TCD - 3 Adults - Is it worth paying for pre-seating?

[bazzanoid]

Hi all,

Is it worth paying for 'pre-seating' (£20pp) with TCD? There's 3 of us going so i would have thought that chances are we'd be seated together anyway? Anyone have any experience on this?

Thanks!

Barry

 

[Netty]

I wouldnt bother, just get to the airport early to be one of the first in the queue to check in and you shouldnt have a problem being seated together.

 

[mushumadness]

I paid for ours this year as there 8 uf us wanting to sit together, and as everybody else canbook to sit together too, it means if you dont your family may have to fill in the gaps others have left. Dont wanna risk that with there being so many of us

When we went to dlrp by air a woman didnt book to sit together with her 8yr old and they were seperated by about ten rows (which I didnt think you could do to a child) this served as a warning to me and I also pay to sit together

 

[Claire L]

These are the CAA guidelines re family groups -

Seating – family
CAA guidelines ask airlines to develop procedures for the seat allocation of family groups, particularly when a group includes children. It is probable that family group members would seek each other out should an emergency evacuation be required, an action that could adversely affect the rapid evacuation of the aircraft. Children should be seated where they can be adequately supervised by an accompanying adult in the event of turbulence or a decompression in the cabin.

Children, accompanied by adults, should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult.

In wide-bodied aircraft, children and accompanying adults should not be separated by more than one aisle. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults.


-----

Claire

 

[mushumadness]

someone should tell air france that, that poor mother was kicking off on the plane and in the end they let her sit and 8 year old on her knee which I dont thinks very safe, but hey

 

[maureen4200040]

I prebookd two seats together with Thomas Cook for Twenty quid last September. I requested the last two window seats in the premium cabin. I'm so glad i did as it met we could recline without fear of upsetting anyone.

There's 3 of us going this September, and I've done the same thing again . Back row seats in the premium cabin for thirty quid. If you can get to the airport fairly early - you maybe able to requests your seats together without having to pay.

Good luck.

 

[bazzanoid]

*BUMP!*

We've now booked TCD Upper Deck, 3 adults - anyone have any further thoughts on if I should pay for pre-seating? We'll be at the airport a couple of hours before check-in opens due to timing of the Gatwick Flyer, so will have breakfast then queue up at the priority check-in desk half hour before it opens.

 

[foxylady]

After arriving late at the airport one year (due to traffic) we were unable to sit together (myself, DH & DS who was 6 at the time). 2 of us were together (ie, myself & DS), but DH was about 20 rows in front.

Therefore, we always make sure we pay the bit extra to ensure we are sitting together.

Peace of mind

 

[wideeyes]

When we went to dlrp by air a woman didnt book to sit together with her 8yr old and they were seperated by about ten rows (which I didnt think you could do to a child) this served as a warning to me and I also pay to sit together

when we went to DLP with airfrance they made people move seats so that children were next to an adult in there party. however we were a party of three and they sat us apart on the way back twice. The first time they sat dd and dbf togther and me and my sister togther and the second time dd and dbf togther and me alone, I thought that maybe it is because with have different surnames.

 

[Miffy2003]

*BUMP!*

We've now booked TCD Upper Deck, 3 adults - anyone have any further thoughts on if I should pay for pre-seating? We'll be at the airport a couple of hours before check-in opens due to timing of the Gatwick Flyer, so will have breakfast then queue up at the priority check-in desk half hour before it opens.

I wouldn't personally but I am not the best person to ask, as I usually refuse on principle to pay to book seats

 

[Queenie]

I asked this on the TCD boards when we were making the decision. Basically I'd say it depends how important it is for you to be sat together. No matter how early you arrive, if everyone else on the plane has prebooked their seats then you are at the mercy of what seats are left. Apparently between 2/3 and 3/4 of the seats on any TCD flight are now prebooked. I'm scared of flying so being seperated is just not an option for me, therefore we chose to prebook our seats. It's up to you, just weigh up the cost of prebooking against how you'd feel if you were seperated

 

[brer rabbit 28]

we are seated in upper deck (2 0f us) and we havn't pre booked.We will be there before check in too. I called TCD for their advice and the guy said there was no need for us to pre book.
I think the seats are in sets of 3 anyway in upperdeck so you should be fine.

 

[snookhams]

we are flying TCD for the first time this summer ~ and have chosen sunshine first I was told by TCD when I enquired that we would have no need to pre-book as we would be seated together! There are 6 of us but as long as we are in 2's that would be fine I understand that the sunshine first cabin is not that big so we would always be able to see them!!

Does anyone know what time check in for TCD actually opens as we would like to get there early and then DH has £100 of BAA vouchers and has promised to treat us to a slap up breakfast!!!!

 

[bazzanoid]

snookhams - i asked exactly the same thing of TCD in an email since we're getting there a couple of hours early - check-in opens 3 hours before the flight at Gatwick.

 

[pineapple123]

Hi just thought I'd share my previous experience on a plan to greece
My daughter was 4 at the time arrived at Airport in plenty of time but somehow got to the last of the queue.
was informed at check in that we would not be seated together was really surprised and asked to speak to someone told there was nothing I could do until we got on board When I got onboard asked the stewardess could we change seats as hubby was at the back of the plan I was in another row and my daughter was on the end of the row 2 rows back the stewardess asked if anyone would mind changing seats no one wanted to so was basically told tough luck thoughout the flight got told off by cabin crew for letting my daughter stand in the aisle next to me . wrote a letter of complaint when I got back home but did not even recieve a reply. so always book seats now to stop me getting anxious before we fly

pineapple hope this helps someone.

 

[pezzapixiedust]

we have always paid that little bit extra so that we are definatley seated together, i think its well worth it x

 

[brer rabbit 28]

you lot got me all anxious again so i called tcd to try and book for sunshine premium.The guy wouldn't allow me to reserve the seats,he advised me that there is no point in any of the upgraded cabins.So i hope that will put someones mind at ease.

 

[ely3857]

Last year there was 9 of us on the flight and we got there early and sat in a 3 -4 -2 formation all across one row which was perfect for us. On the way back we sat in 3 rows of 3 which was less good but we were all still together.

We didnt pre-book, just got there early. I you want MHO, It's just yet another way to squeeze ££££ for you!



Jodie