My wife and I were seated apart for our long-haul flight despite booking the package holiday together

Gill Charlton has been fighting for Telegraph readers and solving their travel problems for more than 30 years, winning refunds, righting wrongs and suggesting solutions. 

Here is this week’s question:

Dear Gill,

My wife and I recently travelled to India with Saga Holidays. The package tour included return economy flights to Delhi with Virgin Atlantic.

We elected to upgrade our flights to Premium Economy but were not able to pre-book seats because the airline’s six-character PNR booking reference covered the whole group.

At Virgin Atlantic’s desk at Heathrow, we discovered we had been allocated seats several rows apart, a situation which could not be resolved on board. 

We contacted Saga about the matter from India and, to its credit, it managed to seat us together for the return flight. 

Can you find out why this happens, given that we share a surname? We have asked Saga but, as yet, have received no response.

This is an urgent concern as we are travelling to Japan on another Saga tour next month and we really don’t want to sit apart for 13 hours.

– Reg Pengelly

Dear Reg,

Tour operators offering escorted group tours will usually make a block booking of seats with an airline to cover the number of customers they expect on the tour.

These “Inclusive Tour” fares for group travel are heavily discounted and often give the tour operator flexibility over name changes and the ability to hand back unsold seats at a later date.

The problem with such fares is that the airline doesn’t generate individual PNR codes, so customers cannot reserve specific seats, nor can they check in when online booking opens 24 hours before departure. 

I asked Saga Holidays if such problems could be resolved in advance, as surely it should have control over seat allocation within its block booking? 

Unfortunately, it turns out not. Saga says that while it can submit seat requests, these are generally assigned by the airline at check-in at its discretion. When the flight is very busy, a couple may indeed be seated apart, especially in the small premium economy cabin which is often fully booked.

“In some instances, it can be possible for us to request specific seating requirements,” said a Saga spokesperson. “This is managed on a case-by-case basis by the airlines upon request of the customer at time of booking and can lead to a charge.” 

Saga has contacted British Airways, which is operating your flights to Japan, and ensured that you are sitting together. 

Customers can, of course, buy your own flights, but in doing so you may forfeit the financial protection that applies to package holidays under the Package Travel Regulations.

If you are on a group tour and want a particular seat, it is best to turn up as early as you can, ideally three or more hours before departure if flying long-haul, when there may still be some seat choice available.

– Gill Charlton

Your travel problems solved

Gill takes on a different case each week – so please send your problems to her for consideration at asktheexperts@telegraph.co.uk. Please give your full name and, if your dispute is with a travel company, your address, telephone number and any booking reference. Gill can’t answer every question, but she will help where she can and all emails are acknowledged.