Flight passengers with a booking from BA, Virgin, or Tui during the summer break should be aware: seating together for free might not be guaranteed.
In the world of air travel, finding affordable and comfortable options for families can be challenging. However, a closer look at some of the major airlines' policies reveals that there are ways to save money on seating arrangements, especially when travelling with children.
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and TUI are among the airlines that allow families to sit together for free, provided they check in early enough. These airlines typically assign seats together at no extra charge for groups travelling together, provided you manage your booking and check-in promptly [3].
For British Airways, seat selection is free for families with infants and passengers with accessibility needs. British Airways also tries to seat children under 12 next to an adult in the booking if you do not pay for early seat selection. Free seat selection is also available at different times before departure, depending on your fare type or frequent flyer status [1].
Virgin Atlantic and TUI, while detailed policies were not provided in the search results, the general understanding is that both airlines usually seat families together without extra charges if you check in early.
However, the exception to this rule is Ryanair. Ryanair does not generally allow free seating together for families. Passengers must either pay for allocated seating to ensure that they sit together, or accept randomly assigned seats, which may separate families. Ryanair charges for seat selection, including for families wanting adjacent seats [1].
To summarise, families flying British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, or TUI can generally sit together for free by checking in early, whereas Ryanair requires payment for seating together [1][3].
In addition to seating arrangements, there are other ways to save money while travelling with children. For instance, bringing your own sandwiches and snacks from home can help avoid expensive airport meals. Every UK airport now has free water refill stations, making it easy to stay hydrated without breaking the bank. Shopping at local supermarkets instead of smaller convenience stores can also save money while on holiday.
Moreover, comparing airport parking prices using sites like CompareTheAirportParking can help find cheaper deals. Joining the Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group can provide an opportunity to share tips and stories with other travellers.
Remember, checking in early to secure free seats together is crucial, as long as seats are available. MoneySavingExpert.com advises this approach, as it can help families save money without compromising on comfort during their journey.
[1] Source: MoneySavingExpert.com [2] Source: Various airline websites [3] Source: Independent research for this article
Sentence 1: Families traveling with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, or TUI can save on seating arrangements by checking in early, as these airlines typically allow groups to sit together for free.
Sentence 2: To further save money during travel, families can bring their own food, refill water at free stations in airports, shop at local supermarkets, compare airport parking prices using sites like CompareTheAirportParking, and join the Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group for additional tips.
