How to get around airline seating charges – and sit with your family for FREE on flights
Families and groups who want to sit together on the plane face hefty charges as they often have to pay charges per seat and on the outward and return flights
PAYING for allocated seats on a flight is a hidden cost that could soon stack up if you’re in a group.
While a single person may be happier to sit anywhere on the plane, families need to be together so that kids can be looked after.
has published a guide to dodging seat reservation fees – and highlighted how much it could save a family this summer.
Any Ryanair passenger aged 12 and over has to pay a minimum of £4 for seat selection on one of their planes.
That means a family of four where the children are above the age of 11 would pay a minimum of £32 just to sit together on return flights to Barcelona in May, for example.
But seat charges at the front of the plane go up to £13 per person.
Ways to avoid paying airline seat selection fees
Money Saving Expert has revealed their top tips for avoiding paying to choose your seats on a plane
1. Check in as early as possible
There are no guarantees, but the airlines in the table below, aside from Ryanair, confirmed that their booking systems will always try to seat those together who booked together.
2. Check in at the last minute if you’re a solo traveller and want extra legroom
Airlines often don’t sell their priciest seats – the ones with extra legroom.
If these are left over, they may be handed to those who check in last, although there's no guarantees.
3. If you're travelling with a child, you should be able to sit with them
Airlines such as British Airways, TUI, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM and Thomas Cook guarantee children under 12 will sit with an adult.
4. Disabled people should be allocated or allowed to select their seat for free
Those with reduced mobility, disabilities, difficulties with communication or the elderly have the right to special assistance when travelling.
Even if the child is under 12 years of age, an adult passenger has to pay for their seat selection if they want to sit with their kids.
Emirates flights are even pricier, charging up to £57 for each preferred seat – which could cost you a hefty £456 on return flights for a family of four.
But you might be able to dodge paying extra for your seat if you’re savvy with some clever airline hacks.
If you're going to try the route of checking in as early as possible to get seats together with the rest of the people in your booking, then you'll need to find out when your airline's check in opens.
It’s worth setting a reminder on your phone to check in as soon as it does.
Depending on when your flight is, this might be in the middle of the night - and you'll need to wake up and check in then to guarantee you're one of the first.
But setting an alarm can save you money in the long run.
Sun Online previously revealed that families booking on Ryanair have a 1 in 17,578 chance of getting seats on the same row.
Ryanair's seat charged also doubled earlier this month.
A spokesperson from Ryanair said: "Ryanair’s family seating policy requires families (with children under 12) to sit together, with one adult taking a reserved seat for just £4, and the children given free of charge reserved seats, the equivalent of £0.80 each for a parent with four kids.
"All of our fees are optional to our customers and Ryanair offers the lowest air fares, which are continuing to fall, with reserved seats starting from just £4.”
A spokesperson for Emirates said: “Passengers travelling on the same booking with children below the age of two, as well as group bookings of ten or more passengers, are exempted from paying to select regular Economy Class seats.
"Seat selection is also free once the flight opens for online check-in 48 hours before flight departure.
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They continued: "We make every effort to seat passengers on the same booking together, depending on availability.
"Passengers who purchase Economy flex or flex plus fares are also exempted from paying to select seats.
"First Class, Business Class, and Emirates Skywards members, depending on their membership tier and preferred seat choice, enjoy complimentary seat selection."