Worrying about the flight and seats...

[Sundancer UK]

This will be our second time to Disney and also only our second time on holiday abroad!
We are flying Virgin economy - my husband arranged all the flights stuff and I did the actual Disney booking.

We have five children ranging from my toddler who will have a lap seat, up to my 12 year old.
As I don't have much experience with flying, I'm assuming that we got lucky last time? We all started off in the centre bit; three in front, three behind, but then there were spaces by the windows on the left, including seats by a disabled area, so the flight attendant suggested we move if we like. On our way home we were again by windows, in twos behind each other.

I am so worried that this time we won't be seated together, or that we will be lumped in among other people where I will find it difficult to help or calm my children when they need it. As a large family we don't ever go anywhere that I can't quickly fix things or quiet stuff down, so I'm worrying now!

Is there anything I can do, or that you can tell me, to reduce some of my stress?

 

[Elise79]

You can pre-book your seats on Virgin to ensure you are all together - I would suggest 2 sets of 3 by the windows if you can.

VA are currently in the process of changing their seat request system. If you are flying before 23 August then you can select seats 60 days in advance free of charge. But beware there will be charge if you select them after 25 June2014.

If your flight is after the 23 August then you can choose your seats from 25 June 2014 but it will cost £25 per seat each way. I believe if you booked before 16 December then the fees will be waived.

Seat requests are done through manage my booking on the VA website.

 

[Sundancer UK]

Ah, now that is awesome and I can only hope that my husband has taken care of this without telling me (please please *please* let him have done this!), because the bit I forgot to mention in my OP is that we leave in 11 days - I'm doubting we will get much choice now?!

 

[2Tiggies]

Elaine, VA is very unlikely to split you up. The worst case scenario might be that they split some of the children between the 2 (are there 2?) adults.

 

[Sundancer UK]

Thanks 2Tiggies, that is reassuring. Obviously I would prefer it if all of us are together (and with as few other people around nearby as possible lol) but if we at least have 2/3 children per adult that should be survivable!

Just spoken to DH, he says he wasn't able to pre-book seats, and also that he tried this when we went three years ago and wasn't able to then either :/

 

[flortlebap]

Virgins policy is that children under 12 will be seated with an adult. There's a very good chance you will be fine.

You could either get there really early or pay to reserve seats if you're worried though.

Even after people have checked in they can reassign seats. This happened to me last month - I pre booked seats which were altered at check in. We then got called to the gate and issued new boarding cards because they'd moved our seats again! So if you kick up a fuss they can still theoretically seat you together!

 

[Sundancer UK]

OK he's looking now and it says that if you are travelling with infants you unable to request seats online - I think he's going to try calling them.

How early would be 'really early' for something like this?

 

[Elise79]

Try online check in first - again doesn't always work with an infant.

If you can get to twilight check in that would be the best answer but failing that as early as possible on the day - 4 hours before your flight?
They will seat children under 12 with an adult so the children won't be on their own.

 

[Sundancer UK]

Hooray for the Disboards UK page! He did it! I was relaying everything said here to DH and he phoned them and we now have two rows of 3 window seats, one behind the other. Not guaranteed, but hopefully good!

Thank you for walking me through it

 

[Elise79]

Hooray for the Disboards UK page! He did it! I was relaying everything said here to DH and he phoned them and we now have two rows of 3 window seats, one behind the other. Not guaranteed, but hopefully good!

Thank you for walking me through it

Pleased you got sorted