A couple traveling with their two-year-old daughter faced unexpected charges while trying to ensure they could sit together on a Wizz Air flight. Tristan Dudouet, 35, and his partner, Mona, 30, were flying from London Gatwick to Lyon, France, when they discovered they would need to pay an additional £126 to sit next to their daughter, Naia.
Tristan tried to check in online and arrange seating three days before their March 9 flight, only to be met with technical difficulties on the airline’s website. “It added a lot of stress to the travelling,” said Tristan, reflecting on the challenges faced by families navigating airline policies. When they arrived at Gatwick, the couple was informed that the only option to ensure they could sit together was to fork over the hefty charge.
“It feels unbearable to charge that much to sit next to a young child,” Tristan explained. They had already paid £30 each for their tickets, meaning the late check-in fee more than doubled their expenses. He expressed, “A lot of people are tight on money and would have to take their child home instead of going on holiday. I felt like they were looking at me like a piece of meat and wondering how much money they could get out of me.”
Logistics manager Tristan further elaborated on the ordeal, noting that he assumed the issue with paying for adjacent seats was a website glitch. He explained, “I'd tried to check in online a few days before but it wouldn't let me. Basically, you can't check in online with your toddler before 24 hours.” The online system allows free check-in with children only within a narrow window, which Tristan found unreasonably tight.
Frustrated and feeling misled, he voiced that “the rules aren’t made clear and it seems like they're meant to confuse the customer.” They anticipated being able to resolve the seating arrangement upon arrival at the airport, but instead, they were caught off guard by the late check-in fee.
The situation escalated when they were charged £126 upon checking in at the airport. According to a Wizz Air spokesperson, “When passengers are travelling with children up to 14 years old, our booking system automatically assigns seats together for the child and one adult passenger. We cannot guarantee that the whole family will be seated together if they do not book seats together - this is clearly stated on the Wizz Air website.”
This policy gives families the option to ensure they sit together, but requires advanced planning; to guarantee that family members are seated side-by-side, they must purchase specific seats before taking off. “To guarantee being seated together as a whole family, customers can pick their seat of choice for a fee before departure,” the spokesperson added.
This situation raises important questions regarding how airlines communicate their policies to customers, particularly families traveling with young children. “It feels like they're trying to catch you out,” said Tristan, reflecting on his experience and the lack of clarity around the airline’s rules.
As a budget airline, Wizz Air has adopted policies common among low-cost carriers where costs can escalate quickly if the initial purchase does not include the selection of seats. They encourage all passengers to check in online as early as possible, and provide instructions during the booking process for those who wish to avoid extra fees. Wizz Air advises that customers who haven’t booked specific seats can check in online 24 hours before their departure and have the option to purchase seating at that time.
However, if travelers miss the pre-check-in deadline or attempt to check-in less than three hours before the flight, they must do so at the airport for a higher charge. Passengers wishing to check in at the airport without pre-booking can face fees as steep as £35.50.
Tristan’s experience underscores the challenges families may face with airline policies that can often feel overwhelming and confusing. With many families budgeting tightly for travel, this unexpected fee has the potential to deter others from flying altogether. “I thought it was a problem with the website and I’d be able to sort it at the airport because we had to sit with our daughter,” he lamented.
The larger question remains whether budget airlines should reevaluate how they manage seating arrangements and fees for families. As the travel industry continues to adapt, maintaining transparency in how these policies are communicated to customers remains paramount. Ultimately, the travel experience should encompass convenience and clarity, ensuring that families can focus on creating lasting memories rather than navigating frustrating obstacles.
