-booked seats and think it is an excellent thing that travel agents allow you to pre-book seats. I think for the cost of specific seats or even seats together is extremely cheap and worth paying for anyway.

yes i took the print out of my email confirming my seat numbers and fees paid, check in staff just shrugged shoulders and said seats were done on computer best fit system. He offered me a phone number to ring on my return. I did get my seats on return leg, only because my husband exploded at rep in resort and she did sort it out thankfully

dinner-lady
I can appreciate the comments about being sat acoss the aisle if you'd just paid for "seats together" as the airlines consider this as being sat together - they also consider being sat one behind the other as sitting together. This is discussed earlier in this thread.

However, when you pay to choose your specific seat - in your case 1C, 1D & 1E then you should get those seats.
Computer best fit should take this into account when allocating seats for the passengers who have chosen not to pay for seats together or specific seats.

In your case I would have kept my boarding cards and requested a refund of half what I'd paid for seats 1C, 1D & 1E as I'd not got them on the outbound journey.

Just another confirmer re Thomas Cook...do not pay to sit together!!! we have just returned from Orlando and at Manchester the seats had been pre allocated, we checked in early and the clerk would have been quite happy to change them if we'd liked (we were happy with our allocation), at Orlando we checked in fairly early and got one of the rows where the cabin narrows on the A330 which was perfect for a party of 5.

So the age old rule applies, get to the airport early and you will have no problems...the only possible reason I can see for paying this charge is for those on a package being bussed back to the airport for the return flight, where you have no control over the time you will be arriving for your return flight.

Dan

We've recently returned from the Dom Rep on a TC flight and had fantastic service regarding seating together. A relative who works at check-in pre-booked 6 seats together for us as a favour. We were on the airbus 330 and had the middle 3 exit seats (plenty of leg room) and the 3 behind. However, he was unable to pre-book for the return journey.

When we arrived at check-in in the Dom Rep and asked if it was possible to be allocated seats together, the operator called one of the managers who looked at the screen and told us that he'd give us 'fake' seat numbers just so that he could get us checked in and then he'd try and sort something out once all the passengers were checked in. We were told to meet him at the boarding gate and not to board until he'd spoken to us. To cut a long story short, after everybody had left the boarding gate, we were taken on one of those 'golf buggy thingies' lol right up to the steps of the plane. The check-in manager then boarded and sorted out seats together by re-arranging willing passengers. We couldn't believe it! We were treated like 6 VIP's. The manager's name was James and he gets my vote for going above and beyond the call of duty.