Pre book seats? Waste of money!

[CASPALL]

Having spent £25 pp for our seats back from Barbados to Manchester we realised it was a total waste of money. Everyone on the plane got to sit next to their partner and sensible folk who didn't know about booking seats managed to get 3 seats between 2 as there was plenty of space on the plane.

I am so disappointed that we also pre booked seats for our December cruise - that's £100 we could have spent on the ship instead!:rolleyes:

 

Caryl

[LibraLass41]

I did this for a flight to Madeira on Thomson in June, probably didn't need to bother as we were first at check-in at the ungodly hour of 4am from Exeter for a 6am flight, when we live nr Bristol, no sleep that night after travelling to airport at 2am,. But the dark hint that 'if we didn't we might not be able to sit together was enough for me to do it.

[davecttr]

Booking seats is best for peace of mind. I did not reserve seats on my Marmaris flight and on the return leg ended up in a middle seat of the centre block. I did not have a comfortable flight.

 

For my Caribbean flight I have booked seats so I have an isle seat near the front of the plane.

 

most people and up sitting together but if you arrive later at check-in and there are no pairs left, tough!.

[CASPALL]

But the dark hint that 'if we didn't we might not be able to sit together was enough for me to do it.

 

That's why we pre booked as well.

 

Caryl

[jodanuke]

How come it cost you £100?

 

I just looked and it will cost us £12.50 each per leg = £50

[Thejuggler]

Think how many seats there are across an aircraft and how many single passengers there are. Chances of not being sat together are minute - if you are checked in together you will be sat together. We have done dozens of flights, never pre booked and never been apart in terms of one at the front of the plane and one at the back. We do tend to sit apart anyway as we prefer two aisles seats.

 

On one flight I actually sat facing the rear of the aircraft and my wife sat opposite facing forwards - that was an interesting experience.

[CASPALL]

Apologies for getting it wrong! Yes - £12.50pp each way.:o

 

Caryl

[johnny tallentire]

We never booked for the return from barbados,we also met 3 other couples on holiday wh were on the same flight and never booked,all of us ended up sat together at the back,its just another way of getting more money from you,if you book the cruise together ie with your partner you will be sat together,save those hard earned £s for other things.

[jodanuke]

After just reading some reviews on Thomas Cook long haul flights, I'm not so sure that any of the seats are any good. Especially if your 6ft or over.

[johnny tallentire]

All i can say is the next time i pass a cattle truck on the M6 it will give me memories of my Thomas Cook flight home from Barbados,never again.Baaaa ;)

[davecttr]

Seating room is fine for me, but of course I am only 5'4" with short legs :D

[suebubbles]

Ive prebooked 2 seats together at the back of the plane im glad we did as we have done this before and enjoy the fact its just the 2 of us and no 3rd party so can come and go when we want without excusing antone else!

:)

[cruiseanywhere2]

Always pre-book whether cruising or any other holiday.No flights involved next March as sailing from Southampton.:)

[MattyBarlow]

After just reading some reviews on Thomas Cook long haul flights, I'm not so sure that any of the seats are any good. Especially if your 6ft or over.

 

 

Im over 6 foot and have never had a problem with the Thomas cook flights to Barbados.

[TOBY2]

Travelling back from Barbados last year my partner and I were split up and on different sides of the plane. We checked in very early only to be told sorry you can't sit together plane is full. This happened to several other couples on the plane and they had the same surnames so pre-book.

[CASPALL]

Well there you go Toby. Maybe I'm not so sorry I paid to pre book! I would HATE to be apart from my husband. It's such a boring flight with the limited entertainment (unless you pay the extra £5 or £6) . I wouldn't like to fall asleep next to some random person or have someone snoring loudly next to me! That has happened before!

Caryl

[Denarius]

Travelling back from Barbados last year my partner and I were split up and on different sides of the plane. We checked in very early only to be told sorry you can't sit together plane is full. This happened to several other couples on the plane and they had the same surnames so pre-book.

Curious!

When I flew back from Barbados last November after a repositioning crossing on Ventura, check in and seat allocation was done onboard ship. You were given a boarding card and seat number a day or so before disembarking. At the airport, you went straight through security to the departure lounge. Your luggage went direct from the ship to the plane. I understood that this is the normal practice with P&O charter flights.

Have things changed?

[u2cruiser]

Curious!

When I flew back from Barbados last November after a repositioning crossing on Ventura, check in and seat allocation was done onboard ship. You were given a boarding card and seat number a day or so before disembarking. At the airport, you went straight through security to the departure lounge. Your luggage went direct from the ship to the plane. I understood that this is the normal practice with P&O charter flights.

Have things changed?

 

Same for us a couple of weeks ago, returning from Ventura transatlantic. We were checked in and seat numbers given the day before disembarking. We were sat together. Never saw the luggage once it was taken from outside our cabin, until we got back to Manchester.

 

Very quick line checking boarding cards at Barbados airport before entry into the departure lounge. :)

[johnny tallentire]

Same here was given flight tickets 2 days before leaving the ship with the seat numbers allocated didnt you look to see that you was not sat together,still stand by not paying extra if you do it wisely you will be seated together check with the airline in question before if its a fly cruise,as i said earlier its just another way of them getting more money from you.

[CRUMB]

After just reading some reviews on Thomas Cook long haul flights, I'm not so sure that any of the seats are any good. Especially if your 6ft or over.

 

It didn't seem to be a leg length issue going on, plenty of people over 6 foot that were ok, more of a bottom width issue. Some larger passengers struggled with the comfort of the seat arms digging in and upgraded to premium for the way home as there were a few spare seats.

[LEESRE]

Yes P&O still check you in on the ship whether or not you have pre-booked your seats.

This is new to this years Caribbean season you can look on your cruise personaliser and you will see Flight Booker in Blue once your flight has reached the 12 weeksm before slot. Then if you wish you can pre-book your seats.

Must say I am glad that you can do this as the last two transatlantics with P&O both with Thomson airlines my wife and I were sat miles apart and when I queried it they said they could not change du to the plane being full.

You pays your money and make your choice.

 

We recently flew back from Barbados with Thomson airlines on a transatlantic and we did pre-book and evrything was fine, we knew beforehand which seats we would be allocated. The leg room was fine and the entertainment, did not need to upgrade for the £5 fee. Plenty on the screen to amuse you for the 8 hour flight inbetween you sleeping.

[C at Sea]

Am a bit confused because I understand pre-booking outward flight but do you have to prebook flights back? Last winter we had the same seats automatically allocated to us as going out. Has this all changed with the facility to prebook?

[jodanuke]

Yes, when you book your seats online its for both legs of your journey.

[LEESRE]

Am a bit confused because I understand pre-booking outward flight but do you have to prebook flights back? Last winter we had the same seats automatically allocated to us as going out. Has this all changed with the facility to prebook?

 

Unless you are on a transatlantic leg then you have to book both legs you cannot just book either outward or inward.

[TOBY2]

We are flying to Acapulco with TC and returning from Barbados with Thomson hence two different plane configurations so we had to book both legs.