As the vague threat of a chair snatcher grows, we thought it’d be helpful for a recap of the different airlines’ rules when its comes to seating
Turning up at the airport to discover you’re sat most of a cabin away from your nearest and dearest is a familiar feeling for the budget airline traveller, but not an ideal one.
Recently reports have emerged of people ‘seat squatting’ – when a passenger takes an unoccupied seat that is not assigned to them. People will seat squat in attempt to gain a better seat, such as near a window or in first class, or to avoid paying an extra charge to be close to their family member or friend.
One person recently shared how a flight attendant encountered an economy flier who had posed as a first-class passenger on A Delta Air Lines flight from Providence, Rhode Island to Atlanta, Georgia. They spotted two women “come [aboard] haphazardly” and sit in the first row of the aircraft, chancing their luck in a bid to get a free drink.
As the vague threat of a chair snatcher grows, we thought it’d be helpful for a recap of the different airlines’ rules when its comes to seating.
Ryanair
Ryanair offers two options when it comes to seats. Passengers can either purchase reserved seats or have a free seat, which will be assigned randomly at check-in. Passengers who choose ‘random seat allocation’ can check in between 24 hours and two hours before their flight departure time.
Passengers who purchase a seat at the time of booking, during check-in, or at any point leading up to the flight, can choose where to sit and that seat will be reserved for them. The price of a reserved seat depends on where you choose to sit on the plane.
If a passenger chooses not to reserve a seat, then a random spot will be allocated to you free of charge when checking in, but it is unlikely that the seat will be beside your travel companions, according to Ryanair’s website.
Passengers are also able to book an extra seat for themselves, by booking two full-fare flight tickets. Ryanair’s website states: “Book the first ticket in your name. Then for your second ticket, enter ‘EXTRA’ as the first name and ‘COMFORT SEAT’ as the last name. ‘EXTRA COMFORT SEAT’ will then be added to your reservation. When checking in online, the same travel document details will be added for you and your extra seat.”
In addition, reserved seats cannot be removed from your booking, and refunds are not possible once they have been purchased.
British Airways
The fare you choose and the cabin you choose to travel in changes whether a passenger’s seat selection will be free or come at an extra cost. Passengers can choose their seat for free from 24 hours before their departure time, when check-in opens, unless they have booked a Basic ticket, which is usually economy with hand-baggage only, as for these tickets passengers’ seats will be allocated.
If a passenger has a basic ticket, they can still pay to choose a seat from when they book until check-in opens. For individuals flying with children, the airline recommends booking seats in advance. British Airways also lets passengers buy an extra ticket to keep the seat next to them free.
easyJet
On easyJet flights, passengers can choose where they’d like to sit for a fee. Seats can be selected at the time of booking, or at any time before check-in, via Manage bookings on easyJet’s website or mobile app.
“On bookings with more than one passenger, allocated seats must be selected for all passengers on the booking otherwise we cannot allow any allocated seats to be purchased,” easyJet’s website states.
EasyJet offers three types of seats: standard seats which are free for easyJet Plus cardholders and customers who have purchased a FLEXI fare, up front seats which are free for easyJet Plus cardholders and customers who have purchased a FLEXI fare and are located in rows two to six and extra legroom seats, which are also free for easyJet Plus cardholders and discounted for customers who have purchased a FLEXI fare.
Jet2
For Jet2 flights, passengers can reserve the seats they want and they can do this via pre-booking the seats online when they book. Passengers can also pre-book them afterwards by visiting Manage My Booking, however seat prices vary depending on the location and route.
If a passenger doesn’t pre-book a seat, they will be allocated when they check in online or at the airport on a first come, first served basis.
Jet2 aircraft also offer a selection of extra legroom seats. These seats are marked on the seat maps during the booking process and are generally located towards the front and middle of the aircraft. The airline also aims to seat children and infants under the age of 12 next to their accompanying adults.
TUI
If you’re flying with TUI or any of its chartered airlines, passengers can pay extra to choose where they sit on the aircraft. And like other airlines, if they do not select a seat they will be automatically allocated a seat when they check in online.
The airline makes sure that children under the age of 12 are sat with at least one adult in their party.
If an individual has paid for a seating product, such as ‘Select Your Seat’, ‘Seats with Extra Legroom’, ‘Seats with Extra Space’ or ‘Premium’ – but have not chosen their seats at least 14 days before their holiday, TUI will automatically allocate seats to them. On long-haul flights passengers are also given the option to upgrade to a ‘Premium’ seat.
