Jonboy, many thanks for your help. It seems very easy when you know how. I will go to the internet cafe on Monday and do that again and then print them out. thankyou. much appreciated.

I see from that article that those who don't pay to choose a seat will still be allocated a seat, randomly and free of charge.

That means that Easyjet could, if they wanted, board passengers in order of seating, which must help to speed things up. Has anyone been on one of these flights yet to see if this is the case?

Yes and no they do not board in order.

For some maybe, but for the vast majority it's to save money! Nothing wrong in principal with that, but the reality of the situation now is that there is little or no room for some of us that have a suitcase in the hold and just take a small bag and handbag for my wife, plus coats. At take off we have find a space somewhere in the overhead lockers which are now crammed with carry-on cases!

In years gone by remember taking a suitcase on hols no extra charge then, had to queue to check in and then sometimes wait for ages to collect on the belt at the arrival airport. Half the stuff was never worn, it must have wasted extra fuel to transport all the extra weight multiply that with the number of passengers. My small travel bag fitted nicely under the seat in front easy access to money and a book. The overhead lockers were all but empty apart from duty free bottles and fags.

Has anybody booked under thus system? I would like to know how it works. Are you allocated a seat and then allowed to pay for it to be changed if you don't like it - or are you asked if you wish to pay for a seat before you know where your random seat would be?

The second: EJ say that they will atempt to seat passengers on the same booking together but cant guarantee it. We (2) have had reasonable seats together under this scheme for both times we used it. However, it will depend on how long before the flight you are booking in and how popular the flight is whether there will be seats together.
I suppose (but I haven't tried) if you take the pre-allocated seats and don't like them you can abandon the current transaction before you print the boarding card and go back in to choose your seats
In my experience (before allocated seats) was that latecomers were often seperated, if you were lucky the crew might ask others to move for you but of course they don't have to and it depends on the crew.

I've just had a look and it says that if you don't book a seat it will be automatically allocated at check-in (whether online or at the airport) - so it looks like you have no idea what seat you are allocated until it is too late. My concern is that I need an aisle (or at a pinch centre) seat - I would get severe panic attacks if I had to sit 'inside' two people. Looks like I will have to book a seat to be sure...

We have just checked in online without pre booking a seat and we were immediately allocated two seats for each leg 15A & B out and 19A & B back. I think if we were not happy we could then pay £3 each and select different seats but they seem OK.

When are you travelling?....I don't think you are allocated seats till not long before you travel, if most people have paid for an allocated seat beforehand you may not be so lucky....just saying.

Dec 15th.

Seats will be allocated for free when you check in no more than 30 in advance of your travel. So what seat you will get willdepend on what is left available not separately already allocated and paid for. That is the chance you take, but as everyone gets a seat and most seats are the same not such a big problem.

Book a seat, get extra legroom, take a suitcase, take some tasty stuff to eat on board, order a G&T then some wine to go with the food. Finally stretch out, read or listen something to pass the rest of the time.
Try to make the VERY best of the whole thing.
Alternatively, rush to boarding gate, get crushed in the stampede, fight to get a seat on board, then sit with your knees pressed against the seat in front with no room to pull down the 'table' on which to eat a soggy sandwich and a drink.
Life's too short!

If you're talking BA then first you ahve to wait 15 minutes for all the gold card members to take up the first 6 rows, leisurely stuffing their 3 take on bags above their bloated heads. This means you take off late 50% of the time.

Anyway for us (nearest airports Brum, EM, Luton) no BA flights. But very happy with Uncle Mick, Quesy, and Monarch (and until a few months ago BMI baby).

Its no accident these airlines now dwarf BA and its like. They give punters what they want, from airports they want to fly from. I remember when BA had a whole hall at Birmingham in the '90s. They've been drummed out by airlines that better serve their customers.

As for punctuality. BA, you're having a bl**dy larf! As for lost bags. BA gets the prize week after week for losing more than any other UK airline.

But yes you do get a free G&T

I have got to say that being able to book reserved seating on Ryanair is the best thing that has happened and for £10 each way is a bargain. They even keep the overhead lockers clear for the reserved seats.