Cabin crew shares Ryanair tip to sit together without paying for seats

It could help travellers to sit together without paying for reserved seats

Travelling on a budget airline such as Ryanair can occasionally feel like taking a gamble.

Whilst fares are frequently affordable, the additional charges for items like hold baggage, priority boarding and seat selection can rapidly mount up – particularly when you’re journeying with others and want to sit together.

Numerous travellers believe they have little option other than to shell out for reserved seating, however a former flight attendant has revealed a trick that might enable your party to sit alongside one another without paying the fee.

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Jane Hawkes, a travel expert and former cabin crew member, told Express that while this approach isn’t suitable for everyone, it can work well for friends, couples or adult travellers.

She said: “Obviously if you’re travelling with children you might not want to do this. Because if you’re travelling as a family, you’ll probably want your children with you to keep an eye on them. But if you’re travelling with friends or a partner, then never pay to book a seat together”, reports the Irish Mirror.

Rather than this, the travel expert recommends holding off until boarding before approaching the cabin staff or other travellers.

She continued: “Just wait to get onboard and then say ‘we’re travelling together and we didn’t realise we’d be separated’. You could just ask other passengers around you, who can be very accommodating. It’s worth asking but there’s not much point asking before you get onboard.”

Jane also noted that passengers are generally more willing to help if it gives them a chance to move out of an undesirable middle seat.

Jane also observed that flyers are typically more prepared to assist if it provides them with an opportunity to shift away from an unwanted middle seat. Ryanair provides a variety of seating options, with prices fluctuating based on the seat location, route, travel dates, and whether the seat is reserved at the time of booking or at the airport.

The most economical option is the standard seats, which cost between £4.50 and £21.50 per flight.

Extra legroom seats, typically found in the first two rows, are the priciest, with fares ranging from £12 to £38 per flight. Additional extra legroom seats located further back in the cabin cost between £8 and £26 per flight.

Front seats, encompassing rows 2 to 5, are slightly less expensive than extra legroom, costing between £7.50 to £24.50 per flight.

Families traveling with children under 12 – excluding infants – must also follow Ryanair’s mandatory family seating policy. At least one adult must buy a reserved seat and sit next to their children, however the airline allows up to four children free reserved seats in rows 18 and 33. Fees for mandatory family seats range from £4.50 to £13.50 per flight.

Jane Hawkes shares consumer tips and advice at ladyjaney.co.uk.

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