Are you saying that if you opt to check-in online at the time of booking and don't pre-purchase a specific seat, that you can still select seats (for free) when you check-in online.
I think Jet2Krazey was meaning that less seats would be pre booked which is true meaning more choice for the system to allocate you seats together. You wouldn't believe the way the seating plans look for each flight before check in opens, a lot of people pre book individual seats and if they have pre booked seats in the back section this is another thing that causes online check in passengers to be seperated.
ive never seen as yet! anybody onboard split up by lots of rows! just maybe a few seats or the row in front!
Quite right, the online check in system works from the back forwards, the most I have seen is a family seperated by 7 rows, but for some reason they chose to check in at different times, resulting in 4 people been spread out over 7 rows. Usually its just the row infront/behind. And has you say, no check in staff would ever let a minor be seperated, and neither would the crew, certainly at check in we always will move other passengers (who often get very annoyed!!) to accomodate families.