Originally Posted by
LHR Tim
Well not scientific and for short haul, but coming back from NCE last month there were at least three couples separated at check-in (and of course hogging the agents time trying to get seats together). They then were horse trading and playing musical chairs on board. This lead to someone who had swapped seats snarffing someone's veggie meal. Fortunately there was a veggie past choice on the menu anyway, so the chap who's wife didn't get her veggie meal had an acceptable alternative. Oh and she was sat in the middle of row one on the three side, whilst he was in 1C. Bet they felt glad they coughed up £300 for an hour and a half flight.
I've just taken 3D and 3F for us on a CE flight on Saturday, since all the A-C's have gone. This is a no-lose gamble on my part that we will get an empty seat between us for my Weekend FT and Economist (the 'no-lose' part being that if someone is put in the E seat, we will let them swap to either the window or the aisle, whichever they prefer). However, if someone has to OLCI into that middle seat whilst their partner has to go elsewhere, they won't be happy.
It is this sort of selfish behaviour
that is causing seating problems, with solo travellers (for example) picking a CW seat in an empty block of 2 rather than taking a seat next to an occupied one, and removing another potential pair of seats for a couple.
Interestingly, I do not feel in the slightest bit angry that I haven't been able to get an A-C pair, even though at least one of the pairs was probably nabbed by a lowly Silver member rather than a Euro-Gold .....