Boca, I'll respectfully beg to differ with you for the many reasons, including some already stated here, such as three people are better off with informal swaps, no one benefits by objecting (since the person originally planning to move out of F will keep his/her seat rather than pleasing the person objecting), it's easier for the FAs and GAs, it's fine for the vast majority of FAs, objecting creates a disturbance and/or can slow boarding and departure, etc.
More generally, I'd argue that under many circumstances a bit of informal leeway is better than being a stickler for rules - or does your travel agent business absolutely never bend a bit for the benefit of your customers? (And if that's the case, I'm grateful for the TA I occasionally use.
)
But even given all that, I'm not sure I grasp your reasoning below...
Originally Posted by
ryman554
And then the WIFE sat in F.
So the HUSBAND indeed traded with the WIFE.
How can you reconcile that rules must be followed when trading seats with a stranger versus trading seats with a wife? Why were you not just as outraged -- after all that WIFE *still* stole your UG?
I do get the fact that people should just not UG when they know they really want to sit in Y. But what if they don't know until doors close?
Originally Posted by
bocastephen
The FA was aware of that trade, and exchanging seats between members of the same family or group has often been discussed here and is approved, provided the swap is for the duration of the flight.
By your reasoning, so what if the FA is fine with your trade? If the seats belong to the airline, what difference does it make if you are trading seats with your wife or some total stranger? Shouldn't the person next in line for that F seat get it, rather than your spouse, colleague, friend, casual acquaintance, person you met in line, whatever?
Similarly, trading by folks who know each other "is approved" by whom? The Flyertalk consensus? But most FTers approve swapping by strangers under the scenario sketched by the OP. So if that's your reasoning - i.e., it "has often been discussed here [at FT?] and is approved [by FT?]" - then the OP's scenario should be fine by you. Or if it's been approved by most FAs, it should also be fine.
Perhaps there is some formal (UA? FAA? DHS?) rule that says that people who know each other can swap seats while those who don't know each other can't. If so, please share it with us. I'd still strongly disagree with it and welcome the informal practices most passengers and FAs approve of. But I'd at least see some consistency in your position.