securesmaskfirst

I just came back from a trip from MSP to DFW. It was a 717-200. So it has a small first class, only 12 seats. When I booked the flight I figured I would not be upgraded, but I had the coveted 20B which is an exit row and is all by itself. Love that seat. Anyway, on the way there there were about 70 seats open in coach. So, ounce we took off, I actually moved from my favorite spot 20B to a row that was completely open and laid down to nap for the short 2 hour flight. Checked with flight crew first. They said, it's ok after take off because Of the weight restrictions. As I looked to the front of the cabin in C+, it was packed with people in middle seats. Nobody bothered to look behind them at all the empty seats. The rest of us in the back of the bus had stretch out leg room and many had rows to themselves. On the way back, it was a completely full flight, but I was still in 20B.

udontknowme

Situational awareness. Important in the jungle, on the street and, as you've demonstrated, on the plane.

TTT

^ - it always pays to look over your shoulder.

I did this once on a IAH-SLC flight. I was upgraded to F but noticed that all of the rows behind C+ were essentially empty. After takeoff I left F and went to an empty row right behind the overwing exit.

Took a nice 2 hour nap, walked to F when the bells chimed for landing and reclaimed my seat.

There were a few in C+ who gave me dirty looks for leaving the F seat unused the whole flight...

richardinmotion

This is essentially my latest strategy, especially on long hauls. I'm always booked in C+, but often, especially with lack of upgrades and FCM these days, its packed. I keep an eye on the seat map and try to board last. If there's an empty row of seats in the back of the plane, I just walk right past my C+ seat and plop myself down in the middle of the empty row. Most folks are afraid to move to open seats until the door closes or the seatbelt sign comes off, so this usually works. I realize that its probably not kosher with Delta, but I really doubt my 170lbs is going to throw off the weights and balances.

RaflW

On a long haul twin aisle plane, I doubt the weight and balance could be thrown off by 20 or 30 pax seat swapping. Takeoff fuel + paid cargo and all the other pax, you're not an issue.

I was mystified recently by a couple I watched move from C+ in a row of 4 with one empty seat back to a window pair of standard Y seats about the time the boarding door was closing ... and stay there the entire AMS-MSP flight. As a GM I was actually kind of annoyed, because I couldn't really go sit in their seats, but if they'd made the move via BP with an agent (seat map locks annoyingly early when KL takes over the flight, so it is more of a hassle) I would have moved myself there before boarding. There were no aisle C+s left, only middles at T-24, and I didn't want one of those. FAs I understand are more touchy (rightly) about people self-upgrading to C+, even if one has status.

I actually considered walking back and asking if I could swap BP with one of them. Some lucky person ended up getting a row of 4 in C+ to themselves for 9 hours. I wasn't miserable, I had a window pair alone but would have liked the extra recline and leg room.

salfcl

On a recent flight from NRT-JFK, there was many rows of empty seats. Ate my meal on my C+ seat and then went to sleep on one of those empty rows.

Aside, anyone knows if DL will change the seat paddings. I found the seat padding of C+ on their 747 extremely uncomfortable. After a few hours of seating, the bum hurts.

gooselee

I just flew 20B on a 717 last night. I always take that seat when available, no matter what else is open in C+.

Even better, the guy in 21A pulled his bag out from under 19A to use as a footrest, so I was able to shove my own bag under 19A to get some room to stretch out. We just shuffled everything back into place before landing.