Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert (MSE) has shared advice on how to secure seats together on flights without paying extra fees. The tips, updated in April, apply to airlines including Jet2, British Airways and easyJet.
MSE explains that many airlines charge for seat selection or make passengers wait until check-in, but some allow free seat selection at booking. The experts urge travellers to check their airline's policy first. They note that most major airlines, except Ryanair, will try to seat groups on the same booking together if you check in as early as possible.
"All of the major airlines bar Ryanair told us their seat allocation systems will always try to seat groups on the same booking together," MSE said. "So check in as soon as you're able to and you should get to sit together, as long as there are seats available next to each other that haven't been snapped up by folk who paid to reserve."
For Ryanair, the rules differ: children under 12 are guaranteed to sit with at least one adult, but one adult in the group must pay for a seat. Up to four children can sit next to them for free. The Civil Aviation Authority says airlines should aim to seat parents close to children, but these are guidelines, not strict rules.
