Airline travel and economy: pay $$ to pick seats?

[ged]

I usually pay to pick seats, but not always. It depends on the length of the flight and how much they charge. We are flying from Venice, Italy, (via Philly), to LAX. I have not paid for seats. So far, it looks as though American assigned us together (there is an aisle separating 1 of the 3 in my party), but our flight is still months away, so not sure if they will change it.

[div_0305]

It's such a shame it's come to this. I'm sick of the fare games. For me, I can't get out of my head the news reports of passengers claiming to have been groped while sleeping by the person next to them. That or you're next to the person overindulging on liquor and causing a commotion or someone who does not fit in their own seat so they take up part of yours (yes, personal experience of having my thigh pressed and flattened for hours by the person sitting next to me because her body weight just ballooned over me).

[RiverRat]

Thanks for the replies!

Yes, it is $200 each just to be able to choose/reserve seats;no other baggage allowance, nothing. This is Delta. I will be looking to see if another airline might have something more moderate and, if not, may or may not go with this. Yes, my kids are far from being babies, but my older child has some complex need that make things iffy; not one way or the other, but very iffy. My younger child would be fine and even thrilled and would likely stare at a movie or other screen the whole time.

When I flew with my Dd when she was a baby in a car seat Delta never sat us together. I had to beg someone on the plane to switch us seats! Dd was under 2 in a car seat. It is highly unlikely Delta will sit you together, IME.


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[Twoboos]

For me, I can't get out of my head the news reports of passengers claiming to have been groped while sleeping by the person next to them. That or you're next to the person overindulging on liquor and causing a commotion....

Yes to this! We do not have seats assigned yet for our trip home from Europe and I am not going to let my family be scattered through economy. I am afraid of what might happen to my daughters.

[khalloc]

I amflying British Airways next week. Boston-London-Dublin and I called customer service to ask a question about my credit card and the guy quickly answered my question and then said he would book seats for me ahead of time. My friend and I both got assigned seats, hers was $79, mine was $74 and he didnt charge us a dime. I was very impressed!