Opinions please? What would you do in this situation?[seat shifter]
Jun 19, 2018, 3:20 pm
#46
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The weight and bodyshape of the person is irrelevant. If they could not fit into a standard seat elsewhere on the aircraft, the crew would have dealt with the situation prior to takeoff.
The gender of the person is irrelevant, albeit I can appreciate the contentious description has created a meta-debate.
The fact it was the Exit Row is only relevant because of the slight additional leg-room compared to other rows. However, because it was the Exit Row, it gave the OP the opportunity to pass the buck onto the crew.
Had the OP done so, we know what the response would have been.
Not sure there's a huge amount more to be said!
M
The gender of the person is irrelevant, albeit I can appreciate the contentious description has created a meta-debate.
The fact it was the Exit Row is only relevant because of the slight additional leg-room compared to other rows. However, because it was the Exit Row, it gave the OP the opportunity to pass the buck onto the crew.
Had the OP done so, we know what the response would have been.
Not sure there's a huge amount more to be said!
M
Jun 19, 2018, 3:23 pm
#47
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,748
Firstly, although I personally may not have used quote marks on either side of 'woman', I think we have a case here of the trend now where some folks are just looking for ways to be offended. I think someone even used the term 'abhorrent' which is defined as "inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant." Perhaps a little OTT in this thread.
As far as the OP's actions, I would have said to speak with CC. This is, first and foremost a safety issue. I would not be feeling too comfortable knowing that someone of that size is potentially blocking others from escaping in an emergency. Heck, you can't place a single thing, no matter how small on the floor in those rows for the same reason so why would it be safe for a 30 stone pax to sit in that row? This may offend some readers but it should be said. Other than that, unless BA make it a policy to prevent pax from moving into exit row seats after boarding it's hard to stop them. One could argue that, apart from the safety issue, exit rows are revenue seats and perhaps should be treated the same as J seats in that no-one can simply move themselves into one from a standard Y seat. And I write this as someone who travels regularly in Y.
As far as the OP's actions, I would have said to speak with CC. This is, first and foremost a safety issue. I would not be feeling too comfortable knowing that someone of that size is potentially blocking others from escaping in an emergency. Heck, you can't place a single thing, no matter how small on the floor in those rows for the same reason so why would it be safe for a 30 stone pax to sit in that row? This may offend some readers but it should be said. Other than that, unless BA make it a policy to prevent pax from moving into exit row seats after boarding it's hard to stop them. One could argue that, apart from the safety issue, exit rows are revenue seats and perhaps should be treated the same as J seats in that no-one can simply move themselves into one from a standard Y seat. And I write this as someone who travels regularly in Y.
Jun 19, 2018, 3:24 pm
#48
Original Poster
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I apologise if any of you felt insulted by my description of the woman.
The point here is:
The point here is:
- This woman's friend should have never come up to me in the first place to ask me for her friend to sit in the middle exit seat making me feel sorry for the situation.
- Regardless of me having status or not, I would never have the audacity to disturb others mid flight to ask to be seated in a premium seat knowing I am not entitled to sit there, hence I have not paid for the premium seat or earned it via FF status.
- Had I accepted this woman's proposition my in flight comfort would have deteriorated due to the fact her friend was so tall and obese. She should have purchased 2 seats in the first place. By saying this I'm not discriminating against anyone.
- As others have mentioned, passengers seated in emergency exits need to be briefed by CC before the flight departs and need to meet requirements at check in.
- I don't expect to have the middle seat free every time, but theoretical seating: having the seat next to me blocked for Golds has worked for me on 80% of my short haul flights and I've happily taken advantage of this until now. Usually is not working in my favour with routes like NCE or GVA as there are many OWE. I don't buy CE very often anymore as I prefer the legroom I have from the emergency exit rows. I know many of you FTs would decline an ordinary CE seat other than in row 1 any day.
Jun 19, 2018, 3:30 pm
#49
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Speaking from a cabin crew perspective, if you had called one of us over, we would simply asses the lady in question (a simple query whether she needed a seat belt extension), and then ask her if she wanted to buy anything from the trolley. Once on board, subject to trim, then, as long as you're not sitting in a seat that someone else has a boarding pass for, or is a paid for comfort seat, then you can move to any open seat. I'm sorry if that's not the answer some of you want to hear, but we have no indication if a seat has been blocked, or if someone just hasn't selected that seat, or hasn't turned up for the flight. And to be honest, we're probably fighting with sales computers that have crashed, or try to explain to 150 people why we have no sandwiches left.
I also wonder what the actual policy is - does it genuinely not say anything in any procedures manual about pax changing to a seat they have not been allocated? No guidance at all?
Jun 19, 2018, 3:31 pm
#50
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I’d turn round and say I I’m quite happy with my assigned seat in B. A colleague of mine insists on this as he always likes a B seat for some reason.
Jun 19, 2018, 3:46 pm
#51
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 279
I apologise if any of you felt insulted by my description of the woman.
The point here is:
The point here is:
- This woman's friend should have never come up to me in the first place to ask me for her friend to sit in the middle exit seat making me feel sorry for the situation.
- Regardless of me having status or not, I would never have the audacity to disturb others mid flight to ask to be seated in a premium seat knowing I am not entitled to sit there, hence I have not paid for the premium seat or earned it via FF status.
- Had I accepted this woman's proposition my in flight comfort would have deteriorated due to the fact her friend was so tall and obese. She should have purchased 2 seats in the first place. By saying this I'm not discriminating against anyone.
- As others have mentioned, passengers seated in emergency exits need to be briefed by CC before the flight departs and need to meet requirements at check in.
- I don't expect to have the middle seat free every time, but theoretical seating: having the seat next to me blocked for Golds has worked for me on 80% of my short haul flights and I've happily taken advantage of this until now. Usually is not working in my favour with routes like NCE or GVA as there are many OWE. I don't buy CE very often anymore as I prefer the legroom I have from the emergency exit rows. I know many of you FTs would decline an ordinary CE seat other than in row 1 any day.
Jun 19, 2018, 4:05 pm
#52
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You don't work for BA. Its not up to you to either decide or enforce their policies on emergency exit rows. Neither is it up to you to decide whether a passenger needs to buy 2 seats. Also don't blame the woman for "making" you feel sorry for her friend. You're an adult, own your emotions.
Jun 19, 2018, 4:15 pm
#53
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If the cabin crew judge someone as OK with an exit row seat that’s great. Otherwise it’s definitely not OK and the crew should be informed — regardless of how likely it is they will actually try and move someone back to their assigned seat.
Jun 19, 2018, 4:30 pm
#54
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I’m sorry OP but you are completely out of order, I agree with others that you should have referred this to the cabin crew to deal with.
BA has not told their cabin crew to stop any customer from moving from any seat wether it be an exit seat or just a regular seat, if this was referred to me I would allow the move but suggest that if the two of you were travelling together that you take the A and B seats, the fact that the customer wanted to move to have more legroom is enough.
All seat belts are the same length so unless this customer needed an extension seat belt or didn’t meet any other of the criteria of sitting by an exit the move would be allowed.
BA has not told their cabin crew to stop any customer from moving from any seat wether it be an exit seat or just a regular seat, if this was referred to me I would allow the move but suggest that if the two of you were travelling together that you take the A and B seats, the fact that the customer wanted to move to have more legroom is enough.
All seat belts are the same length so unless this customer needed an extension seat belt or didn’t meet any other of the criteria of sitting by an exit the move would be allowed.
Last edited by Can I help you; Jun 19, 2018 at 4:47 pm
Jun 19, 2018, 4:49 pm
#55
Join Date: Jan 2018
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Years ago, a friend who had previously worked for airlines recommended I pick a middle seat in the middle block in the back row on an overnight flight home from the US. The reason being that these are often the last seats to be picked, flights often go out with a few spare seats so I’d be able to stretch out. I was skeptical, but also younger and more naive, so decided to give it a shot.
Naturally, the flight was “standing room only.” So I spent a rather sleepless night in 39E on a 777 wedged between two guys built like the proverbial brick house.
Moral of the story? Pick the seats you’d be happy with assuming the flight will be rammed full. It’s a lesson that has stuck with me.
If you want to engineer a quasi-Club Europe set up by picking an A/C combo, with Theoretical Seating tipping the odds in your favour, then good luck to you. There’s every chance that will work out as hoped for. But I’m not sure it gives any grounds for complaint when the chips don’t fall that way.
Jun 19, 2018, 4:51 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2015
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The woman in question may regularly pay to sit in exit row seats but couldn't on this occasion as they were blocked, I know some quite large people who regularly pay for seats wtih Easyjet and have never been told they are not suitable.
If I'd been asked about whether the seat was free I'd probably have said I'm not sure, you;ll have to check with the FA. I probably wouldn't have said anything about whether theh woman was suitable as I've seen children and someone with a leg in plaster seated in an exit row before and not commented.
Jun 19, 2018, 8:40 pm
#57
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Perhaps this is a health and safety hazard. I was in the exit row recently and the largest man in the world was sitting by the window. I would not have faniced my chances in an emergency. This is not fat shaming but realistically can morbidly obese passengers open the emergency exit and move out of the way so ordinary sized people can get out safely. Just saying.....
Jun 19, 2018, 11:15 pm
#58
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 279
🙄🙄🙄 the correct response fm the OP would be to say "please ask the cabin crew."
Jun 19, 2018, 11:49 pm
#59
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
I apologise if any of you felt insulted by my description of the woman.
The point here is:
The point here is:
- This woman's friend should have never come up to me in the first place to ask me for her friend to sit in the middle exit seat making me feel sorry for the situation.
- Regardless of me having status or not, I would never have the audacity to disturb others mid flight to ask to be seated in a premium seat knowing I am not entitled to sit there, hence I have not paid for the premium seat or earned it via FF status.
- Had I accepted this woman's proposition my in flight comfort would have deteriorated due to the fact her friend was so tall and obese. She should have purchased 2 seats in the first place. By saying this I'm not discriminating against anyone.
- As others have mentioned, passengers seated in emergency exits need to be briefed by CC before the flight departs and need to meet requirements at check in.
- I don't expect to have the middle seat free every time, but theoretical seating: having the seat next to me blocked for Golds has worked for me on 80% of my short haul flights and I've happily taken advantage of this until now. Usually is not working in my favour with routes like NCE or GVA as there are many OWE. I don't buy CE very often anymore as I prefer the legroom I have from the emergency exit rows. I know many of you FTs would decline an ordinary CE seat other than in row 1 any day.
The other passenger was quite entitled to request a move and sit there. You had not paid for the empty seat, and it wasn't CE where the middle seat is left empty.
Theoretical seating is not a guaranteed benefit and as far as the other passenger was concerned it was the crew's call on whether she shoild be sat there.
The descriptions you used and the use of parenthesis were quite unnecessary and it all sounds like some whiny rant that would better off in the DYKWIA thread.
Jun 20, 2018, 12:51 am
#60
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“It’s not my prerogative; your friend should ask the cabin crew”
(reasons largely mirror those already mentioned by LTNPhobia)
(reasons largely mirror those already mentioned by LTNPhobia)
Last edited by orbitmic; Jun 20, 2018 at 10:37 am
