Thank-you for the replies. I understand some of you wouldn't be fussed about sitting together but we are and were for many reasons. Its a rubbish situation, and no, I wouldn't want to forcibly move anyone just as I didn't want to be re-seated either. I think from my viewpoint on the day I couldn't understand how it wasn't possible to sit us together with 72 seats onboard.

Just for clarification - the flight was at no point cancelled, it was an aircraft change, and the pax being asked to move to a later flight had nothing to do with us, they were looking for them anyway to spread the load.

I agree that the automated system is at fault here and there isn't much that can be done about that, it wasn't a nice experience after a fantastic trip away.