Switching seats during a flight
 

I'm on a flight YVR-LHR return in July. I've booked J paid, and my wife and 2 kids on the same flight in economy AE. I'd like to give my wife time up front so will try to swich during the flight. Has anyone done this before? Any reasons why they won't allow us? I would let the FA know when I board.

Technically it is not allowed, but if you ask the Service Director nicely, they will often let you do it. Just don't try turning your seat into a merry go round for the family.

Another alternative, which you should not get any pushback is for you to take J in one direction and give it to your spouse in the other. Simply trade boarding passes after the gate. That is often a better way to do things than interrupting your sleep mid-flight to make the switch.

Switching seats mid flight is generally frowned upon and many SDs will say no. From ACs perspective, why would you need to buy 2 J tickets if you can share 1, as you're stating here. It's also disruptive to other J pax.

On the other hand, I've never had an issue giving up my seat during boarding. Not sure what the official policy is but the 3 occasions I've done this I let the SD know and stayed put in my Y seat the entire time. In fact, one time the SD told me very politely that no trade-sies were allowed!

Instead of telling the SD you want to give your wife some time up front, tell them you want to give your wife a break from watching the kids so you're going to switch with her for a bit and take over parent duty.

That's much more difficult to say no to.

Thanks for the tips, shaner82, great idea!

Happened to me one time NRT-YVR and I just talked to the SD and they had no problem with me switching.

Ahhh, the good old days :) ...

In 60s, 70s and early 80s I did a lot of flying on business always in first (no J in those days). Occasionally my wife would accompany me on an economy ticket and was always upgraded automatically so we could sit together :) ...

And therein lies the issue which is more of an irritant to fellow Guests on board as has been previously identified here by a few FT-er's. Basically, it´s one bum one seat.

You have a very sweet Mrs yvr2011.

No way I'd be flying with the kids in the back of the bus with Mr. LITW sitting up front. If we fly, we fly together - all in the back or all in the front. Just one of those things that I feel strongly about for my own family.

On a several occasions Mrs. Badenoch has met up with me on overseas business trips. On the way home I've swapped my front seat with her and it's not been an issue. I explained to the SD, switched early in the flight and we both remained in the seats for the duration. As long as you aren't shuttling back and forth it shouldn't be a problem.

Haha, I want to try this on the next family trip... "OK honey, I got a nice seat in business class, and you and the kids will ride in the back!"

Would make for a much more relaxing vacation... for me, at least :cool:

(Of course, I'm assuming that the OP is travelling on the company dime...)

Switching seats during a flight
 

Have done before as one switch only. Don't try to double up on services. Don't switch and then immediately ask for a glass of champagne; switch quietly after the meal service and then go to sleep; of course at the discretion of the SD.

I did that once. FA tracked me down in Y - quite impressive as it's a rather full NRT-YYZ flight. Escorted me back to J.

So let me get this straight you booked and PAID J for yourself but didn't for your family? Unless work is paying for you in J and they just tag along! How nice of your wife though kudos to her being stuck with the kids at the back of the bus!

Rebook yourself in economy and hang out with the wife and kids. This is the option that avoids any social trouble or worry.

So was it a nice escort?:p:D

asked nicely last year for my 25 year old son to switch for an hour but SD declined. I do understand but part of me says hey I am paying the ticket...definitely against any merrygorounding...

As others have stated above, its probably best have one parent fly J on the outbound and the pother parent on the return rather than switch midflight. As stated in the quote mentioned below, the biggest problem with switching seats is the new person now consumes a second portion of food and beverage.

The second issue that midflight seat swap creates is disruption to the other J pax, particularly with outbound as the service standard is meal and then the cabin goes into sleep mode. The return portion has less of a disruption as more pax are awake for the whole flight.


Agree 100% with the above post. If you have to go down the seat swap path, switch only once and get the incharge FA agreement well in advance. Another suggestion is to time the seat swap after meal service as the cabin gets into sleep mode.

My own suggestion would be to strike a deal that is mutually acceptable. Something like person in J handles all the airport ground arrangements while the person in Y handles all the arrangements with kids during flight.

Immanuel Kant has the answer for you:

What you are proposing, therefore, is that all 42 J passengers make arrangements at the beginning of the flight to switch places with some random Y passenger at some random point in the flight.

If it's a good idea for you, surely it's a good idea for all.

If it's not a good idea for all to switch, then perhaps it isn't a good idea for anyone to switch.

Surely some have, but countless millions more have survived flights in Y just fine.

Most FAs reject Schopenhauer's criticisms of Kant's conclusions.

Switching is disruptive not only to the other J pax (aka the World's Most Important People) but also the FAs and also the Y pax who may not be interested in overhearing the transfer of authority to and from the parents of the children involved.

If your employer is paying for you to ride up front so that you can arrive in good form to go to work, then you should sit up front on the way over and let your wife sit up front on the way back. Swapping mid-flight, particularly overnight, is disruptive to all.

Agreed - this can be a major frustration IMO. I was on an overseas flight and was asleep after the dinner service when I was woken up by the passenger in the next pod giving his teenage son (sitting in Y) a loud lecture on how the pod worked, while standing over my pod. Dad eventually went back to Y, but then returned back to J a few hours later to swap back into the J seat before the pre-arrival meal. These types of switches can be very disruptive to other J passengers who are trying to get some rest.

Switching seats in the middle of a flight across different cabins should not be allowed.
And I hope it indeed isn't and AC enforces it.

Once had a father swap with wife and crying baby into a neighbouring J pod. Suffice to say, I was pissed.

Even if I have seats in both cabins? :)

Should have asked FA to move them back.

Exactly. The few times we were split across cabins, the rule is J visits Y or F visits J. As I would expect if I were in the higher cabin.

No reason to do otherwise.

I have seen swaps, I'm fine with it, no talking, no eating, that's OK. Same rules apply to two people as to one.

Well if I'm in Y and I deserve to be in J, then I'll visit the higher cabin. And use those lavatories. And take those snacks. Etc.

Why would you be in Y and deserve to be in J? Why not just be in J? :confused:

Entitlement. Major problem in the FF world.

Of course the baby and wife could have been in the flight from the start, but both these examples are illustrative that swaps should not be allowed, and devalue the J cabin for all the customers sitting in it (regardless of how they got there). I appreciate SDs who don't allow this. Does AC have an official policy on this?

Yes, No swapping. You can change seats at the start of the flight only.

If I witnessed a seat swap mid-flight that was done quietly, I wouldn't say anything, but if it was done in a disturbing fashion I'd talk to the SD.

This is something that if enough people try or abuse, then AC may just come down hard and say "no seat swaps at all, even at the start of a flight".

They do actually. One switch, quietly and discreetly during boarding or shortly after take-off. I'm going to wager this is consistent with the policy of most other airlines.

^ sounds fair and generous. Also should be respected. Hopefully at discretion of SD (if there's a mother and infant in Y hopefully infant stays in Y!)

Thanks. Seems altogether reasonable too.

On the few occasions that I have been in J and my SO in Y, I have mentioned it to the SD (along with the seat number) and a few little treats have found their way back.

I travel a lot for work and when we travel as a family have always given the seat to my husband (who rarely travels) and sat with my girls. Once we got an extra upgrade so one daughter flew J with dad one way, the other return.

I never thought I would see the Categorical Imperative invoked in a FT argument. However, isn't the very existance of seperate J and Y classes a utilitarian construct and not a Kantian universalist one? Surely if some passengers should be seated comfortably, all passengers should be equally comfortable. :p

Most of my travel is solo, but occasionally I have a companion. Typically, we are usually both booked in J, but there have been times when I've had a J seat, and my companion is in Y and listed for an upgrade.

When the upgrade hasn't come through, I've given my companion the J seat, let the SD know, and elected to sit in Y. That's my choice of course, but I have never received any recognition as an SEMM sitting in the Y cabin. Fortunately, I don't expect any, so I've never been disappointed.

Thanks everyone!
 

Just to be clear, I am booked in paid J as it is a business trip. After the booking, we decided that the family join so booked 3 seats in Y through AP. We decided to have me fly J to LHR so I can prep and rest for a busy week of presentations/meetings, and then have my wife sit in J for the entire flight home. Thanks for the suggestions!