United, online check-in NOT sitting together!

[ChipnDaleRule]

As we IDEALLY want to fly VA next year i just dropped them a quick line through Facebook to find out their stance on this subject was,they replied within minutes
"Hi Clare, It is true that while customers can request seats we can't ever promise we'll be able to provide these specifically due to a number of reasons (I'm not sure of any airline that can do this). We'll always try our best though. With regards to young children we'll never sit a young child away from at least one parent or guardian so please don't worry about that. Hope we'll see you and your family on board soon. Greg" When i asked what is classed as YOUNG children he said
"We'll always try and avoid sitting anyone under 16 away from a guardian as far as I'm aware. Greg"
Not a 100% concrete "No it would never happen" answer,but as close as its going to get! Hopefully OP resolved the issue.

 

[foxxxy83]

WOW! Thought once you selected your seats, they were final. I have email confirmation of seat numbers etc

 

[2Tiggies]

WOW! Thought once you selected your seats, they were final. I have email confirmation of seat numbers etc

It's never guaranteed and all airlines are quite transparent about their policies. However those 'best endeavors' quoted by ChipAndDaleRule are generally quite efficient

Who are you flying with?

 

[foxxxy83]

Thomson.. Premium Economy on their new Dreamliner plane.. there's only 47 seat in the PE section so with a bit of luck, they won't need to separate us Still VERY worrying though!

 

[wayneg]

WOW! Thought once you selected your seats, they were final. I have email confirmation of seat numbers etc

No chance. No airline will guarantee a seat number. There are so many reasons they have to change. The VA response is roughly how they all work.
Only airline we have ever had a problem with is Virgin, had our seat numbers for months but at check in they had changed us, myself and Wife sat about 10 rows behind my Mother In Law & Son.
Used all the American carriers without a problem but no airline is perfect.

 

[foxxxy83]

I guess no-one really thinks of these things unless it happens to them.. same as everything! :$

 

[T16GEM]

Hi chip n dale - yes our flight is with the same airline as the OP, united.

I must add that they have changed the flight time and plane on this particular leg of our flight over 4 times so I am not surprised that there has been an issue with our seat requests, I will certainly be checking them regularly over the next few weeks ( we fly 3 weeks on Sunday) to ensure that no more changes have been made.

We are travelling with our friends who have an infant on a lap ticket and we had seated ourselves to ensure that we were all together to help entertain the baby. That won't be happening now, so I feel sorry for the poor stranger who has been seated next to them in the window seat that we have been kicked out of for whatever reason as they will now have an overtired 20 month old sat next to them!!

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

The first time we went to Orlando in 2000 (so this was 13 years ago!), we flew from Plymouth to Gatwick, then flew Gatwick to Orlando with BA. We were 4 adults and 3 children aged 11, 8 and 4. When checking in for LGW -MCO, we had all been seperated... including my 4 yesr old sister, who was supposedly sat in a cabin all by herself!!

Once on the plane, we spoke to some lovely people sat around us, and we managed to sit in pairs (and my Grandad sat by himself)...

Moral of the story? Nothing is guarenteed!

 

[flortlebap]

The first time we went to Orlando in 2000 (so this was 13 years ago!), we flew from Plymouth to Gatwick, then flew Gatwick to Orlando with BA. We were 4 adults and 3 children aged 11, 8 and 4. When checking in for LGW -MCO, we had all been seperated... including my 4 yesr old sister, who was supposedly sat in a cabin all by herself!!

Once on the plane, we spoke to some lovely people sat around us, and we managed to sit in pairs (and my Grandad sat by himself)...

Moral of the story? Nothing is guarenteed!

That's awful. I'm glad the passengers around you helped though!

 

[foxxxy83]

I'll second that. There's been a lot of posts about the rudeness of people in the parks so it's good to hear nice stories of people helping each other out! I've always been very lucky with my flights (my best one being with Ryanair of all people!) Just hoping this time isn't the one where I get unlucky!

 

[chmurf]

That's awful. I'm glad the passengers around you helped though!

as was previously stated, no "sane" passenger would want to sit through an 8 hours flight next to a cranky 4yrs old who asks for mommy every 3 seconds.

people will rather sit in the hold than go through this

 

[davidmolliesmum]

...just to update you all, staff were very nice at check in, there were no other free seats but she advised she'd 'shuffle' people around if they would agree and advise at the gate if we were together...
got to gate and they managed to get 2 and 2 together such a relief!!!

 

[2Tiggies]

...just to update you all, staff were very nice at check in, there were no other free seats but she advised she'd 'shuffle' people around if they would agree and advise at the gate if we were together...
got to gate and they managed to get 2 and 2 together such a relief!!!

OMG we've all been waiting to see if it ended well for you! SO pleased it ended up okay and thank you for letting everyone know

Now go and have a blast with your family

 

[wayneg]

Enjoy your holiday!!

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Thanks for letting us know

Common sense does prevail after all

 

[foxxxy83]

Couldn't be more pleased for you! Enjoy!

 

[Tink78]

Thank goodness for that. Have a fab time.

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Glad its worked out for you! Have a great trip! X

 

[Shazzie B]

So glad it worked out OK for you, understand your panic totally, my DD would still freak out and she's 18

 

[sammie1884]

Soooo pleased for you!