Booking your seat on a Thomson flight

[firefly3050]

I've received 2 calls in the last few days from Thomson call centre peeps asking why I haven't pre-booked our seats on the plane for our cruise from Sharm in April 2012.

 

Why should I?

 

Answer - They can't guarantee that we will be able to sit together....

 

Uh? When did this type of blackmail start?

 

I got rid of the first caller straight away because I thought it was just to try to get me to pay more money.

 

Second call I got was from a nice chap so I thought I'd ask him a few questions.

 

Why do I need to pre-book?

 

Same answer -

We can't guarantee that you will be able to sit together....

 

Why?

 

He went into rambling about the fact that alot of families travel on the flights to Sharm. Non pre-booked seats are allocated the night before the flight and families get priority to sit together over and above others that haven't pre-booked. We're travelling out of the school holidays BTW.

 

Why sould they get priority if they haven't pre-booked? He didn't/wouldn't answer that one.

 

Next, was that we can pay nigh on £50 and guarantee that we sit together, but we can't actually book the seats we want until nearer the time we fly and then you have to get online/phone as soon as the "doors" open because it's first come,first served!!!

 

I'm not prepared to put up with pressure selling like this. If I do end up not sitting with my hubby on the flight(s), so be it, but I will be doing a lot of questioning around the whole of the cabin whilst inflight to find out if Thomson are purposly seperating people who have not pre-booked seats to try to get us to pay the money next time we fly with them :(

 

Jayne xxx

[Julessmiles]

I've received 2 calls in the last few days from Thomson call centre peeps asking why I haven't pre-booked our seats on the plane for our cruise from Sharm in April 2012.

 

Why should I?

 

Answer - They can't guarantee that we will be able to sit together....

 

Uh? When did this type of blackmail start?

 

I got rid of the first caller straight away because I thought it was just to try to get me to pay more money.

 

Second call I got was from a nice chap so I thought I'd ask him a few questions.

 

Why do I need to pre-book?

 

Same answer -

We can't guarantee that you will be able to sit together....

 

Why?

 

He went into rambling about the fact that alot of families travel on the flights to Sharm. Non pre-booked seats are allocated the night before the flight and families get priority to sit together over and above others that haven't pre-booked. We're travelling out of the school holidays BTW.

 

Why sould they get priority if they haven't pre-booked? He didn't/wouldn't answer that one.

 

Next, was that we can pay nigh on £50 and guarantee that we sit together, but we can't actually book the seats we want until nearer the time we fly and then you have to get online/phone as soon as the "doors" open because it's first come,first served!!!

 

I'm not prepared to put up with pressure selling like this. If I do end up not sitting with my hubby on the flight(s), so be it, but I will be doing a lot of questioning around the whole of the cabin whilst inflight to find out if Thomson are purposly seperating people who have not pre-booked seats to try to get us to pay the money next time we fly with them :(

 

Jayne xxx

 

I had a similar phone call I was not happy about either. We have booked for August 2012; booked early to get 4 bedded cabin choice which we have pre-booked and the AI.

 

I had a phone call a couple of weeks ago from Thomson (not the Thomson agent I had booked through) to my mobile phone - I rarely give my mobile number out to people I don't know so that made me mad in the first place!

 

They asked me if I would like to upgrade my cabin to an outside cabin - I thought maybe they had a special offer they were going to tell me about so I asked how much it was going to cost me - £250 (or something like that!) so I politely told her where to go as I would rather spend the money on trips / spending money when we get there.

 

I could not believe that over a year to go and they are trying to get me to change cabin?? I also cannot believe the cheek of it to be honest. I phoned my travel agent who did actually say that she had never heard of it for cabin upgrades but they are always doing it for flight seats - basically trying to "up-sell". She said it makes her mad as they get loads of customers going into their shops complaining!

 

PS The reason why families may get priority of sitting together is that you cannot have children sitting without an adult on a flight (& I assume it probably has to be one that they know!) Also, my parents NEVER pre-book their seats and usually sit together although it can often be across the aisle!

[annie60]

I've received 2 calls in the last few days from Thomson call centre peeps asking why I haven't pre-booked our seats on the plane for our cruise from Sharm in April 2012.

 

Why should I?

 

Answer - They can't guarantee that we will be able to sit together....

 

Uh? When did this type of blackmail start?

 

I got rid of the first caller straight away because I thought it was just to try to get me to pay more money.

 

Second call I got was from a nice chap so I thought I'd ask him a few questions.

 

Why do I need to pre-book?

 

Same answer -

We can't guarantee that you will be able to sit together....

 

Why?

 

He went into rambling about the fact that alot of families travel on the flights to Sharm. Non pre-booked seats are allocated the night before the flight and families get priority to sit together over and above others that haven't pre-booked. We're travelling out of the school holidays BTW.

 

Why sould they get priority if they haven't pre-booked? He didn't/wouldn't answer that one.

 

Next, was that we can pay nigh on £50 and guarantee that we sit together, but we can't actually book the seats we want until nearer the time we fly and then you have to get online/phone as soon as the "doors" open because it's first come,first served!!!

 

I'm not prepared to put up with pressure selling like this. If I do end up not sitting with my hubby on the flight(s), so be it, but I will be doing a lot of questioning around the whole of the cabin whilst inflight to find out if Thomson are purposly seperating people who have not pre-booked seats to try to get us to pay the money next time we fly with them :(

 

Jayne xxx

 

Hi,

 

Last year we went on a Thomson cruise costing £3,500 and we were at the airport in plenty time to get seats together. We had booked meals but not seats. I was in row 4 and my partner was in row 24. I feel this was to encourage us to book seats this year which we have and although we will be sitting together with extra leg room,we couldn't get a window seat. A complete con. Especially when this is another £3,500 holiday and not just a flight only booking.

[davecttr]

On one flight last year we were asked to move into exit seats because a family with children had booked seats next to the exit. Apparently children are not allowed to sit in exit rows for safety reasons even with adults so we had lots of leg room and their huge dad had to squeeze in a normal seat. Of course i don't need extra legroom as there is always a 4 inch gap between my knees and the seat in front :D

[yorkie1]

Personally I would never pre-book seats so what if I'm not sat next to the old man I've got him for a fortnight day and night so can manage without him for a few hours :Dbut on saying that in all the years of flying we have never been separated on a flight, a couple of times we have both had aisle seats but then at least you can stretch your legs and not disturb the people sitting next to you

[ekco]

There is only one thing I would book on Thomsons notorious Sharm flights, or sardine cans as I like to think of them, and that is extra leg room for the return flight. I have never been so stiff for so long after a flight as both me and my husband were on the return journey. Even animals are given more space than we were. Not happy and then they bleat on about dvt when they're ones that are causing it.:(

 

Jan

[firefly3050]

Dear sodafountain,

 

Do you really belive that I would advocate a child sitting on it's own next to a total stranger :rolleyes:

 

My point is, that, for 20 years of me flying, seating was always on a first come, first served basis (unless seats WERE pre-booked).

 

If you were flying as a family, you made sure you got to the airport well before check in time and queued.......

 

With the computer age we now have, why do Thomson have to change the way seats are allocated, other than to blackmail (aka frighten) people into paying a suppliment just to ensure they are sat together.

 

It's a total scam :mad:

[Julessmiles]

Dear sodafountain,

 

Do you really belive that I would advocate a child sitting on it's own next to a total stranger :rolleyes:

 

My point is, that, for 20 years of me flying, seating was always on a first come, first served basis (unless seats WERE pre-booked).

 

If you were flying as a family, you made sure you got to the airport well before check in time and queued.......

 

With the computer age we now have, why do Thomson have to change the way seats are allocated, other than to blackmail (aka frighten) people into paying a suppliment just to ensure they are sat together.

 

It's a total scam :mad:

 

I agree with you Firefly - they should either just let you pre- book your seat at the time of booking your holiday (and if necessary incorporate it into the cost of your holiday so it's "hidden" - not that it should cost anything) or not do it at all - it's just a big money-making exercise. That way, the earlier you book, the better choice you get and also it would possibly be another incentive to encourage people to book their holidays early too?

 

Also, just a warning; we pre-booked seats when flying back from Tenerife once as we were travelling with 2 younger children in the party - Thomson were late getting us to the airport and they had given our seats away! (Not sure if they thought we were a no-show?!) They then ended up giving us extra leg-room seats which of course we couldn't have as we had younger children with us so they had to then ask around the aircraft for people willing to swap for extra legroom seats (which of course was quite easy!)

[sodafountain]

Dear sodafountain,

 

Do you really belive that I would advocate a child sitting on it's own next to a total stranger :rolleyes:

 

I don't know, it was YOU that said you couldn't understand why a family would have priority over you, sounds like you are saying if you get there first, you should have the seats together, and not the family.

 

All these extras happened after 9/11, when the price of flying went up for the airlines, because of increased security, airlines kept bear minimum prices for a basic seat, to encourage flying, with extra's then being paid for (rather than everyone paying the same - in which case basic seats would pay slightly more, but extra leg room would pay less, based on how it is done now).

[wales4ever]

If you are not allowed to pre-book, or don't want to pay extra to book, it should be first come first served. Family or not. If your desperate to sit together get there as early as you can.

[firefly3050]

"sounds like you are saying if you get there first, you should have the seats together, and not the family."

 

Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying - and why not? If you want to sit together, make sure you get to the airport in plenty of time. I've paid the same money per adult as a family to fly on this plane so why should I be a second class citizen compared to them?

[wales4ever]

i can't believe you are so arrogant that you feel you deserve to sit next to your partner more than a child needs to be say with their parents, some people disgust me :mad:

 

Sorry but I totally agree with firefly - If your that worried about sitting by your kids, get there early, pre-book or take your chance same as the rest of us.

[firefly3050]

Why do I disgust you :confused:

 

I've no children, but that doesn't mean that you should villify me for not agreeing that people who do have kids should take preference over thoes that don't. If a family want's to sit together then they should pay the money to do so....

 

In a way, it's just proving my initial point that airlines are pitting us all against each other to try to get more money out of us.

[sodafountain]

If a family want's to sit together then they should pay the money to do so....

 

You won't pay the extra to sit together, why should families be penalised to ensure they are sititng with their children?

 

Even Easyjet allow families with children on first, without extra charge, and if any airline wanted to make money out of it, they would, so don't see why Thomson should be any different.

[wales4ever]

WE ARE NOT DISGUSTING AT ALL. I cannot think of anything worse on a flight than sitting next to screaming, cryaing, badly behaved children.

 

Why not put them in the hold with the luggage and give the rest of us some peace and quiet:D

 

And I will say again, if your that bothered pay the extra for pre-booked eats and you will then advoid the problem.

[millies]

WE ARE NOT DISGUSTING AT ALL. I cannot think of anything worse on a flight than sitting next to screaming, cryaing, badly behaved children.

 

Why not put them in the hold with the luggage and give the rest of us some peace and quiet

 

And I will say again, if your that bothered pay the extra for pre-booked eats and you will then advoid the problem.

 

 

Fantastic response! :D

[Julessmiles]

WE ARE NOT DISGUSTING AT ALL. I cannot think of anything worse on a flight than sitting next to screaming, cryaing, badly behaved children.

 

Why not put them in the hold with the luggage and give the rest of us some peace and quiet:D

 

 

I have to say I totally agree with you even though I have children! We waited until our kids were a reasonable age before we flew with them - wouldn't have wanted to put them or us through a flight but I have had to sit near screaming todddlers on flights and it drove me mad! (and I actually think it's quite selfish of the parents to put toddlers through it and to put other people on the aircraft through it!)

 

Our "children" are now 12 & 15 and we have pre-paid for seats for next year; even though they are very well behaved I wouldn't think it was fair for them or for an adult they don't know to sit with them! It still makes me cross that we have to pay it though - we do get to the airport early but I wouldn't want to chance being split up.

[Scarey Mary]

I have to say I totally agree with you even though I have children! We waited until our kids were a reasonable age before we flew with them - wouldn't have wanted to put them or us through a flight but I have had to sit near screaming todddlers on flights and it drove me mad! (and I actually think it's quite selfish of the parents to put toddlers through it and to put other people on the aircraft through it!)

 

Our "children" are now 12 & 15 and we have pre-paid for seats for next year; even though they are very well behaved I wouldn't think it was fair for them or for an adult they don't know to sit with them! It still makes me cross that we have to pay it though - we do get to the airport early but I wouldn't want to chance being split up.

 

I agree with you Jules we didn't fly when our children were young I couldn't stand the hassle. When we took our grandchild away last year she was very well behaved and didn't sit kicking the seat infront, which the children I always get behind me seem to think it's a good thing to do and the parents don't stop them.:mad:

I don't like having to pay extra to sit together but we just won't risk it. When we flew earlier this year we got to the airport early but the queues were that long we wouldn't have stood a chance sitting together if we hadn't prepaid.

[Cruisingboyo]

Its against the law for children under the age if 14 to be seperated from an adult btw..

 

I work for said company (not in the upsell department btw!) And I get alot of excited customers who love to come instore 90 days before they go to choose their seats on the plane. Personally I have never paid it and out of 7 return flights I have done with thomson airways in the last 2yrs - only once have I been seperated and that was by an aisle..

[infoqueen]

really can't understand where all this nastiness is coming from unless its a deliberate wind up. thomsons are out to make money its nearly as bad as having to pay to insure yourself against somebody stealing your bank details. em its against the law so why should i pay. We will arrive at the airport 2 and a half hours before our flight tomorrow and i expect to at least sit somewhere near the rest of our party, but bet we dont

[ekco]

Have a great time whatever infoqueen.:):);)

 

Jan

[fern]

firefly

I totally agree with you. The thought of a child sat next to me or kicking the back of my seat is abhorrent to me. Families should book seats together. I want peace & quiet on a flight & think all families with children should be seated at the rear of an aircraft in what used to be the smoking section!!!!!

[ekco]

firefly

I totally agree with you. The thought of a child sat next to me or kicking the back of my seat is abhorrent to me. Families should book seats together. I want peace & quiet on a flight & think all families with children should be seated at the rear of an aircraft in what used to be the smoking section!!!!!

 

Hang about! that's where they put us non-meal people.:eek::eek:

 

OK, time to finish it. Never go to bed on an argument, lol.;)

 

Jan

[fern]

Sorry didn't think about non-meal as that applies to me as well, but still the rest about chikdren applies!!!

[firefly3050]

That reminds me of a flight I took about 10 years ago to Jersey. Tiny plane, only about 30 seats, but I had the brat from hell behind me, kicking the seat continuously.

 

I turned around to mother and asked her politely (once she took her head phones off of her Walkman) if she could stop the child from doing this, and her reply?

 

"He's bored" and put her head set back on :rolleyes:

 

Getting back to why I started this thread. It's weather Thomson will deliberatly split people up?

 

If anyone experiences this on their next flight, please do post.

 

And, BTW, I'm not disgusting......