Originally Posted by
exbayern
The reality is that many travellers DON'T accept a simple 'no, sorry', or do expect someone to move into a lesser seat, such as from a bulkhead aisle in UA E+ to a middle in E-.
I cannot tell you how many people feel the need to physically shake me awake to demand my seat. That is the sad reality unfortunately.
I've not had that much that I recall.
I did have it happen on a Mesa RJ going to Vermont. Lady got really indignant as she wanted all of row 8 and i was 8D. I told politely "Ma'am if you wanted seats together you could have called reservations" Which was in hindsight the wrong thing to say as she got huffy and replied, "You mean you're not going to move?" I replied, "NO!!! What part of the answer confuses you? The N or the O? So now we get the F/A involved and she asks so I tell her. "I paid full fare ($1275) for this ticket and selected this seat and here is where I'll remain, it's not a Bob problem that she's to lazy to take ownership of her seat assignments with US reservations" F/A didn't say a word and winked and ignored the woman.
I should state that this was a few years back and I'm really not an ogre as I have on two occassions volunteered to go in the back so a lady could sit next to her severely injured partner and help care for him.
I think the point for me is if you expect me to move I won't. I will go so far as to move or offer to move if you're elderly, polite, with a smalish child or an obvious handicap where being in a bulkhead seat works better for everyone.