Originally Posted by
grahampros
The button line here seems to be want seats together you PAY for them and the OP doesn't want to. It's the new airline reality. Get use to it if you don't have status. And this anxiety/claustrophobia excuse is rather tired by this point.
Yes, or the family reserves seats together at the very back of the plane, or they wait and hope that the GA will give them some of the seats reserved for airport control together. It's largely a matter of priorities, but they cannot realistically expect to grab the best seats together for free, nor should they expect others who have earned or paid for prime seats to be willing to swap for a middle seat in the rear of the aircraft.