Would you mind switching seats with me...
Apr 15, 2018, 4:28 am
#91
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Berkshire / London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Nandos
Posts: 1,006
It must be annoying for staff when they have a load of special meals which are assigned to seats. I had 20 kids on a school trip with 15 specials and even though one crew told us to sit any where because it was empty bar us, the lady in charge of meals was a bit exasperated that her list was now defunct. I helped her out and all was well, but I’m sure it just makes life easier for the crew if people are where they ‘should’ be on the manifest.
Apr 15, 2018, 4:53 am
#92
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Berkshire / London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Nandos
Posts: 1,006
I try to be accommodating but not when I'm in my favourite 64K, unless of course relocating to the pointy bit at the front downstairs.
My most bizarre experience was boarding at Heathrow, probably the 10th person to board through the priority queue. I got to 64K and there was someone in my seat, shoes off, already reclining, blanket and earphones unwrapped and hand luggage neatly stowed in the side locker. I used my usual line in these situations, 'Excuse me, are you in the right seat as we seem to be double booked?' to which he replied 'Oh am I in the wrong seat? Oh yes, mine's 60B, I've unpacked everything so it's probably going to be easiest if you just took that one'. The crew quickly got involved and he was dispatched to 60B, blankets etc swapped over. The crew member said it was bizarre. She said he literally came running up the stairs and 'speed unpacked' so they wondered what was going on.
My most bizarre experience was boarding at Heathrow, probably the 10th person to board through the priority queue. I got to 64K and there was someone in my seat, shoes off, already reclining, blanket and earphones unwrapped and hand luggage neatly stowed in the side locker. I used my usual line in these situations, 'Excuse me, are you in the right seat as we seem to be double booked?' to which he replied 'Oh am I in the wrong seat? Oh yes, mine's 60B, I've unpacked everything so it's probably going to be easiest if you just took that one'. The crew quickly got involved and he was dispatched to 60B, blankets etc swapped over. The crew member said it was bizarre. She said he literally came running up the stairs and 'speed unpacked' so they wondered what was going on.
I love it when people get put in their place (pun intended)
Apr 15, 2018, 5:09 am
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
I try to be accommodating but not when I'm in my favourite 64K, unless of course relocating to the pointy bit at the front downstairs.
My most bizarre experience was boarding at Heathrow, probably the 10th person to board through the priority queue. I got to 64K and there was someone in my seat, shoes off, already reclining, blanket and earphones unwrapped and hand luggage neatly stowed in the side locker. I used my usual line in these situations, 'Excuse me, are you in the right seat as we seem to be double booked?' to which he replied 'Oh am I in the wrong seat? Oh yes, mine's 60B, I've unpacked everything so it's probably going to be easiest if you just took that one'. The crew quickly got involved and he was dispatched to 60B, blankets etc swapped over. The crew member said it was bizarre. She said he literally came running up the stairs and 'speed unpacked' so they wondered what was going on.
I was quite happy to swap on an AA domestic First (recliner seat) flight from a row 3 window to a row 2 aisle even though I prefer the window. As I was starting to put my bag up, a 50-something male travelling with his wife boarding immediately behind me said, 'Excuse me for asking, and please feel free to say no, but I see you're in 3F. Would you mind swapping into 2C so I can sit with my wife. He was so nice about it, the swap was a no brainer.
My most bizarre experience was boarding at Heathrow, probably the 10th person to board through the priority queue. I got to 64K and there was someone in my seat, shoes off, already reclining, blanket and earphones unwrapped and hand luggage neatly stowed in the side locker. I used my usual line in these situations, 'Excuse me, are you in the right seat as we seem to be double booked?' to which he replied 'Oh am I in the wrong seat? Oh yes, mine's 60B, I've unpacked everything so it's probably going to be easiest if you just took that one'. The crew quickly got involved and he was dispatched to 60B, blankets etc swapped over. The crew member said it was bizarre. She said he literally came running up the stairs and 'speed unpacked' so they wondered what was going on.
I was quite happy to swap on an AA domestic First (recliner seat) flight from a row 3 window to a row 2 aisle even though I prefer the window. As I was starting to put my bag up, a 50-something male travelling with his wife boarding immediately behind me said, 'Excuse me for asking, and please feel free to say no, but I see you're in 3F. Would you mind swapping into 2C so I can sit with my wife. He was so nice about it, the swap was a no brainer.
Apr 15, 2018, 5:14 am
#94
Join Date: May 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 1,896
Many years ago, on a family trip in Y to MIA on VS, my son and I were seated in the aisle/window pair, the row behind the exit. A young couple boarded and took their seats in the exit row in front of us and she started having a panic attack. She was petrified of flying near the door in the exit row. I gallantly offered that we’d swap with them and we had a much more comfortable flight to MIA. Win-win.
Apr 15, 2018, 7:30 am
#95
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK London / Salisbury
Programs: BA GGL, CCR, LTG
Posts: 542
Many years ago, on a family trip in Y to MIA on VS, my son and I were seated in the aisle/window pair, the row behind the exit. A young couple boarded and took their seats in the exit row in front of us and she started having a panic attack. She was petrified of flying near the door in the exit row. I gallantly offered that we’d swap with them and we had a much more comfortable flight to MIA. Win-win.
Apr 15, 2018, 9:03 am
#96
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Nashville,TN
Programs: AA Gold Elite
Posts: 601
Recently flew domestic AA with my sister and we were not able to sit together. No biggie as it was a short hop and I did not ask anyone to swap. Got in my aisle seat, and an obviously single mom who likely rarely travelled and had two girls under 10 with her(but they were not toddlers). Somehow managed to sit in the middle seat across the aisle while her girls were in the seats next to me. Asked me to switch and I refused. Glad I refused as not only was she in the wrong row but on the wrong side. So had I moved not only would I have inconvenienced myself I would have been forced to move yet again. Always pays to make sure the person who asks you to swap is actually correctly seated to begin with.
Apr 15, 2018, 9:12 am
#97
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,403
Why should celebrities get special treatment? If they don't want to travel like anyone else at their elite status and with the same sort of ticket, they should pay to fly private.
Apr 15, 2018, 9:56 am
#99
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,991
Apr 15, 2018, 9:58 am
#100
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: All over the place often South Wales and Lake District
Programs: BA Gold for Life Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,552
I don't see any suggestion Stoemp's post to suggest that Penny Lancaster demanded the swap on the basis of her celebrity status or otherwise. You know what assumptions do, don't you? I'm confident that had she demanded it in a rude way, then Stoemp would have mentioned it.
Apr 15, 2018, 10:05 am
#101
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,676
I had a weird experience on a flight the other week. I was moved from W on BA to Y on Westjet (over which there is an ongoing dispute with American) Very last row in the middle set (aisle seat) in what should have been crew rest seats.
I am sat next to a lady with her son.
The grandma is clearly 5-6 rows ahead on an aisle on the middle.
I offer to swap (not entirely altruistic of course - moving out of the last row away from the toilets and avoiding visits from grandma looks good to me).
I got every excuse as to why they didnt want to ... from 'but you paid for that seat' (hell no i didnt) ... 'but we cant ask you to do that' (you really can) ... 'but you are settled' (just my ipad and headphones). None of the discussion was about them ... all about how it would inconvenience me.
In the end they didnt swap and grandma only visited at 20 minutes to landing. Son was superb too ... slept most of the way.
Seat was horrible and uncomfortable compared to BA WTP though. Moving wouldnt have improved that but I found it very funny.
I am sat next to a lady with her son.
The grandma is clearly 5-6 rows ahead on an aisle on the middle.
I offer to swap (not entirely altruistic of course - moving out of the last row away from the toilets and avoiding visits from grandma looks good to me).
I got every excuse as to why they didnt want to ... from 'but you paid for that seat' (hell no i didnt) ... 'but we cant ask you to do that' (you really can) ... 'but you are settled' (just my ipad and headphones). None of the discussion was about them ... all about how it would inconvenience me.
In the end they didnt swap and grandma only visited at 20 minutes to landing. Son was superb too ... slept most of the way.
Seat was horrible and uncomfortable compared to BA WTP though. Moving wouldnt have improved that but I found it very funny.
Apr 15, 2018, 10:12 am
#102
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 116
Apr 15, 2018, 10:36 am
#103
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 948
I had a weird experience on a flight the other week. I was moved from W on BA to Y on Westjet (over which there is an ongoing dispute with American) Very last row in the middle set (aisle seat) in what should have been crew rest seats.
I am sat next to a lady with her son.
The grandma is clearly 5-6 rows ahead on an aisle on the middle.
I offer to swap (not entirely altruistic of course - moving out of the last row away from the toilets and avoiding visits from grandma looks good to me).
I got every excuse as to why they didnt want to ... from 'but you paid for that seat' (hell no i didnt) ... 'but we cant ask you to do that' (you really can) ... 'but you are settled' (just my ipad and headphones). None of the discussion was about them ... all about how it would inconvenience me.
In the end they didnt swap and grandma only visited at 20 minutes to landing. Son was superb too ... slept most of the way.
Seat was horrible and uncomfortable compared to BA WTP though. Moving wouldnt have improved that but I found it very funny.
I am sat next to a lady with her son.
The grandma is clearly 5-6 rows ahead on an aisle on the middle.
I offer to swap (not entirely altruistic of course - moving out of the last row away from the toilets and avoiding visits from grandma looks good to me).
I got every excuse as to why they didnt want to ... from 'but you paid for that seat' (hell no i didnt) ... 'but we cant ask you to do that' (you really can) ... 'but you are settled' (just my ipad and headphones). None of the discussion was about them ... all about how it would inconvenience me.
In the end they didnt swap and grandma only visited at 20 minutes to landing. Son was superb too ... slept most of the way.
Seat was horrible and uncomfortable compared to BA WTP though. Moving wouldnt have improved that but I found it very funny.
Families are only interested in sitting together if it means getting better seats, otherwise, they'll manage.
Apr 15, 2018, 10:40 am
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
I had a weird experience on a flight the other week. I was moved from W on BA to Y on Westjet (over which there is an ongoing dispute with American) Very last row in the middle set (aisle seat) in what should have been crew rest seats.
I am sat next to a lady with her son.
The grandma is clearly 5-6 rows ahead on an aisle on the middle.
I offer to swap (not entirely altruistic of course - moving out of the last row away from the toilets and avoiding visits from grandma looks good to me).
I got every excuse as to why they didnt want to ... from 'but you paid for that seat' (hell no i didnt) ... 'but we cant ask you to do that' (you really can) ... 'but you are settled' (just my ipad and headphones). None of the discussion was about them ... all about how it would inconvenience me.
In the end they didnt swap and grandma only visited at 20 minutes to landing. Son was superb too ... slept most of the way.
Seat was horrible and uncomfortable compared to BA WTP though. Moving wouldnt have improved that but I found it very funny.
I am sat next to a lady with her son.
The grandma is clearly 5-6 rows ahead on an aisle on the middle.
I offer to swap (not entirely altruistic of course - moving out of the last row away from the toilets and avoiding visits from grandma looks good to me).
I got every excuse as to why they didnt want to ... from 'but you paid for that seat' (hell no i didnt) ... 'but we cant ask you to do that' (you really can) ... 'but you are settled' (just my ipad and headphones). None of the discussion was about them ... all about how it would inconvenience me.
In the end they didnt swap and grandma only visited at 20 minutes to landing. Son was superb too ... slept most of the way.
Seat was horrible and uncomfortable compared to BA WTP though. Moving wouldnt have improved that but I found it very funny.
Apr 15, 2018, 10:53 am
#105
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: BA GGL, LH FTL
Posts: 3,578
It requires quite a bit of FT cynicism to claim otherwise...