On a couple of flights I have taken recently following hip replacement surgery I requested bulkhead seating in advance. I was given those seats with the understanding that if a passenger with a service dog was on the flight I would give the seats to that passenger. My understanding is that service animals trump everything else in terms of bulkhead seat assignments. I would suspect that the blind passenger knew that bulkhead seats were assigned to her, and she simply took the seat she normally takes.

On my last flight there was a blind couple traveling with two service dogs. They had the center and aisle seat of the bulkhead. Just before they closed the door on this very full flight a passenger got on a was assigned to the window seat of that bulkhead row. She took her seat, and everyone was very pleasant.

I am sure that the lady in the window seat had some part of a dog invading her foot space, but she was completely charming about it, as was the blind couple. No one said a word about who owned what floor space. I believe the window seat lady just tucked her feet under the dog.

The dogs were amazing. I do not think either of them moved a muscle from when they got on the plane until five hours later when they left.

It was such a nice thing to see. It was a situation that could have been filled with contention and unpleasantness and it was managed perfectly by all parties involved. They visited together, and the following evening I saw the single window lady having dinner at our hotel with the blind couple and the dogs. People not only did not cause a problem, but made new friends. It was just good proof of what can happen if we approach events with something other than what is "rightfully" mine. I resolved to be more generous with the arm rest on my next flight.