Seat Swap Request Horror Stories
#61
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 729
I just created a seat swap situation, unfortunately, though I tried to avoid it. I wanted to redeem AA miles to fly five family members to Florida, but I only had enough miles on AA for four economy tickets. I wanted to have all five people sitting together, so I called AA because I thought one of their agents would be able to facilitate that, only to hear (after two hours in the hold queue!) that they would charge me $25/ticket to have an agent book the tickets. I took my chances with separate on-line bookings then. Booking the four award tickets with everyone sitting together was fine, but trying to book the fifth ticket in a separate transaction was not. Even though I knew from the award ticket reservations that empty seats were available next to my four award seats, AA's system showed them as "unavailable" for the fifth ticket. The only "available" seats shown, in fact, were isolated middle seats and premium seats. I ended up buying premium economy seats on all legs of the flight because I figured that, if seat swaps are to happen, it is more likely that someone would trade with my fifth flier if he/she would be getting an exit row seat or one of the "more room" seats at the front of the plane.
I really tried to avoid the seat swap situation.
I really tried to avoid the seat swap situation.
Last edited by Schmurrr; Jun 18, 2013 at 9:12 am Reason: The ticketing and seat selection situation described above is still obnoxious, but AA was great about changing flight dates.
#62
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 314
I almost always decline these days. Because in the past I've always gotten the rotten end of the deal. Even if the seat on the surface was equal to my original seat there will be something else that makes it a lesser seat. I sat next to a huge lap baby for 9 hours who's parents thought it was great to change the kid's diaper in the seat and wouldn't stop screaming, all beause of a seat swap. I've ended up next to people with body odor, passengers of size, and someone who apparently needed to get up to use the lav every 15 minutes on a 6 hour flight. So these days I don't move.
#63
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wonderful Weald of kent
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 989
My golden rule is no swap will happen unless it is to an equal or better (in my opinion only) seat.
I carefully chose where I wanted to spend the flight, and it will take a lot to get me out of my chosen spot.
The few times the family and I have been asked to swap by fellow passengers were always for inferior seats, and in one case, when my daughter was seated in Premium Economy and I was in Business, a seat poacher seriously expected her to swap her PE window for a coach middle middle seat a long way back........ I don't think so!
I carefully chose where I wanted to spend the flight, and it will take a lot to get me out of my chosen spot.
The few times the family and I have been asked to swap by fellow passengers were always for inferior seats, and in one case, when my daughter was seated in Premium Economy and I was in Business, a seat poacher seriously expected her to swap her PE window for a coach middle middle seat a long way back........ I don't think so!
#64
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: AA, AS
Posts: 53
I had really good luck returning from a trip around Europe with a friend. Flight was DUB-PHL. We met a girl in our hostel a few days prior and had discovered that, by chance, she was on the same flight back as us.
We met her at the boarding area and compared boarding passes and saw that she was further back in the plane. By pure chance, a guy sitting near us overheard us talking, recognized that he was my friend and my assigned seatmate, and offered to switch with the girl so we could all be together. And all this before we even set foot on the plane!
We met her at the boarding area and compared boarding passes and saw that she was further back in the plane. By pure chance, a guy sitting near us overheard us talking, recognized that he was my friend and my assigned seatmate, and offered to switch with the girl so we could all be together. And all this before we even set foot on the plane!
#65
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA PLAT FPC PLAT
Posts: 123
I was on a 12 hour flight that I had the exit row window booked on the 777 (6 ft leg room) when I got on the plane an older man in his eighties was sitting in my seat. When I asked the FA to tell him, the man insisted he needed to speak to me. He told me he fought in WWII and had bad knees and needed to be able to stretch out his legs. I told him that he can buy business class or pay for an exit row. He continued to give me a loud speech how he fought for this country and therefore I (20 yr old) should give up my seat. During his speech a lot of people were listening watching what I would do. Finally he asked just let me sit here for take off and agreed. After take off he kept on pushing it off until he ended up sitting there the entire flight.
#66
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wonderful Weald of kent
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 989
I was on a 12 hour flight that I had the exit row window booked on the 777 (6 ft leg room) when I got on the plane an older man in his eighties was sitting in my seat. When I asked the FA to tell him, the man insisted he needed to speak to me. He told me he fought in WWII and had bad knees and needed to be able to stretch out his legs. I told him that he can buy business class or pay for an exit row. He continued to give me a loud speech how he fought for this country and therefore I (20 yr old) should give up my seat. During his speech a lot of people were listening watching what I would do. Finally he asked just let me sit here for take off and agreed. After take off he kept on pushing it off until he ended up sitting there the entire flight.
For all he knows you could have replacement knees/ be 6ft 7" tall etc..... your age had nothing to do with the situation - his sense of entitlement did.
Why didn't the FA move him? Or help you find another window seat?
I am claustrophobic and NEED to be able to look out of a window when i start feeling boxed in otherwise I start having a panic attack so I always book a window, and will always fight my corner should someone try to kick me out of one I have booked (and maybe even paid for!)
#67
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: ORD, JFK, EWR, LGA
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada Aeroplan, Delta Sky Miles
Posts: 213
#68
Join Date: May 2013
Location: EWR
Posts: 58
He continued to give me a loud speech how he fought for this country and therefore I (20 yr old) should give up my seat. During his speech a lot of people were listening watching what I would do. Finally he asked just let me sit here for take off and agreed. After take off he kept on pushing it off until he ended up sitting there the entire flight.
#69
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K-UA/AA, LT PLAT-MARRIOTT(1984), HILTON-GOLD, HYATT-GOLD
Posts: 951
So where did you end up sitting?
He would have been better off in an aisle seat.
Especially if he had to get up due to weak kidneys.
How old did he say he was when in WW!!? 12-17 yrs age?
He would have been better off in an aisle seat.
Especially if he had to get up due to weak kidneys.
How old did he say he was when in WW!!? 12-17 yrs age?
#71
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 214
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.
#72
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
Programs: Destination Unknown, TSA Disparager Diamond (LTDD)
Posts: 57,946
I was on a 12 hour flight that I had the exit row window booked on the 777 (6 ft leg room) when I got on the plane an older man in his eighties was sitting in my seat. When I asked the FA to tell him, the man insisted he needed to speak to me. He told me he fought in WWII and had bad knees and needed to be able to stretch out his legs. I told him that he can buy business class or pay for an exit row. He continued to give me a loud speech how he fought for this country and therefore I (20 yr old) should give up my seat. During his speech a lot of people were listening watching what I would do. Finally he asked just let me sit here for take off and agreed. After take off he kept on pushing it off until he ended up sitting there the entire flight.
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
I was on a 12 hour flight that I had the exit row window booked on the 777 (6 ft leg room) when I got on the plane an older man in his eighties was sitting in my seat. When I asked the FA to tell him, the man insisted he needed to speak to me. He told me he fought in WWII and had bad knees and needed to be able to stretch out his legs. I told him that he can buy business class or pay for an exit row. He continued to give me a loud speech how he fought for this country and therefore I (20 yr old) should give up my seat. During his speech a lot of people were listening watching what I would do. Finally he asked just let me sit here for take off and agreed. After take off he kept on pushing it off until he ended up sitting there the entire flight.
#75
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
I was sitting near the window. I was very lucky. I had booked at the right time, the right place, and it was supposedly smooth sailing. But then a woman looking at her 20's asked me to switch seats. Looking at me as if I was scum and should be glad to switch. While IN my seat. I looked at her in the eye, and said firmly no. She then grinned and proceeded to DUMP her baby's toys over me, and pointed to the little one near me in the middle seat. I stood up and the toys fell to the floor. An flight attendant rushed over and much to my disbelief took the woman's side, and when she told me to move to them woman's seat. I asked for the pilot, she looked at me and told me "are you disobeying my instructions?" I was at the edge at this point and replied "No I am obeying your AIRLINES, which require me to sit in MY seat." I gestured over there, the attendant was very red, and forced the woman out. During the ride the baby bawled and the flight attendant rushed over now asked how about now? Refusing to be broken I told the baby firmly to be quiet. The woman must have been a good parent because the baby shut up then and there, I was shocked. So was the flight attendant. my trip was then pleasant, but the woman was very angry.
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