Did you know that in the UK alone, travelers waste £175 million GBP a year on allocated seating? Why is this wasted money? Because the airlines will try to seat you with your travel companions regardless of whether you pay for allocated seating or not.
Recently I booked the onto an Easyjet flight which I also reviewed. I booked and paid for allocated seating as I didn’t want to risk not being seated with my husband and 7-year-old son.
According to the Guardian newspaper, this was a waste of money. This is because almost half (45%) of people who pay to sit with their companions would be seated together anyway, according to an investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
The CAA found between 6.8 million and 10.4 million passengers are spending £74 – £175 million GBP “unnecessarily” on the fees each year.
Did I waste my money? Apparently yes! Most parents are concerned about being separated from their children, but guidance states they should be sat together to speed up an evacuation in the case of an emergency. On British Airways, EasyJet, and Thomas Cook, there is just a 15% chance of not being seated with your companions. The option to pay to secure a seat position is largely a strategy for airlines to squeeze more cash out of your wallet.
So, in a nutshell, don’t waste your money pre-booking seats. You will almost always be seated together anyway, and the risk of being seated apart is very small (although arguably still there).
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