swixo

I usually give a "no thanks!".

Row 1 is always bad except for 777/747. In that case i will
happily trade.

s

1P

It's different strokes for different folks. 1B is my preferred seat on the 757 because (a) it's a bulkhead, so no one reclining into your lap, (b) there's a cutout, so more legroom than in 1CD, (c) it's an aisle so no clambering over anyone to go to the lavatory, and you have more legroom for your right leg in the aisle, (d) you are almost guaranteed to get your meal choice if there's a meal, (e) in the event of a downgauge row 3 is the one that may go into economy, although this is obviously not an issue once you are on the plane unless there's a mechanical issue and you end up on a smaller plane.

I would not willingly trade 1B for a seat in row 3!

dcpdxtrans

My exact sentiments.

Billiken

So true!!

garykung

Who knows? You may get lucky.

Last time I did a seat swap on SFO-HNL (old styled B772 INTL). I was originally seated at C, center left aisle (2-3-2 seating). I swapped to the left aisle for the couple.

I ended up having both C seats by myself.

azzurro

Sometimes I get two CPU seats last minute while they are boarding group 1 at the gate and naturally they are not next to each other. While I make an attempt to trade taking into consideration the seat preferences of the person I am speaking to, in the end my wife or kids (old enough to sit solo) were already pre-warned that they might not be next to each other in F. It is not the end of the world as far as I am concerned, especially when you get them for FREE at the last minute. If they want to sit together so badly, they can easily go to Y and ask 2 solo fliers sitting in seats they would like if they want to move up to F. I had a GS do that a couple years ago with his single upgrade seat, as he preferred to sit in exit row middle next to his wife (aisle). The passenger who he was asking to trade said "No" so I jumped up and said I would take the F seat (he could have my exit row window) - at which point exit row middle guy thought hard and walked up to F.

I had something similar on a 9 hour TATL, except it was only trading a E- window for an E- middle (I need to lean on window in Y to get any sleep). I had to look into her eyes and ask if she understood what she was asking of me. She said she didn't care as she was separated from her young kids. I told her I understand and proceeded to show her how to trade like for like, next to one of her other assigned seats. Worked out just fine (and I would not have left her young kid solo regardless). Some people just don't understand that other passengers place value on specific seats, or pretend to ignore that such value exists. Probably a bit of both.

scottsam66

I agree. I don't think it's a big deal for couples to have to sit apart. I'd prefer they don't even ask me (though I am okay if they ask politely). I like the window. Bad neck that I need to support by leaning. No matter how nicely I say no, they always seem to get this hang-dog face after it.

Mind you, I'm usually on a 2 hr flight, so it's puzzling that the love birds can't be apart. And yes, I know there may be reasons (medical, caregiver, etc.), I'm jot talking about those.
Cheers.

dcpdxtrans

I once did the same thing where I was the giver. The receiver, flying solo, was so nonchalant and really insouciant about taking F so that I could sit next to my wife that both the FA and I had funny looks...a part of me wanted to take it back and give it to someone else!

exerda

You were 100% in the right. Actually, the GA should not have moved you without asking you first; just because a GS wanted your seat is not reason to move you.


Yeah, been there and done that. What's really annoying is when they then get all huffy and cause problems throughout the flight--as a lady did once when I refused to swap to a non-reclining exit row seat with her husband; I suggested the exact same thing you did, that she swap her reclining exit row seat with the person in front and take a non-reclining seat. She proceeded to get up to go to the head or to visit her husband or kids something like 70 times during the flight (she was in the window seat), and told her kid about what a "bad man" I was for not swapping with her husband, etc.

I've also had people in window seats in 2-2-2 C try to swap with me in the center aisle seat, and get mad when I refused.

Amazing how they always want to swap for the better seat... and refuse to swap for a worse one which would nonetheless get their party together. Me, when I ask to swap, I always have a better seat to offer; the past two vacations, it's been a 3-class F seat for a C seat. The pax didn't turn that down either time!

miasmal

Like the FT tags ... maybe we can create a index card size 'Seat Swap Etiquette' info we can hand over to a person who asks to switch? If asked to switch, I can say, "no, but here's how you might succeed asking someone else to switch."

azzurro

Love it

Have a friend who had small cards made to put on car windows when they took two parking spaces.

The seat swap etiquette card is slightly more civilized.

PushingTin

Was in F on an ORD-DEN flight and a guy asked me if I could switch 4B for 3C or D, I forget which. For a short flight like that, I'm pretty agnostic on aisle/window. It was so he could sit with his wife, who hadn't boarded yet. I just asked him, "Do you want to sit with her, or do you want a break? I can tell her I said no?". He didn't get what I meant for second and then chuckled, looked into the distance for a second, mentally came back and said, "No, I want to sit with her."

econ

The last time I agreed to swap seats, so a couple could sit together, the person that I swapped with was sitting in the wrong seat initially. This was in domestic F, pretty early in the boarding process.

But I found out, after settling into my new window seat, when the actual owner of that seat showed up. Turns out that the guy who had asked me to swap had the aisle seat. Not a big deal, I simply moved over one seat. But I would have preferred to avoid that slightly awkward moment.

However, next time someone asks to swap (and if the request sounds reasonable), I might ask to see their boarding pass before moving.

Soccerdad1995

If the newlyweds had been passive aggressive, then one or both of them could have found the need to get up and use the lav approx. 25 times during the flight. Each time reminding the person in the aisle seat that they were welcome to swap for a window seat if they disliked having to get up every 5 minutes.

pruss2ny

on recent ord/pdx leg i was in 1a (with cutout) and my 15y son was in 1e (no cutout).

during boarding i ask the woman in 1b:
" hey, thats my son in 1e, if possible for you to switch aisle seats, we'd prefer to sit together...but no tears if not...without the cutout, 1e is definitely a worse seat"

she responds quite happily: "sure, no problem...i don't care where i sit"

i was frankly a bit unnerved at her carefree ways and pushed:
"are u SURE?...u see there's no cut-out in 1e...its definitely a worse seat for 4hrs...so really, no harm if you don't want to switch"

but she switched nonetheless...almost with a song in her heart.
i just don't get some people