Seat saving brouhaha

Old Mar 30, 2011, 9:43 pm
  #1  
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Seat saving brouhaha

Recently boarded the plane for a three hour flight that the gate attendant stated would be totally full. So, first available row with two seats together was the first row. Except that the man in the aisle seat had placed various random personal items across both seats. While my daughter fit our carryon bag in the overhead bin, I attempted to sit in one of the two seats. The man grumbled loudly, but moved items off one seat only, stating that "my wife is sitting here." We asked where she was, and he said "she's coming." Meanwhile the flight attendant is observing, but saying nothing. My daughter tries to sit in the middle seat and asks him to pick up his random items. She asks the flight attendant to help. He then states, "you are a b **** " and refuses to move them. Flight attendant looks wide eyed at us, then repeats to him that he can't save seats. He moves his stuff to the aisle seat across from him, to save that seat now.
We are now both seated. Still no mystery wife. Finally, at the very end of the C group, the wife boards and sits in the saved aisle seat.
Gate agent boards plane, motions to man to accompany her to jetway to speak to her. We never saw him again. The wife remained on board and kept his personal items, opting not to take a "later flight" with him.
Apparently he was not drunk, but had "space issues" , we were informed.
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 1:35 am
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Originally Posted by Amicus
The wife remained on board and kept his personal items, opting not to take a "later flight" with him.
That must have been one awkward car ride from the airport if she picked him up...
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 6:42 am
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Originally Posted by Amicus
Recently boarded the plane for a three hour flight that the gate attendant stated would be totally full. So, first available row with two seats together was the first row. Except that the man in the aisle seat had placed various random personal items across both seats. While my daughter fit our carryon bag in the overhead bin, I attempted to sit in one of the two seats. The man grumbled loudly, but moved items off one seat only, stating that "my wife is sitting here." We asked where she was, and he said "she's coming." Meanwhile the flight attendant is observing, but saying nothing. My daughter tries to sit in the middle seat and asks him to pick up his random items. She asks the flight attendant to help. He then states, "you are a b **** " and refuses to move them. Flight attendant looks wide eyed at us, then repeats to him that he can't save seats. He moves his stuff to the aisle seat across from him, to save that seat now.
We are now both seated. Still no mystery wife. Finally, at the very end of the C group, the wife boards and sits in the saved aisle seat.
Gate agent boards plane, motions to man to accompany her to jetway to speak to her. We never saw him again. The wife remained on board and kept his personal items, opting not to take a "later flight" with him.
Apparently he was not drunk, but had "space issues" , we were informed.
I understand he has no right to save the seat and I know they said flight was full... But at the time you were boarding were their two seats together available nearby?

I'm just thinking if I was in same position I'm goin a row or two or three back rather then bothering with it. As a cp holder with a wife who holds no status I've never been in a situation to have to literally save a seat for her, nor would I be gruff if someone like you wanted to make damn sure I didn't.

I just don't understand why folks are so bound and determined to make life difficult to fellow human beings. Flying would be a lot more pleasant with a little more respect, compassion and understanding for our fellow humans.

Not the "well the policy says... so I had a right.. and he can't do that" and screw that he's just trying to sit with his wife attitude (not saying poster has that attitude that's why I ask about other options poster had) just saying I see the holier then thou, who cares about the fellow passenger, I'll show him on FT all too often.
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 7:20 am
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Last Sunday, flight 1516 LGA-BWI was announced as a full flight and passengers were advised to take the first open seat. I was pleasantly surprised that the two seat exit row had one available. I started to sit and a man said that it he was holding it for his wife. I indicated that SWA has a no saving policy and looked to the FA who was standing right there for support. Instead, she said nothing and I had to take a nearby middle seat, not a happy traveler. While disembarking, I asked her whether in fact people are allowed to save seats and she replied "we can't officially say that". The implication was that the official policy is "Don't ask, don't tell".
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 8:24 am
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I think if people want to save seats for their friend they should start by sitting in the back half of the plane. If you sit in the front half or exit rows of course everyone is going to want your seat.
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 10:24 am
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Originally Posted by Amicus
The wife remained on board and kept his personal items, opting not to take a "later flight" with him.
Originally Posted by tusphotog
That must have been one awkward car ride from the airport if she picked him up...
Hahaha....or she let him drive as she had a more than a few drinks at the bar waiting for him.
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 10:27 am
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Originally Posted by millere2
I think if people want to save seats for their friend they should start by sitting in the back half of the plane. If you sit in the front half or exit rows of course everyone is going to want your seat.
Saving a middle seat is fine.

It will be a strange person* indeed who would take a middle next to me when the window seat or other aisle seats are available.

*unless she was hott and my hott CP wasn't flying that day.
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 1:02 pm
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Well, I got a great laugh out of that. Maybe the wife was secretly happy to have that C boarding pass! She probably hoped that she could sit anywhere but near the old coot.

My DH sits in the middle seat & if we're separated by boarding #s, I go on first & sit in the window. I save the middle seat for him, but he's never more than 20 people behind me, so I don't get any flak for it.

I had one instance where we boarded a connecting flight with late Bs and we needed to deplane as quickly as possible due to a timed bus connection. I made someone pretty unhappy in the aisle seat of row 3 when I asked about the middle & window. He clearly hoped to have the whole row to himself, but I sat down anyway...........
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 2:09 pm
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Originally Posted by Amicus
Recently boarded the plane for a three hour flight that the gate attendant stated would be totally full. So, first available row with two seats together was the first row. Except that the man in the aisle seat had placed various random personal items across both seats. While my daughter fit our carryon bag in the overhead bin, I attempted to sit in one of the two seats. The man grumbled loudly, but moved items off one seat only, stating that "my wife is sitting here." We asked where she was, and he said "she's coming." Meanwhile the flight attendant is observing, but saying nothing. My daughter tries to sit in the middle seat and asks him to pick up his random items. She asks the flight attendant to help. He then states, "you are a b **** " and refuses to move them. Flight attendant looks wide eyed at us, then repeats to him that he can't save seats. He moves his stuff to the aisle seat across from him, to save that seat now.
We are now both seated. Still no mystery wife. Finally, at the very end of the C group, the wife boards and sits in the saved aisle seat.
Gate agent boards plane, motions to man to accompany her to jetway to speak to her. We never saw him again. The wife remained on board and kept his personal items, opting not to take a "later flight" with him.
Apparently he was not drunk, but had "space issues" , we were informed.
The name-caller has more than space issues, but an enormous sense of entitlement! If he wants to save a seat for a later boarder, it should be a middle seat in a non-premium row. IMHO Southwest needs a clear policy to this effect (or better yet, assigned seating).
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 3:47 pm
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Originally Posted by jrpaguia
Saving a middle seat is fine.

It will be a strange person* indeed who would take a middle next to me when the window seat or other aisle seats are available.

*unless she was hott and my hott CP wasn't flying that day.
I'm afraid I don't understand your logic. You say it's fine to save a middle seat, because no one person is going to want a middle seat. But... you obviously want it, otherwise you wouldn't be saving it. You want it - for your travelling companion. So doesn't it stand to reason that another pair of passengers might also want it? Ie, they want it and the seat next to it, just like you do? Except both of them are on the plane before your travelling companion is onboard?
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 4:03 pm
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Continue to be amused by the,"You SOB saving a middle row and I'll have to sit a row.. maybe 2 or 3 farther back now with my wife... thus costing me at least 47 seconds when we deplane. This is clearly 47 seconds of my life I will never get back because you sir are a SOB with a sense of entitlement."

Same folks who probably cut you off in traffic but feel they were entitled to the spot in front of you in your lane on highway because as they were turning they turned on their directional thus giving them the right of way. All for the 2.4 seconds they'll arrive at their destination quicker.

Carry on...
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 4:05 pm
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I have to deal with this regularly. My wife does not have status on WN anymore (however, she is Chairman level on USAir). I do not understand why WN can not allow a CP holder to board with their A-List or A-List Preferred spouse or parnter. When she flies with me, I usually go to mid-plane and grab my aisle seat, then put my ipad/bose headset/cell phone on the aisle across from me for her. I am sure that some people will take issue with this, however WN could fix this problem with their best customers by allowing CP holders to board together. By the way, when I travel on USAir with her, I have never had an issue boarding with her...
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 4:08 pm
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I find this to be a very annoying thing that happens more often than WN seems to think it does. If you go to the employee intranet and go to in-flight ops, this is the first FAQ style question and it clearly says since they don't have a policy on seat saving either way, it is really up to the passengers to do whatever they want to do. I have heard some FAs say you cannot save exit rows seats, but that too is not a policy so you could even challenge them on that.

I think it would be better for FAs and passengers alike to have this clarified so that it is either more than fine to save seats or more than fine not to save seats. I can understand if there are plenty of seats available and it is not a prime location, but for the people who save the bulk heads or exit rows or entire rows and play reunite the couple, I just don't understand it.
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 4:13 pm
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Originally Posted by ronbo83
I find this to be a very annoying thing that happens more often than WN seems to think it does. If you go to the employee intranet and go to in-flight ops, this is the first FAQ style question and it clearly says since they don't have a policy on seat saving either way, it is really up to the passengers to do whatever they want to do. I have heard some FAs say you cannot save exit rows seats, but that too is not a policy so you could even challenge them on that.

I think it would be better for FAs and passengers alike to have this clarified so that it is either more than fine to save seats or more than fine not to save seats. I can understand if there are plenty of seats available and it is not a prime location, but for the people who save the bulk heads or exit rows or entire rows and play reunite the couple, I just don't understand it.
or we could all not need such a clarification and remember that life is short, we'll all get to our destination, and play nicely.
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Old Mar 31, 2011, 4:14 pm
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Originally Posted by ronbo83
I find this to be a very annoying thing that happens more often than WN seems to think it does. If you go to the employee intranet and go to in-flight ops, this is the first FAQ style question and it clearly says since they don't have a policy on seat saving either way, it is really up to the passengers to do whatever they want to do. I have heard some FAs say you cannot save exit rows seats, but that too is not a policy so you could even challenge them on that.

I think it would be better for FAs and passengers alike to have this clarified so that it is either more than fine to save seats or more than fine not to save seats. I can understand if there are plenty of seats available and it is not a prime location, but for the people who save the bulk heads or exit rows or entire rows and play reunite the couple, I just don't understand it.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that they offer EBCI for $10pp, but don't protect the early boarder's right to any unoccupied seats.
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