Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
Suppose we change the scenario a bit: There's someone traveling along with a FC seat that he/she doesn't especially like. The passenger could be traveling on a G A P fare, it could be a DM who was upgraded at the window (and we could speculate probably has a reasonably high fare class), it could be someone who used an instrument (GUC/RUC/miles) to upgrade when the ticket was purchased, It could be a SDC directly into FC presumably from a G A P fare, or it could be someone who was upgraded at the gate.
Does such a passenger have the same right to ask others to switch seats because they "need" or want some other seat (for whatever reason or no real reason at all) if the passenger makes the request politely?
No difference the fare people paid or if they got an upgrade. The fundamental basis of courtesy is thinking of the other person, not just yourself. That's why if you are truly courteous, you don't make a bother of yourself asking other people asking for favors for trivial reasons. It goes beyond "asking nicely."
Courteous people only ask to swap when they would suffer in their assigned seat for some real reason. For example, being incontinent and needing an aisle to get up frequently, or phobic about enclosed spaces and needing a window, or being apart on their honeymoon, or allergic and seated by the cat lady, or separated from their small child. Otherwise, it is rather an entitled attitude to feel free to ask because "they can always say no". Whether you've been upgraded, or irropped, or a latecomer, it is all the same.