Originally Posted by
Proudelitist
I don't think there is such a thing as a polite request to change seats. It's an imposition and involves disturbing a stranger..no matter how nicely it is phrased. But to echo what another poster said, in 30+ years of flying no request from a parent to me has ever been polite or offered an equal or better seat.
I would also add that saying "No" to a request is not in itself rude or impolite. It can be, depending on how it is phrased..but declining a request is itself not rude. And even if done in a rude manner, it is still within the seat holders rights to decline the request.
If onlookers think I am being a jerk...they can offer their own seats rather than pass judgement. Oh, I have yet to see that as well.
Situation 1 I would like to weigh in on this subject please. I vividly remember the first time it happened to me. It was CO21 MAN-EWR in 2005 and I had an exit row aisle in Y. A mother asked me/stated (sorry to say fathers tend to be more polite than mothers) "We are going to ask you to move for our son".
I asked "where is he sat?".
She pointed to him at least 8 rows back - non exit , middle or widow.
I replied " I really am sorry but I stay with one airline and book my flights well in advance exactly to avoid this situation. I love aisle exit row seats so I would like to stay here please." She huffed and puffed (northern Englander like myself) but after she kept tutting and "deliberately" hitting the back of my seat". I did not care - by then it was a matter of principle.
Situation 2- a thread a while ago - not experienced by me but another FTer. Sat in F and a soldier walks by and the guy next to him in F says to the other F passenger "see that " pointing to the soldier in uniform " why don't you give up your seat for him?" . The fellow F passenger said, " no thanks, why don't you give up YOUR seat for him?" Needless to say it did not happen.
Situation 3
Labor Day -actually the day after - my wife and I both got the UG to F BOS-CVG - no complaints. I sat in 3D and she was in 3B and another woman sat next to me in 3C. No way on earth would I ask nor would my wife. Fellow passenger starts chatting to me and conversation got round to where my wife was so I pointed to her right there next to you. Right away as it was aisle seat for aisle on the same row she immediately asked would like to sit together. I replied profusely thanking her that if it was no trouble that would be wonderful thanking her multiple times. EQUAL swap - not requested but offered all is good.
Situation 4 - I made someone's day - MSPEconomist would not be pleased but I did it anyway (have also done it the correct way too BTW - next medallion on the UG pecking order). On different PNRs I got an OpUp MSP-AMS. I accepted it but looked at my wife's face and she was not pleased. I told her not to worry I would sit with her. Went to the person sat next to her in Economy and asked if she would mind swapping seats with me so I could sit next to my wife. She asked where I was sitting - and I gave her my BP -the look on her face was priceless and of course she accepted. Offering a BETTER seat when you want to swap is extremely rare - but that is OK in my book .