Many airlines urge customers to pay for specific seats in advance or run the risk of being split up – but is this really necessary?

We’ve taken a look…

Pick your airline carefully – and book seats at same time

It’s not a general rule that you’ll be split from your travel companions if you don’t pay to reserve the seats you want.

A 2023 study by Which? Travel found that families paying in excess of £100 to sit together are probably wasting their money, with most major airlines likely to sit you with the people you booked with automatically even if you don’t cough up for seat selection.

That means if all your tickets are in one reservation, with most operators there’s a decent chance you’ll be okay – as long as you get checked in early.

It also depends on the airline, with budget firms Ryanair and Wizz Air the most likely to split you up (more on Ryanair’s seat booking policy later).

It’s worth saying that there’s no legal right to sit next to your loved ones on a flight – not even your children – so not paying does carry a risk.

Getting seats together with children

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines should aim to seat children close to their parents or guardians.

Its guidance – which aren’t hard and fast rules – says young children and infants accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row, or an adjacent row if this isn’t possible.

Of the major UK airlines, British Airways and Tui both guarantee that children under 12 will be sat with at least one adult from their booking, even if they don’t pay or forget to check in early.

Jet 2 says it will “always endeavour to seat children and infants under the age of 12 next to their accompanying adults”, but if this is not possible they’ll be seated no more than one row away.

EasyJet similarly says its system will always try and seat families together, but if this isn’t possible, it will make sure children under 12 are seated “close” to an adult on the booking.

Wizz Air says an adult and child aged up to 14 will automatically be assigned seats next to each other during the check in process.

Ryanair, however, has different rules – we’ve taken a look at these below…

Ryanair, like many airlines, offers the option of paying to reserve a seat or being allocated one at check-in.

But its system is well-known for splitting up groups rather than automatically putting them together, meaning it’s near-impossible to be seated with your travel companions without paying.

The Ryanair website warns passengers who don’t pay that it’s “unlikely” passengers with free seats will be with the rest of their group.

If you’re travelling with a child on a Ryanair flight, it’s compulsory for at least one adult to pay for a seat reservation. Seats can then be reserved for up to four children per adult. Other adults in the booking can take a free seat – but as we’ve explained above, they’ll likely be split from the rest of their family.

Disabled or elderly passengers get extra support

Those with reduced mobility, disabilities, difficulties with communication or the elderly should have the right to special assistance when travelling.

However, you will have to contact the airline before you fly.

Some airlines offer free seat selection

While many airlines have opted to introduce charges for the luxury of a reserved seat, it’s not the case for all.

Some carriers offering longer-haul journeys let you select your seat for free as soon as you book.

Qatar Airways (except for Economy Classic customers) and Japan Airlines have this option.

Virgin Atlantic lets passengers select a seat for free as soon as check-in opens, while British Airways says customers who check in a hold bag can select a seat for free at check-in.

Singapore Airlines says economy passengers can select a seat in advance for free or a fee “depending on the fare type you choose”.

Leave it until the last minute?

For the more laid-back travellers, one suggested hack is to leave check-in until the last minute to try and bag a decent seat – even on a budget flight.

Airlines charge higher fees for seats with extra legroom or in a good location, meaning they’re likely to be the ones left when it comes closer to take-off time.

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Some flyers also suggest boarding the plane last to see if there’s any better seats free for a last-minute swap.

This is a gamble, of course, with there being no guarantee that you won’t be plonked next to the toilets – and it’s probably best saved for solo travellers at the risk of couples or groups getting split.

Ask a fellow passenger to swap

One less “hacky” option is to simply ask another passenger if they’ll swap seats with you (as long as you’re with a carrier that allows seat switching).

Your chances? If you’re just asking them to switch to a worse seat, they’re probably low. But if you’re asking an easy-going passenger to switch from the window to the aisle, or you’re wanting to sit with your companion and you’re offering a slightly better option in the swap, you could be in luck.

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If you’re a family and you’ve been split up, you can politely explain your situation and see if any generous passengers will help. Some airline staff can also help with swaps for those in need if their company allows.

Make use of loyalty programme

If you’re a frequent or semi-frequent flyer and your favourite airline offers a loyalty programme, it’s worth signing up to make use of the perks on offer.

Building up enough points means you can upgrade your ticket class to an option that includes free seat selection.