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Would you switch a good seat for a worse seat?

Would you switch a good seat for a worse seat?

Old Jan 6, 2015, 8:59 pm
  #61  
 
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I once swapped an aisle seat at the back of the plane for an aisle seat halfway to the front, but otherwise identical so that two related people could sit together. This was an DC to Stockholm trip so not exactly a couple of hours on a midcon.

Only problem was that the person who was in the middle seat came along a few minutes after I had settled into my new seat, and he was huge, easily 300lbs. The cabin attendant could see my discomfort and plied me with free drinks for the duration of the flight.... after that I decided that unless I could see me new seatmate and 'size them up' it would be a thanks but no thanks.
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Old Jan 6, 2015, 9:01 pm
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by BSBD
I moved from an aisle seat to a middle seat on a long WN flight, so that a WWII veteran could sit next to his wife. Anyone who wouldn't do the same is a sociopathic cretin.
So, it would seem that anybody else who might have needs and already has the seat is a sociopathic cretin. That's certainly a very open-minded view of the world.


I was asked to move from a bassinet seat (on an overnight flight) to allow a couple with a child to take the seat. I refused, but the passengers on the other side bassinet must have agreed. The parents took turns holding the infant on their lap, they never once used the bassinet and didn't even fold it down. I'd booked my seat months in advance, I'd even chosen to fly on that particular date because that seat was available, I wouldn't have been happy if I'd given it up for these people.

Last edited by BadgerBoi; Jan 6, 2015 at 9:14 pm
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 8:13 am
  #63  
 
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Almost certainly not. I rarely fly less than 9 hours per segment and if folks wanted to sit together or particular seats then they should have pre selected. This applies for Economy, Business or First. I was asked to switch last week on a LHR to HKG from Business to Premium Economy so a couple could sit together, some people astound me. If asked again in about 10 minutes time I'll probably refuse again.
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 8:52 am
  #64  
 
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Originally Posted by CitizenWorld
Almost certainly not. I rarely fly less than 9 hours per segment and if folks wanted to sit together or particular seats then they should have pre selected. This applies for Economy, Business or First. I was asked to switch last week on a LHR to HKG from Business to Premium Economy so a couple could sit together, some people astound me. If asked again in about 10 minutes time I'll probably refuse again.
Yeah that is outrageous. Funny how in these type of situations, the requester rarely ask, if ever, to swap for the worse seat.
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 9:16 am
  #65  
 
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In a strange way, if I am ever in turbulence, I find it rather ... soothing... to be next to, looking out the window... neurological stuff, don't ask, therefore I always sit in the window, and if requested, I would have to politely decline.
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 9:23 am
  #66  
 
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Originally Posted by WIRunner
I have always been of the belief that the party that wants to swap should take the "lesser" seats.
That.

A lot of these people could be sitting together if they paid for EC - assuming the seats are available.
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 9:27 am
  #67  
 
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I often switch my aisle for a middle and I'm usually the one making the request. When we travel as family we book aisle, aisle, window. If someone sits between my husband and son, I will generally offer to trade my aisle for their middle. I was only turned down once, and it was an older woman who said she was afraid of flying and felt safer sitting between two strong men. During a bit of turbulence she was holding both of their hands.
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 9:49 am
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by Ceres
Long answer it was funny.. Flying Southwest I'm in the aisle my Doc buddy is in window seat. Last two people on the plane are mother and daughter. Daughters maybe 14. I'm in row five so when the flight attendant gets on the loudspeaker and asks will somebody move so they can sit the family together he stared right at me. I ignore him. This time he walks forward making it a aparent to everybody around me that he's basically asking me. I tell him no thanks.. He then proceeds to announce on the loudspeaker if somebody doesn't move the planes not going anywhere. I tell him I'm in no hurry. By this time my buddies laughing hysterically cause he knows what an ... I can be.

Now he decides to saunter over to me with the woman and her child in tow. I explained to him this is not a nanny state. I'm telling him on Southwest there's three ways at least to be able to sit together.
One is to pay the early boarding, two is to be in front of the computer to book 24 hours prior online, And three is to be there on time to get up and leave your house so that you can do family boarding between the A group and the B group. And that it was not my duty to make allotment for somebody that refuses to help himself.

But in the end karma bit me in the .... No I did not have to move, But the woman that gave up her seat to sit in the middle between me and my doc buddy, Well let's just say we need to pick up both armrests to get her in between us...

So I did get to keep my aisle seat but I spent half the flight hanging in the middle of the aisle so as not to get crushed
Not sure what I am missing here. If you had traded wouldn't you have been next to the same woman, but in the middle seat?
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 7:26 pm
  #69  
 
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No. I selected my seat for a reason. I understand, but plan better.
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 9:18 pm
  #70  
 
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Originally Posted by ChrisandDonnie'sMommy
No. I selected my seat for a reason. I understand, but plan better.
THIS.
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Old Jan 7, 2015, 10:07 pm
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by ChrisandDonnie'sMommy
No. I selected my seat for a reason. I understand, but plan better.
I'm guessing from your handle that seat assignments have been pretty important to you - whereas with me it's just a preference, with you you've had kids and it would have been a problem if you hadn't selected your seats.
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Old Jan 8, 2015, 2:36 am
  #72  
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No I wouldn't swap. I figure if it was a safety issue the airline would of seated them together so the swap was a want not a need.
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Old Jan 8, 2015, 3:37 am
  #73  
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Originally Posted by CitizenWorld
I was asked to switch last week on a LHR to HKG from Business to Premium Economy so a couple could sit together
By whom? Cabin crew or passengers?
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Old Jan 8, 2015, 3:42 am
  #74  
 
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Originally Posted by CitizenWorld
I was asked to switch last week on a LHR to HKG from Business to Premium Economy so a couple could sit together, some people astound me. If asked again in about 10 minutes time I'll probably refuse again.
I would've just laughed and thank them for having sense of humor.
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Old Jan 8, 2015, 3:57 am
  #75  
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Ah the age old question of whether to swap seats. As others have already said, I would only swap for an equal or better seat, never for lesser. The only exception would be is if the seat I would swap to was worse but there was a really hot woman in the seat next to it. I may go ahead and take that.

A couple funny situations in my past:

1) A few years ago I was in First Class. A young teenage girls comes up and asks me if I'd be willing to swap for her economy seat. Her reasoning as she put it was: "I've always wanted to experience first class but have never had that opportunity. Would you make my dream come true?"

2) One year I was in an aisle seat. Woman on my right tells me that her husband is sitting on my left (middle seat) and if I would be willing to swap with him so they could talk to each other. I had to applaud her bravado to ask such a stupid request. Of course my reply was I'll trade you my aisle for your aisle and you can sit to him.
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