Why selfish/self-centered people like to occupy other's seat before asking to swap!?
I have just got back from a SFO-HKG flight. Here is the story:
I got on the plane (UA869) late since it was quite a long walk from RCC. I had my favorite window seat at upper deck (with storage box right next to the seat). When I got up there, a 40ish big skin-headed guy with big tatoo on his arm was sitting comfortably in my seat and was enjoying his drink, with his personal belongings laying around the seat. I looked at him and he looked at me back, then he asked me if it was my seat even before I told him that was my seat. Before I had a chance to reply him, he asked me if I could swap seat without further elaborate why he wanted to. His original seat is an aisle seat right next to mine. I replied him coldly "Nah, I don't want it!" since I was very upset about why he couldn't he sit in his original seat first, wait for my arrival and ask nicely. I find him very rude.
In addition, he was alone, and it wasn't because he wanted to seat with family. It was only because he wanted to have a window seat and a storage box right next to him for his convenience.
Finally someone heard our conversation and offered the big guy a window seat. I was glad that I didn't have to seat right next to him for the next 14 hours!
I stood my ground and wanted to let him know that "Move your butt, you cannot just get whatever you want!" So were I a kind of over-reacted?
Oh my goodness. You did the right thing. The last time someone asked me to change seats, I accepted. I didn't think much of it. Thought they had a group of people that wanted to sit together.
Lo and behold, the odor that awaited that me. This kind of body odor was beyond description. It was a window seat, so I tried hard to put my face away from the stench. Good thing it was a short flight.
You were right on, this was an easy case. It's harder when it's a family, and they've already moved into your seat, and you see that the person they are asking you to sit next to is, shall we say, less than a desirable companion for any number of reasons. My feeling is that if someone has summarily moved themselves into your seat purposely, then . You're much more likely to get me to move if you ask politely, once I get there!
My rule is if someone asks nicely and their seat is equal or better I will consider the request. If someone makes the assumption I will switch and takes it upon themselves to just take my seat then I could care less what the reason is I'm not switching. Period.
__________________
"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money"
While in this case it sounds as if the seat poacher actually was self-centered and possibly selfish as well, please understand that not all people who "poach" seats are that way.
I know of several kind and generous people who believe that immediately sitting in the desired seat is nicer and less inconvenient to the boarding process than waiting for the actual seat owner to arrive. The good news is that as soon as I explained to them that many find it presumptive and rude to sit in another's seat without permission, they changed their ways.
Oh my goodness. You did the right thing. The last time someone asked me to change seats, I accepted. I didn't think much of it. Thought they had a group of people that wanted to sit together.
Lo and behold, the odor that awaited that me. This kind of body odor was beyond description. It was a window seat, so I tried hard to put my face away from the stench. Good thing it was a short flight.
While in this case it sounds as if the seat poacher actually was self-centered and possibly selfish as well, please understand that not all people who "poach" seats are that way.
I know of several kind and generous people who believe that immediately sitting in the desired seat is nicer and less inconvenient to the boarding process than waiting for the actual seat owner to arrive. The good news is that as soon as I explained to them that many find it presumptive and rude to sit in another's seat without permission, they changed their ways.
Good point, let us not judge too hastily! I do think the best approach I've experienced was arriving at my seat (a window in E+) and waiting for me was a young man standing near the seat, asking me before I sat down if it would be possible to switch to his aisle seat in E+ across the plane. He offered to either help stow my bags over there, or leave them close to my original seat and he would bring them to me after the flight, and get his bags that were stowed already near the seat he (and his g/f) were asking me to move to. They were very polite, and appreciative after I agreed. I was glad to help out, even though I like windows in E+ better than aisles.
I have just got back from a SFO-HKG flight. Here is the story:
I got on the plane (UA869) late since it was quite a long walk from RCC...
I stood my ground and wanted to let him know that "Move your butt, you cannot just get whatever you want!" So were I a kind of over-reacted?
Since you "got on the plane (UA869)," he might have thought that by some great stroke of luck no one was going to take the seat and rather than let some other poacher get it, he should lay claim to it. Not entirely proper, but not truly egregious conduct, IMO, so long as he moved back immediately when you presented yourself. (It would have been better form if he had asked the FA if he could move into the seat if the rightful seat-holder failed to board.)
"Over-reacted"? Well, if you didn't make any great display of anger, then it was just an "internal" matter. But why let your blood pressure go about over this sort of thing, which cost you nothing? Yes, I have many times reacted disproportionately to the stimulus, only to ask myself afterwards why. Better to save the emotional energy for the situations that really call for it.
Location: Land of King Richard the Second (Chicago)
Programs: UA 1P
Posts: 727
This was on Egypt Air at 4:00am...but I learned my lesson denying a seat move.
I board the LH flight and their was an older woman in myseat. I showed her my boarding pass and she said somthing like "You sit here" pointing to the aisle seat. I sort of chucled and said no. She gets up and moves up a row. A few minutes a group of 4 shows up who have the seat she took..
Anyway..long story short...I closed my eyes for a litle while during that time she had re-arranged half the cabin and put a 250 pound egyption in the seat next to me.
Since you "got on the plane (UA869)," he might have thought that by some great stroke of luck no one was going to take the seat and rather than let some other poacher get it, he should lay claim to it.
I made my way to the gate right after RCC made announcement for the boarding of this flight. I guess I was only 5-7 mins later than those who boarded first. Even though I arrived the gate, I noticed that economy class wasn't even started boarding process yet, so I was late, but not so late to make the big guy think that the window seat was empty.
An FA asked me to swap my window seat on F so a couple can sit right next to each other -- -- so nope, I didn't swap either.. the FA was a little bit surprised and didn't treat me very nice the rest of the flight - that I was so cold about it but oh well, that's my seat I reserved ahead of time making sure that my flight would be enjoyable and not about to give it up for a couple who booked theirs at the last minute.
Quote:
Why selfish/self-centered people like to occupy other's seat before asking to swap?!
Programs: UA 1K, RCC, CI Emerald, SQ, Hyatt Plat (ex-dia since 2012), Hilton Gold, National Exec
Posts: 1,609
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryan182
My rule is if someone asks nicely and their seat is equal or better I will consider the request. If someone makes the assumption I will switch and takes it upon themselves to just take my seat then I could care less what the reason is I'm not switching. Period.
Same - anyone who has the gall to occupy my seat before asking will have the request rejected summarily.
Why selfish/self-centered people like to occupy other's seat before asking to swap!?
. 
. You're much more likely to get me to move if you ask politely, once I get there!
