Originally Posted by
GatorBlues
If you feel I'm dismissive of your opinion on this topic, you're exactly right. I see no need to apologize for at least two reasons:
I don't care if your dismissive of my opinion. That fact that you're insulting is unnecessary, but also an FT TOS violation.
1. I've read the same tired arguments -- e.g., adults don't need to sit together, and it's MY seat and you should have booked it first if you wanted it -- from the same posters more times than I can count in the last couple weeks of this thread (that is, in the pages created after the anti-swappers finally stopped arguing against imaginary points no one was making and admitted that they think it's offensive to be asked and will never say yes). Thus, the "troll" portion of my comment.
I've never made any of those arguments. Not once. I don't care whether adults "need" to sit together or not. I don't care why anyone "needs" or "wants" my seat. Generally, the only exception I make are for people traveling in what I deem to be an emergency.
2. I think the attitude that it's a rude imposition for someone to merely politely ask for a favor is elitist and obnoxious. Similarly, I think it's peevish and unbecoming to take the position that you'll never swap. You don't have to do a small favor for a stranger (it wouldn't be a favor if it was mandatory), but I don't have to think your approach is commendable. Plus, the leading proponent of these views is "Proudelitist." Thus, the "elitist" portion of my comment.
Interrupting something to ask a favor is an imposition. The extent of the imposition depends on what I'm doing and how I'm feeling at the time. If someone stops me on my way to my seat and asks, quickly and politely for a swap, the imposition is de minimus. On the other hand, if someone taps me on the shoulder after I've settled in, put on my headphones, started to listen to music and am trying to fall asleep, the imposition is considerably more annoying.
By the way, given that you can't stop people from having the gall to ask politely for a swap, and if you'll never agree to trade seats anyway, please enlighten us on how an increase in your resistance would matter?
You can't stop people from farting, either. And no one has suggested either. What most of us have said is that, after years of extensive frequent flying, we've rarely been politely offered a comparable or better seat. And what I've said was that, after 30+ years of frequent flying, I
never experienced a polite request from a parent seeking to sit with their child. Since the odds of a polite request, combined with a comparable or better seat, are, in my experience, pretty much nil, I'd rather not be asked at all.
I feel the same about door-to-door solicitors and salesman. I suppose it is not impossible that, some day, someone might come to my door and offer me something in which I'm interested. However, in 6+ decades I've lived on this planet, no one ever has. I am, therefore, no more receptive to door-to-door solicitors than I am to seat swap requesters.