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How do you handle someone sitting in your seat when you board?

How do you handle someone sitting in your seat when you board?

Old Jun 23, 2016, 4:00 pm
  #586  
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Originally Posted by invisible
Could you (and others as well) share experience of such cases? What was the outcome?
In my case, it was simply a matter of not wanting to "take the late" and deal with something that may add delay to pushback time. As it was an extra rev seat though, I requested a purser and she made the guy move..but I thought for a few seconds that I was going to be forced from my pref seat to a middle in the back simply because the poacher didn't want to sit in his own seat. I told the purser that I would VDB myself instead and that they could sort out my unaccompanied luggage (a lie..I didn't check luggage lol). That would make them even more late and they knew it.

And I have witnessed it in poaching cases I have NOT been involved in. But most of the time the FA will make the poacher move. It really depends on the FA..but don't be afraid to kick it higher and request the GA, Purser, or flight crew.
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Old Jun 23, 2016, 4:13 pm
  #587  
 
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Originally Posted by invisible
Could you (and others as well) share experience of such cases? What was the outcome?
Earlier this year when I boarded a DL flight, someone was sitting in my pre-assigned seat. It was a father with a child and woman in the adjoining seats. The flight attendant immediately offered to find me another seat, so must have been waiting for me to show up. I ended up in an exit row aisle just a couple rows behind my original seat, so really didn't have anything to complain about.
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Old Jun 23, 2016, 4:13 pm
  #588  
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I saw an extreme example today. UA domestic first.

Couple is split into 1A and 2F. Instead of waiting a minute or 2 2F just plopped down in 1B. Then when the real 1B appeared the self reassigner ignore the whole thing, even when the FA started asking to see boarding passes. Just sat there.
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Old Jun 23, 2016, 4:18 pm
  #589  
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Originally Posted by milepig
I saw an extreme example today. UA domestic first.

Couple is split into 1A and 2F. Instead of waiting a minute or 2 2F just plopped down in 1B. Then when the real 1B appeared the self reassigner ignore the whole thing, even when the FA started asking to see boarding passes. Just sat there.
Ok, now I'm curious a la Sheldon Cooper. What was the result?
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Old Jun 23, 2016, 8:20 pm
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OK, I think we can agree that asking someone to move so mother and child can sit together is fine and reasonable example.

I was more interested to see the cases like this:
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
some apparent "reason" (such as status, age, appearance/dress, or nationality) to give preference to the poacher.
So have you ever had/witnessed the situation when someone was moved from his/her assigned seat due to 'status, age, appearance/dress, or nationality' of the poacher?

Last edited by invisible; Jun 24, 2016 at 12:16 am
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Old Jun 23, 2016, 9:45 pm
  #591  
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Originally Posted by IceTrojan
Ok, now I'm curious a la Sheldon Cooper. What was the result?
I was a couple rows back, but it looks like the FA (who was very good)

1. grabbed the pax list
2. Figured out that 1A and the currently empty 2F had the same last name.
3. Approached the person in 1B and asked if he was originally in 2F.
4. Getting an affirmative she just asked the original 1B if he'd sit in 2F. (Better seat anyway.)
5. He agreed, problem sorted.
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 11:43 am
  #592  
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Originally Posted by puddinhead
I hate when someone says "I really need you to"
Even worse than that is the phrase "You're going to have to.."


Oh really? I am going to have to?

That ends in an immediate no, no consideration taken. End of story.
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 3:10 pm
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Originally Posted by Loren Pechtel
It depends on the situation. We book A-C but sit A-B. If no B shows up, fine, I move over after boarding is done. If B shows up I offer them C. Nobody's ever turned it down although we did have someone who would have preferred A. Since I figure it's virtually certain they'll go for the swap it's easier to simply sit in B and avoid having to move when they show.
I would have charged you $100 for the middle seat. After all by unwritten law, it gets the armrests!
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Old Aug 8, 2016, 8:32 pm
  #594  
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First experience with this in awhile:

Boarded an AA A-321 from DFW-PHX with a BP for 14A. I boarded a little late (with Group 1) and found a woman in 14C with two children in 14B and 14A. I said I had a BP for 14A and she produced BPs for 14B, 14C and 15C. She said "oh you can just sit in 15C". I said that I wanted a window and she said quite rudely, "what do you expect me to do? LEAVE MY TODDLERS?!". At that point I took 15C and as soon as the flight attendant came by, brought the situation to his attention.

The woman claimed the gate agent told her she and her children were all together, which may be true but in that case she clearly wasn't reading her boarding passes. The flight attendant asked a few people and eventually got the woman in 15A to swap with me so I still got my window, albeit it one row farther back. To his credit, the f/a also offered both me and the woman who switched with me free drinks and free snacks.

Still an annoying situation, as there were young children involved getting the f/a involved instead of demanding my original seat seemed the better solution.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 12:25 am
  #595  
 
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Is it THAT difficult sitting in your assigned seat?

Just got out of airport and to hotel. Flew PHL-LAX. I paid the $89 fee to sit in the aisle seat in the exit row (didn't get an upgrade). So I get to my aisle seat and there is a lady already plopped down sitting in it. I put my bags in the over head and very politely say "I think you are in my seat maam". Her response "they gave me the middle seat, and I can't sit in the middle". Then she ignores me. The boarding line is now at a standstill and backed up. I have to move to the seat row across from me to let people pass, my ... pressed firmly against the seated passengers face in that row. I press the stewardess dinger button above about 10x, FA comes over. I explain the situation. FA to lady in my seat "You need to take your assigned seat". Lady responds "I'm not moving". By now the entire plane is watching this fiasco. The gate agent comes on board and tells the lady if she doesn't take her assigned seat, she will be removed from the plane for noncompliance with staff. Finally she moves.

I mean the nerve. I paid $89 and she stole my seat.

I wonder if I go down to the local Benz dealer if I can have a free car? How would that work?
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 12:30 am
  #596  
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Originally Posted by brianmillman
Just got out of airport and to hotel. Flew PHL-LAX. I paid the $89 fee to sit in the aisle seat in the exit row (didn't get an upgrade). So I get to my aisle seat and there is a lady already plopped down sitting in it. I put my bags in the over head and very politely say "I think you are in my seat maam". Her response "they gave me the middle seat, and I can't sit in the middle". Then she ignores me. The boarding line is now at a standstill and backed up. I have to move to the seat row across from me to let people pass, my ... pressed firmly against the seated passengers face in that row. I press the stewardess dinger button above about 10x, FA comes over. I explain the situation. FA to lady in my seat "You need to take your assigned seat". Lady responds "I'm not moving". By now the entire plane is watching this fiasco. The gate agent comes on board and tells the lady if she doesn't take her assigned seat, she will be removed from the plane for noncompliance with staff. Finally she moves.

I mean the nerve. I paid $89 and she stole my seat.

I wonder if I go down to the local Benz dealer if I can have a free car? How would that work?
You don't seem to have much luck traveling lately.

You handled it correctly, by not backing down. There are huge threads about seat poachers on FT. No real need to start a new one.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 2:47 am
  #597  
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Sadly the world is full of bad people and she is one of them. A thief as well.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 3:05 am
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my gf is non-confrontational, and she's had her seat poached and she'll just acquiesce. makes me mad just hearing about it.

although admittedly, once or twice in my life, ive accidentally sat in the wrong seat unknowingly since i get a brainfart and confuse the aisle/window lettering, or even wrong side of the plane.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 3:24 am
  #599  
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This is serious cheek. If you "can't sit in the middle", book - and PAY FOR (!!!) - the seat that you want (like you did).

I am seriously unhappy with anything but an aisle seat on any flight above about 2-3 hours. Therefore, I get on the airline's website and book one, paying for it if I have to. If an aisle is not available, I will upgrade or take another flight.

Nothing grinds my gears on flights more than entitled wotsits, who think they have more right to my assigned seat than I do.

Kudos to you for standing your ground, and kudos to the FA and GA for backing you up.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 7:50 am
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I'm glad that this worked out the way it should. You, the flight attendant, and the gate agent handled it well. I felt my blood pressure rising as I was reading your post, fearing that somebody would back down and the poacher would get their seat.
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