thomson flights - seats together for free if special needs

[mackay_j]

Just a heads up for any other travelers using thomson flights (this is our first charter flight ) I just called to book seats together (called the special assistance line as I had to also book on my wheelchair) and was told that we do not need to pay the additional costs for our whole party to be seated together as I would need asistance to get up and down to use the toilets and as my daughter is diabetic she may aslo need emergency help during the flight, luckly I had not already paid this when I booked. So if a member of your party needs/may need assistance during the flight you should not need to pay the extra costs for booking seats.

 

[tinkerpea]

I wonder if everyone that works for Thomson knows this as we have travelled with them the last 3 times and had to pay seating everytime and we always said But surely you wouldnt pay as i have a disabled mum and a Autistic son! they always told me you have to pay if you want to sit together,one of the reasons we have gone Virgin this year!
Im glad it worked out for your party though

 

[mackay_j]

I was told the same when we booked, but didn't pay at that time. It was only when I phoned to book in my wheelchair that I found out from the special assistance team that we didn't need to pay as they would not want us travelling without and "an abled bodied companion" to help in any emergency- thus free seating together.

I also think there is a code of practice, that a disability should not cost you any extra, thus if they need you to be seated with someone then you should not be charged, however, for air and sea travel it is only best practice and not mandatory (but it is law for other forms of transport)

 

[flortlebap]

I think it's rather dodgy they're trying to get disabled individuals to pay extra...

The Equality Act imposes obligations on goods and service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals. By making people pay who by reason of a disability should be seated together, they may well be breaching the Act.

I doubt many people would highlight that to them, though.

 

[mackay_j]

Unfortunatly the act does not apply to air and sea travel, but most airlines are trying to be seen to work inside the rules of this law (as they know it won't look too good if they don't). The hope is that another form of the law will soon apply to air/sea routes, but the law as it stands will not, as it would mean that a airline would have no way of preventing a full plane of disabled travelers and this would go against other international safety laws.

 

[flortlebap]

Unfortunatly the act does not apply to air and sea travel, but most airlines are trying to be seen to work inside the rules of this law (as they know it won't look too good if they don't). The hope is that another form of the law will soon apply to air/sea routes, but the law as it stands will not, as it would mean that a airline would have no way of preventing a full plane of disabled travelers and this would go against other international safety laws.

I'm fairly surprised by this! It seems to mean that airlines can exploit vulnerable people... It's a real shame!

 

[zippy99]

It really narks me special assistance or no assistance that anyone should have to pay to sit together. It seems such a false economy, charge everyone £20 more then offer a discount of £20 for those who want to take the risk an pick their seats 24hrs out. You would have an overwhelmingly bunch of happy folk and equally a reasonable number of people quite happy to chance it - no doubt it would be more profitable.

It puts a much more positive outlook on things - a bit like how utilities companies offer a 'discount' for paying by DD rather than wording it as a 'charge' for not.