Last week I flew PHX to HNL on US. I was in paid First, booked about a week before, and got my preferred window seat sorted out. I would rarely (if ever) need to use the washroom on this 6 - 7 hour sector, and I also enjoy looking out over Hawaii, so the window suits me and the aisle passenger best.

On this particular flight a family of 3 were booked in the final 24 hours (upgrades?) to complete my row, with the mother sat next to me, dad and kid on the other side. However mum also had a female friend she wanted to chat to, at that stage placed in the aisle seat behind, which I also think was vacant 24 hours beforehand. She very politely asked me if I would swap with her, I very politely (I hope!) replied that I'd be willing to swap another window seat but not the aisle seat. I suggest dad swapped over, but she wanted him as well as family friend to hand. I said no, and that was the end of the story really.

It was all amicable, I didn't mind her asking, maybe I hate window seats, she can't read my mind, and I can't read hers. We get around our inhibitions on knowledge and telepathy by intelligent and polite conversation, accepting on both sides that happy life is often the art of the occasional compromise.