KDS

Flying from AMS today. Had chosen my seat in business class weeks ago. Checked in today and discovered my seat had been changed to one less desirable to me. At the airport, I was able to get the airline to change it back to my desired seat.

Then, 5 minutes later, I'm informed that there is a problem with my chosen seat, and I must be changed back to the seat the airline gave me when I checked in. When I asked the reason, the agent hesitated and then said, "It's because of the US government."

So I have been moved from my seat by, most likely, a FAM. At least I'll now know who the FAM is on my flight.

I won't name the flight or destinations in case any "bad guys" are reading today's posts and would thus plan "destruction". But I really am tired of the US government "helping" me to make travel less and less enjoyable.

petaluma1

I would have given the airline, the flight number AND the seat number that you had originally requested. Stop being afraid of the government because that's exactly what they want you to be.

Badenoch

The airline reserves the right to move you to another seat for any reason it chooses and doesn't need to provide an explanation. Maybe there's an FAM on your flight or perhaps there was some other reason (government related or not) for the switch.

Randyk47

Other than being asked to move to accommodate a family or a passenger with a special need I've only be asked once to move for what I'd call "government" reasons. That turned out to be a prisoner transfer and I was holding a window seat and they wanted to put the prisoner in the middle seat with a LEO on either side. The two LEOs were very pleasant about it when the FA pointed out I'd moved to accommodate them. Heck, even the prisoner thanked me. The upside was that the FAs thanked me and served me free drinks for being cooperative. Of course this was years ago before the airlines nickeled and dimed you, I doubt I'd get the free drinks today.

cestmoi123

Unless the seat wasn't an aisle, it was almost certainly a FAM. On the plane, take a look at the seat you were bumped out of, is the person sitting there a man 30-55, casually but neatly dressed, not wearing headphones, who doesn't drink during the flight? If so, congratulations, you've found your FAM.

BTW, the airline's being a bit naughty here, they're not supposed to tell you why you were moved, because secrecy.

GUWonder

There are some female FAMs in that set up. Some of them even prefer business class to pick up a guy or to get picked up.

Often1

Interesting they identified the "government" as the reason to OP. Presume this was an overseas goof. Usually it's something much more nondescript.

Bottom line is that there's nothing to be done. In truth, if someone with a higher status wants the seat and the carrier chooses to move you, they may.

FliesWay2Much

On one hand, since this was overseas, there's no issue for them to poke the USG in the eye. On the other hand, the airline may have messed up something and didn't want to admit it, so they blamed the USG.

Regardless, I agree with other posters, that if you had an aisle seat, you lost it to a FAM. The other smoking gun would be if the occupant of your former seat was already sitting there when you board and you didn't see anyone get on via the jetway.

If you wanted to have a little fun, you could walk past the FAM and say something like, "That's a great seat. I always pick that one, except, this time, the airline wouldn't let me have it."

GUWonder

Or see how they deal with alcohol on board the flight.

"What, you won't share a drink with me?!!? Are you a recovering alcoholic or is it a religion thing?"

[My only alcohol consumption on board flights comes from mouthwash, food traces, or is the remnant of a disinfectant of sorts which I'm not drinking. And I'm no FAM. ]

KDS

DL 45 AMS-JFK today. I was bumped from seat 3D. It was a gentleman with balding pate and very short hair; plaid shirt; aged 50s. I'm sure it was an FAM.

I was surprised the airline told me "US government" too, but I think the gate agent felt I was owed some explanation because she'd changed my seat back to 3Dm, and then had to come back to me 5 minutes later to change it back from 3D; I think she felt a bit awkward.

By the way, Delta's website showed my seat as still being 3D; it never changed to show the new seat; KLM's website, however, did change. That was why I complained to the airline.

KDS

I did give some thought to saying something to him as I walked by while boarding. Then decided not to.

SeriouslyLost

I've always wondered why no one has ever pointed out to them that their AM's tend to stick out like the proverbial. On a flight inside the US, and especially the US midwest or south, they might manage to not stand out too much, but on intl flights it's usually bleedingly obvious.

FateSucks

That happened in Air France when I was returning to the US from CDG in 2013!

I naively let them "lead" me to sit on the window seat when I was suppose to sit in the middle seat in economy.

They even followed me to the toilet and I am not even Middle Eastern nor Muslim!

One of the flight attendants called me a "sale juif" though when she was whispering to her colleague as they took glances of my profile while exiting the toilet.....what a bit%#! And I am not even Jewish!

On my flight on JAL in 2014 returning to the US from NRT, two Japanese men ordered by the American FAM tried to make me sit on the window but I firmly, politely, told them that the aisle seat is my seat and they have to move which they did....but not before them going to business/first class where the FAM were sitting and picked up a bag probably with a bomb detection or recording device.

This time, they did not follow me to the toilet, but they did go in almost every time I came back and sit down to make sure I did not disrupt or planted anything in there......

The FAM gave me an ugly face leaving the plane once we landed safely with no problems (a man and woman).

I did not go through any special security, and they seem to be upset that did not find anything on me because I have nothing on me.

They are suspicious of solo travelers going on foreign airlines and travelling alone despite having no record of extremist or dangerous views.

The major difference was that my seat assignment has never been formally changed so they tried to lead me into switching but I did not fall for it a second time and persisted until they gave me my seat reservation.

Overall, they are really paranoid considering that I am all the way in economy while they are in business and first and would react accordingly if someone tries to break into the cockpit

gobluetwo

Happened to me on a flight to FRA once. Had an aisle in business, was moved to the other side of the cabin to a window seat. Middle aged guy,neatly dressed, chatting up the woman next to him. Eavesdropping little on the way to my seat, they were clearly not together.

nrr

[I'm Executive Platinum on AA; if I'm in intl. business class, its only via an upgrade using SWUs (system wide upgrade).
I try to sit in window seats only--I like to look out the window, so FAM issues would not affect me.]
When airlines move pax to accommodate FAMs, do they first check who they are moving? A full fare bc ($8000+) on a fully refundable ticket might just cancel, demand a refund and go to another airline (who would be happy to take his money).