Flight seat rules for Ryanair, easyJet, TUI and British Airways after ‘squatting’ issues

Budget airline passengers know the drill all too well: arriving at the only to find themselves seated rows apart from their companions, a situation far from ideal.

The phenomenon of “seat squatting” has been making headlines lately – it’s when travellers cheekily nab seats not assigned to them, aiming for an or even first class, or dodging extra fees to sit next to pals.

A recent tale surfaced about a on a Delta Air Lines journey from Providence, Rhode Island to Atlanta, Georgia, who caught an economy passenger impersonating a first-class flyer, after two women “came [aboard] haphazardly” and plonked themselves in the front row, hoping for a complimentary tipple.

With the looming menace of seat poachers, it’s time for a refresher on various .

lays out a clear choice for its flyers: pay up for a reserved spot or take a gamble with a free seat allocated randomly at check-in. Those opting for the “random seat allocation” option can check in from 24 hours to two hours before the flight takes off.

Passengers who opt to purchase a seat at the time of booking, during check-in, or at any point before the flight, have the privilege of choosing their preferred spot, which will be reserved for them. The cost of this reservation varies depending on the chosen location within the plane.

However, if a passenger decides not to reserve a seat, they will be assigned a random spot free of charge during check-in, but it’s unlikely that they’ll be seated next to their travel companions, as per Ryanair’s website.

Passengers also have the option to book an extra seat for themselves by purchasing two full-fare flight tickets, reports .

According to Ryanair’s website: “Book the first ticket in your name. Then for your second ticket, enter ‘extra’ as the first name and ‘comfort seat’ as the last name. ‘Extra comfort’ will then be added to your reservation. When checking in online, the same travel document details will be added for you and your extra seat.”

Furthermore, once purchased, reserved seats cannot be removed from your booking, and refunds are not possible.

On the other hand, British Airways’ fare and cabin selection determine whether a passenger’s seat selection will be free or come with an additional cost.

Passengers can choose their seat for free from 24 hours before their departure time, when check-in opens, unless they have booked a basic ticket, which is usually economy with hand-baggage only, as for these tickets passengers’ seats will be allocated.

British Airways passengers holding basic tickets still have the option to select their seats for an additional fee, from the time of booking up until check-in. For travellers with children, the airline suggests securing seats early on.

To maintain some extra space, BA even offers the possibility of purchasing an adjacent seat.

Turning to easyJet, the company allows flyers to pick their preferred spot on their flights, also at a cost. They can do so right at the booking stage or at any point before check-in through easyJet’s ‘Manage bookings’ online or via the app.

“On bookings with more than one passenger, allocated seats must be selected for all passengers on the booking otherwise we cannot allow any allocated seats to be purchased,” warns easyJet’s official site. EasyJet also has a tiered seating system offering standard, upfront, and extra legroom options, many of which come free or discounted for easyJet Plus cardholders and FLEXI fare purchasers.

Meanwhile, Jet2 customers have the convenience of pre-booking their preferred seats online either at the time of booking or afterwards by visiting the ‘Manage My Booking’ section. Similar to the others, charges for pre-selection vary with the location on the plane and the flight route.

If a passenger doesn’t pre-book a seat, they will be allocated when they check in online or at the airport on a first come, first served basis. Jet2 aircraft also offer a selection of extra legroom seats.

These seats are marked on the seat maps during the booking process and are generally located towards the front and middle of the aircraft. The airline also aims to seat children and infants under the age of 12 next to their accompanying adults.

If you’re flying with TUI or any of its chartered airlines, passengers can pay extra to choose where they sit on the aircraft. And like other airlines, if they do not select a seat they will be automatically allocated a seat when they check in online.

The airline makes sure that children under the age of 12 are seated with at least one adult in their party. If an individual has paid for a seating product, such as ‘Select Your Seat’, ‘Seats with Extra Legroom’, ‘Seats with Extra Space’ or ‘Premium’ – but have not chosen their seats at least 14 days before their holiday, TUI will automatically allocate seats to them.

On long-haul flights, passengers are also given the option to upgrade to a ‘Premium’ seat.