Seat Swap Request Horror Stories
#47
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 136
Several years ago, I was happily sitting in my bulkhead window. Plenty of legroom and I'm settled in with my Kindle for a 3 or so hour flight. Just before they close the door, the FAs come up and tell the three of us that they need to reseat us to accommodate a family. They hand the guy on the aisle a ticket for the middle window in the bulkhead row on the other side, they give me a ticket for the middle seat in an exit row, and they give the woman in the middle a seat on the aisle near the back of the plane.
We all start to move and the woman who was in the middle starts to freak out. She had already told me that she doesn't fly that often and now starts to panic since she says she can't sit in the back because she's claustrophobic. The FAs can see a full fledged panic attack coming on and are trying to talk her down. Since I just want to get home, I tell them I'll take the seat in the back and head to the second row from the back. She calms down since she'll still be near the front of the plane.
Good news for me - the lead FA was grateful and gave me a couple of free minis of wine when he came through with beverage service.
We all start to move and the woman who was in the middle starts to freak out. She had already told me that she doesn't fly that often and now starts to panic since she says she can't sit in the back because she's claustrophobic. The FAs can see a full fledged panic attack coming on and are trying to talk her down. Since I just want to get home, I tell them I'll take the seat in the back and head to the second row from the back. She calms down since she'll still be near the front of the plane.
Good news for me - the lead FA was grateful and gave me a couple of free minis of wine when he came through with beverage service.
#48
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ABZ/NCL
Posts: 2,943
BA PHX-LHR in Y. I was sitting in aisle seat and my sister asked to swap so I did without really questioning it. The seat in front of me was broken and reclined more than it should so whenver the guy in front reclined the seat would come right up near my face. The guy in front kept turning telling me to 'knock it off' and stop 'whacking his seat' I told him I wasnt. Half way through the flight he got up and shouted at me and called me a 'cretin' and a host of other words. I just smiled and laughed at him which seemed to anger him even more. Nevertheless I didnt enjoy the experience and he was such an idiot. He knew his seat was broken but still tried to blame me for it.
I blame him for being such a twat and I blame BA for not fixing their phony seats. Also I will never ever swap seats with my sister again as she didnt back me up and just pretended to be asleep for all my encounters with the idiot man. She is always the lucky one and I am always the unlucky one.
I blame him for being such a twat and I blame BA for not fixing their phony seats. Also I will never ever swap seats with my sister again as she didnt back me up and just pretended to be asleep for all my encounters with the idiot man. She is always the lucky one and I am always the unlucky one.
#49
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: In CT,left my heart in Leicester.
Programs: Work in progress.
Posts: 1,237
BA PHX-LHR in Y. I was sitting in aisle seat and my sister asked to swap so I did without really questioning it. The seat in front of me was broken and reclined more than it should so whenver the guy in front reclined the seat would come right up near my face. The guy in front kept turning telling me to 'knock it off' and stop 'whacking his seat' I told him I wasnt. Half way through the flight he got up and shouted at me and called me a 'cretin' and a host of other words. I just smiled and laughed at him which seemed to anger him even more. Nevertheless I didnt enjoy the experience and he was such an idiot. He knew his seat was broken but still tried to blame me for it.
I blame him for being such a twat and I blame BA for not fixing their phony seats. Also I will never ever swap seats with my sister again as she didnt back me up and just pretended to be asleep for all my encounters with the idiot man. She is always the lucky one and I am always the unlucky one.
I blame him for being such a twat and I blame BA for not fixing their phony seats. Also I will never ever swap seats with my sister again as she didnt back me up and just pretended to be asleep for all my encounters with the idiot man. She is always the lucky one and I am always the unlucky one.
If I was in your place, I would probably have told him off. I can usually take about 5 seconds of someone screaming at me before I lose it...That is...If I'm in the right.If I'm wrong then I shut up and accept what's coming my way.
#51
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: somewhere in F, hopefully
Posts: 670
On a LHR-JFK flight,as I boarded the plane,I came across a gentleman sitting in my aisle seat. (Coach...way before I'd heard of FlyerTalk).
I explained to him that he was in my seat and he tried explaining to me in broken English (with a Russian accent) that he wanted to sit next to his wife and his seat was in the next row.
Having lived in Russia for 6 years, I speak fluent russian and told him in russian that it wasn't a big deal and I'd be glad to switch seats.
The lady in the next row overheard us talking and says to her neighbor in an audible whisper, "Oh my God what are they talking about in that strange language?" I looked at her and she rolled her eyes in apparent disgust (!?)
Normally I could care less, because I've dealt with a lot of racism in my time in Russia but the whole eye roll just got under my skin.
Turns out that the seat I was being offered to switch for was also an aisle seat and it was all good.
I take my seat and a few minutes later she taps my shoulder and asks me in a voice dripping with honey, if I'd be "so kind" to switch seats with her, because she likes sitting in the aisle seat.
Needless to say, I refused.
I explained to him that he was in my seat and he tried explaining to me in broken English (with a Russian accent) that he wanted to sit next to his wife and his seat was in the next row.
Having lived in Russia for 6 years, I speak fluent russian and told him in russian that it wasn't a big deal and I'd be glad to switch seats.
The lady in the next row overheard us talking and says to her neighbor in an audible whisper, "Oh my God what are they talking about in that strange language?" I looked at her and she rolled her eyes in apparent disgust (!?)
Normally I could care less, because I've dealt with a lot of racism in my time in Russia but the whole eye roll just got under my skin.
Turns out that the seat I was being offered to switch for was also an aisle seat and it was all good.
I take my seat and a few minutes later she taps my shoulder and asks me in a voice dripping with honey, if I'd be "so kind" to switch seats with her, because she likes sitting in the aisle seat.
Needless to say, I refused.
#55
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 4
never swap again
Last year I was sitting in first class in a window seat in like 5A. A man say next to me and asked if I would swap with his daughter who was in a window in bulkhead. I do not like bulkhead seats due to the limited legroom. He seemed genuine so I agreed. When I got to the seat up front the guy next to me said he offered his seat to the Dad so he could sit with his daughter but he declined. This pissed me off. So apparently the guy wanted to sit next to his daughter but NOT in bulkhead. When we left the plane I told the guy that what he did was very sneaky. Never again will I fall for that.
#56
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ABZ/NCL
Posts: 2,943
#57
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K-UA/AA, LT PLAT-MARRIOTT(1984), HILTON-GOLD, HYATT-GOLD
Posts: 951
It has occured to me, that anyone asking for a swap has a lesser seat then mine!
There have been enough attempted scams, that I just decline to keep my innner peace on the flight!
There have been enough attempted scams, that I just decline to keep my innner peace on the flight!
#58
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: In CT,left my heart in Leicester.
Programs: Work in progress.
Posts: 1,237
#59
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: In CT,left my heart in Leicester.
Programs: Work in progress.
Posts: 1,237
The fact that I start laughing when she calls me that, doesn't help my case any.
#60
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AAdvantage, SkyMiles, SWA, Starwood, HiltonHonors, Marriott, Accor
Posts: 28