Sitting together on P&O Caribbean flights - Recent experience?

[Silkysuzi]

Hi - just wondering what people’s experience has been recently with being assigned seats to sit together on Caribbean flights? The seat booking option to pay for this is now closed for our cruise but I thought they would be keeping couples/groups together on flights due to covid? But reading elsewhere it seems not. Many thanks

[cdm123]

Which cruise and from what airport are you going on suzi ?

[Silkysuzi]

B202A from Manchester

[Bazrat]

We paid extra to sit together, but like you say you didn't book it now it's to late unfortunately, the only chance you may have if someone cancels.

[Megabear2]

Depends how many on your flight. We were given 2 seats  together automatically (I never pay to book seats because I'm mean) but for other reasons were given upgraded premium seats. However everyone on board outside the premium seats literally had a row to themselves on both flights and probably had more room than us!

 

In the past TUI have sat us together although sometimes the aisle has been between us.

[zap99]

41 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Depends how many on your flight. We were given 2 seats  together automatically (I never pay to book seats because I'm mean) but for other reasons were given upgraded premium seats. However everyone on board outside the premium seats literally had a row to themselves on both flights and probably had more room than us!

 

In the past TUI have sat us together although sometimes the aisle has been between us.

Last time we flew in premium. I logged on and paid £50 so that we could sit together. DW logged on and paid £50 to sit somewhere else.🤔

[ozzysdad]

Given the covid protocols and the need to stay in bubbles where possible airlines should be keeping groups seated together over trying to fleece customers, I've flown three times in recent months and on each occasion we have been sat next to each other, I always check in the minute it opens online though.

[Bazrat]

2 hours ago, ozzysdad said:

Given the covid protocols and the need to stay in bubbles where possible airlines should be keeping groups seated together over trying to fleece customers, I've flown three times in recent months and on each occasion we have been sat next to each other, I always check in the minute it opens online though.

We always book extra legroom on premium (tui) because there are not many we always pay the extra

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, ozzysdad said:

Given the covid protocols and the need to stay in bubbles where possible airlines should be keeping groups seated together over trying to fleece customers, I've flown three times in recent months and on each occasion we have been sat next to each other, I always check in the minute it opens online though.

To be fair, P&O/Tui do not deliberately split families up [unlike Ryanair], although, depending on number on the flight, you may be sitting behind each other, or across the aisle.

[zap99]

21 minutes ago, wowzz said:

To be fair, P&O/Tui do not deliberately split families up [unlike Ryanair], although, depending on number on the flight, you may be sitting behind each other, or across the aisle.

I don't mind her sitting across the isle, but wouldn't want DW sitting behind me. Toooo risky.🤔

[molecrochip]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

To be fair, P&O/Tui do not deliberately split families up [unlike Ryanair], although, depending on number on the flight, you may be sitting behind each other, or across the aisle.

This is P&O policy rather than Tui policy. If you don't pay to book your seats on a Tui flight you could be rows apart. Even seats together could be 16C and 17C, or 16C and 16D (separated by an aisle) as examples.

 

From memory, Children under 12 must be seated with an adult. but 2 adults and 2 children could find 1 adult and child at the front of the plane and 1 adult and child at the back. P&O reserve certain rows near the front of economy for passengers requiring assistance. Once those passengers are allocated, remaining groups are allocated seating and families can find themselves here. 

 

I don't think its changed, but seating allocation is done by P&O and provided to Tui.

 

P&O charters often have ship crew travelling on them to use up odd seats where capacity allows.

[Bazrat]

20 hours ago, molecrochip said:

This is P&O policy rather than Tui policy. If you don't pay to book your seats on a Tui flight you could be rows apart. Even seats together could be 16C and 17C, or 16C and 16D (separated by an aisle) as examples.

 

From memory, Children under 12 must be seated with an adult. but 2 adults and 2 children could find 1 adult and child at the front of the plane and 1 adult and child at the back. P&O reserve certain rows near the front of economy for passengers requiring assistance. Once those passengers are allocated, remaining groups are allocated seating and families can find themselves here. 

 

I don't think its changed, but seating allocation is done by P&O and provided to Tui.

 

P&O charters often have ship crew travelling on them to use up odd seats where capacity allows.

I always believed that the charter airlines had complete control of there planes not p&o, they just inform the airline who's flying but I will stand corrected if you can provide proof it's up to the cruise company who sits we're

[Megabear2]

I would guess as you receive your return boarding passes in a sealed envelope for your return journey along with disembarkation labels and information P&O must have control of that.

 

Once travelling alone on a Thomas Cook charter flight I was allocated a bulkhead seat on the return (wasn't aware of it until I was on the aircraft and it was a total surprise).  Some of my fellow travellers were not happy and complained saying they'd paid for their seat and the plan had shown it empty so they wanted to spread out. One even demanded if I was to sit there I needed to pay. It got very uncomfortable but the cabin crew informed the disgruntled passengers that P&O had allocated me that seat and therefore they could not tell me I had to move or charge me.  That was in 2017.

 

I guess I was special even then ....

 

[molecrochip]

Its P&O's flight booker. They charter the plane, determine the service level. They make the money when they sell seats. They've already paid Tui for the charter.

 

Tui retain control over flight and safety aspect (and the physical plane of course).

[pennib]

We always book premium seats on Caribbean fly cruises because we love the extra space. On our Manchester flight to Barbados on 10 December there were 100 empty seats on the plane and virtually all the central section in premium was free. Not the same coming home on 7 January though and you can forget social distancing on the planes. Otherwise service etc was the same as before.

[tring]

On 1/9/2022 at 9:58 AM, Bazrat said:

I always believed that the charter airlines had complete control of there planes not p&o, they just inform the airline who's flying but I will stand corrected if you can provide proof it's up to the cruise company who sits we're

 

I have been on fly cruises with Fred Olsen in the past and they definitely had the say on how people were seated for the return flights as we all had to fill in forms with any preferences/special needs and we got to know the flight co-ordinator very well and it was her who organised the seating plans.  That admittedly is another airline/cruise company and a few years ago (partly due to covid), but would go against your information that "charter airlines always have complete control of their planes", regards seating that is.

 

I understood that was also the case for Swan Hellenic when they were under the Carnival umbrella, though of course that was an extremely long time ago.

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by tring

[Bazrat]

16 hours ago, tring said:

 

I have been on fly cruises with Fred Olsen in the past and they definitely had the say on how people were seated for the return flights as we all had to fill in forms with any preferences/special needs and we got to know the flight co-ordinator very well and it was her who organised the seating plans.  That admittedly is another airline/cruise company and a few years ago (partly due to covid), but would go against your information that "charter airlines always have complete control of their planes", regards seating that is.

 

I understood that was also the case for Swan Hellenic when they were under the Carnival umbrella, though of course that was an extremely long time ago.

 

When our flight back to Birmingham was cancelled by Tui and we was put on  a Manchester flight instead, we was informed by P&O to contact TUI about our requests for premium seating, I know that was a specific incident but if p&o controlled seating arrangements why was we told to contact the airline.

 

[molecrochip]

11 hours ago, Bazrat said:

When our flight back to Birmingham was cancelled by Tui and we was put on  a Manchester flight instead, we was informed by P&O to contact TUI about our requests for premium seating, I know that was a specific incident but if p&o controlled seating arrangements why was we told to contact the airline.

Sounds like someone passing the buck to me. Were Tui able to help?

Edited January 11, 2022 by molecrochip

[Bazrat]

9 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Sounds like someone passing the buck to me. Were Tui able to help?

Yes they arranged for our seating and we wasn't alone in being told to contact them, all flights to Birmingham that had been cancelled those who had booked premium was told the same, I was on another sites group for the TA