The summer holiday getaway is almost here and Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has shared a simple trick for families to sit together for free on the plane, without having to fork out extra cash. In a special holiday edition of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV, the consumer champion explained that families of four can end up paying as much as £240 extra, just to sit together.
However, he told viewers that families flying with British Airways, Easyjet, Virgin and other airlines may be able to sit together for free, simply by checking in as early as possible. However, he warned this does not apply to Ryanair.
Martin explained: “The way airlines work these days is called ‘drip pricing’, that means you now have a nice headline price and then as you go through you have to pay extra for baggage, and you have to pay extra for your seat, and you have to pay extra for this and that.”
He continued: “If you’re travelling and you all need to sit together, it can cost £240 return extra, not in the original price, just in the original price. But it’s worth knowing that most airlines will aim to seat families together, if there are seats available - not Ryanair - it will sit you apart.
“The best thing to do is find out the moment you can check-in, the moment you can grab a seat and that is the time if you all want to sit together without paying.”
The founder of MoneySavingExpert,com also said: “Most airlines will allow under-12s, some under-15s to be guaranteed to sit next to one adult - not Ryanair. It says the adult has to pay for a ticket in order to have someone sitting next to them.
“Although to ‘sit next to’ can legally be guaranteed as separated by an aisle or one row behind.”
He added: “Get your check-in as soon as possible, but don’t be ‘fear-sold’ that you have to pay for your seats in other cases, it’s just worth being on top of it to avoid that.”
A full guide to free seating on all the major airlines, plus help for people with a disability, can be found on MoneySavingExpert.com here.
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