"But All Seats Are The Same"
Mar 26, 2019, 11:49 am
#106
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Southwest
Programs: HAL Platinum, JetBlue, KrisFlyer, NWA, USAirways, Alaska Air
Posts: 105
i seem to have this problem with my seat being occupied quite a few times, I would say 2-3 times a year out of about 25-30 flights. I reckon it is because:
1. I always board right at the end of the process (mild claustrophobia means I want to spend as little time as possible on the plane).
2. 99% of the time I have the exit aisle seat. This probably means towards the end of boarding, someone starts to think that extra legroom seat is free and decides to bag it before someone else does.
But apart from this week, everyone I have mentioned to that they are in my seat has been very apologetic and got up straight away once I arrived. No one so far has been so aggressive as the bloke a few days ago. So there is probably a rational explanation but no excuse for the aggressiveness...
1. I always board right at the end of the process (mild claustrophobia means I want to spend as little time as possible on the plane).
2. 99% of the time I have the exit aisle seat. This probably means towards the end of boarding, someone starts to think that extra legroom seat is free and decides to bag it before someone else does.
But apart from this week, everyone I have mentioned to that they are in my seat has been very apologetic and got up straight away once I arrived. No one so far has been so aggressive as the bloke a few days ago. So there is probably a rational explanation but no excuse for the aggressiveness...
For the curious -- My onboard kit has Xylitol nasal spray to keep all the nasty things in the cabin out of my nose, Briotech spray to spray all around me (and especially near the end of the flight when flatulence silently fills the entire cabin.) Chapstick, lipstick, a small mirror, gum, kleenex, one of those little mini toothbrushes, breath mints, and a comb.
Mar 26, 2019, 1:24 pm
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
BSpeaker ... WOW! I’m seriously glad I don’t have to travel with all that stuff. I just sit down, wipe the worst bits with either hot towel of a wetwipe from OH, and get on with it.
Perhaps it’s a military background, where you got quite dirty occasionally? Or just being 74 and seemingly immune to most things? Or that I’ve just learned to cope with life on Planet Earth without assistance?
Perhaps it’s a military background, where you got quite dirty occasionally? Or just being 74 and seemingly immune to most things? Or that I’ve just learned to cope with life on Planet Earth without assistance?
Mar 26, 2019, 2:57 pm
#108
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Executive club Gold
Posts: 61
Funny
For the curious -- My onboard kit has Xylitol nasal spray to keep all the nasty things in the cabin out of my nose, Briotech spray to spray all around me (and especially near the end of the flight when flatulence silently fills the entire cabin.) Chapstick, lipstick, a small mirror, gum, kleenex, one of those little mini toothbrushes, breath mints, and a comb.
For the curious -- My onboard kit has Xylitol nasal spray to keep all the nasty things in the cabin out of my nose, Briotech spray to spray all around me (and especially near the end of the flight when flatulence silently fills the entire cabin.) Chapstick, lipstick, a small mirror, gum, kleenex, one of those little mini toothbrushes, breath mints, and a comb.
I don’t mean to be rude, but you spray something all around you? I completely understand everything else in your ‘nest’ but the spray in close proximity to others, I may be misunderstanding?
Edit to add, I’m a nervous flyer, claustrophobic rather than scared of flying, so sprays near me may have a bigger meaning than for most. I travel with a set of items that make me comfortable too, so I get that.
Mar 26, 2019, 5:27 pm
#109
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 89
The Southworst effect definitely has something to do with it, but I also think people are really just dumb. Most infrequent fliers genuinely believe the seats are all the same, and even though it is self-evident the exit row is better there are other seats that at a glance seem the same such as premium econ areas which are not clearly deliniated. I had a confrontation with someone recently over this. I was in row 12 on AA, which was the last of the MCE rows. The guy was supposed to be in row 13 but "mistakenly" sat in 12. When I confronted him about it and pointed to the number he said "Well there is hardly a difference, is there?". I had to explain the MCE vs Regular Econ thing....although, I kind of suspect he already knew.
The other factor is flat out self interest and entitlement. They simply like your seat better. I have had incidents with exit rows where the second I point out they are in my seat, the get up without a word and move to their own. No argument..but no apologies either. Simply chancing it I guess. Others simply didn't feel that they should pay for seat selection and simply took the seat they want as a stick-it-to-the-man form of protest. And still others are simply just willfull and will put their intrests before yours and fight for it.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, poaches my seat and gets away with it. Heck, I say no to swap requests too. I have split up couples and parents from teens as a result of poaching. Want to sit together? Pay for it. I did.
The other factor is flat out self interest and entitlement. They simply like your seat better. I have had incidents with exit rows where the second I point out they are in my seat, the get up without a word and move to their own. No argument..but no apologies either. Simply chancing it I guess. Others simply didn't feel that they should pay for seat selection and simply took the seat they want as a stick-it-to-the-man form of protest. And still others are simply just willfull and will put their intrests before yours and fight for it.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, poaches my seat and gets away with it. Heck, I say no to swap requests too. I have split up couples and parents from teens as a result of poaching. Want to sit together? Pay for it. I did.
Mar 26, 2019, 5:49 pm
#110
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 89
This happened to me once. The couple asked politely if I would care to change seats to avoid sitting between them, but were quite insistent that I take the window seat. I dislike window seats, finding them very claustrophobic, but they would not give up the aisle and so we all ended up sitting in our assigned seats. They thought I was being bloody-minded but I genuinely would always choose a middle seat over a window seat on a short ET flight.
Mar 26, 2019, 6:27 pm
#111
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Jakarta
Programs: BA GGL, GA PLAT, SQ Gold
Posts: 527
My “best” experience was a few years ago on QR from London to Doha I had seat 1A , one boarding I found a then labour politician Peter M , who had decided that seat 1A was his right , he asked me to speak to the cabin crew who would arrange me another seat as he always had seat 1A , he has already changed to his “lounge wear “ and it would be very difficult to move , the cabin crew refused to speak to him as he was a “VIP” but the London ground staff had no such problem and sent his on his way to a middle seat further back, he wasn’t happy at all to say the slightest .....
Mar 26, 2019, 8:30 pm
#112
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
Funny - I'm just the opposite. If I haven't been able to book First or Business, which is often unavailable on shorter hops, I do everything I can to board in the first group. I get to my seat and put down a comfy cushion (this little puppy folds and fits into a carryon - Then I take my handiwipes and swab down the armrests, console buttons, and the tray table. Then I set up my little onboard kit (either one of the international airline ones or one I made.) And then I put on my headphones and wait for the rest to board. I like aisle seats, so I know I'll be getting up, but once I'm settled in, I'm ok with that. So when it comes to the earlier discussions about seat jumpers and seat swap requests, I'm loathe to swap with anyone after I've gone through that! I also make damn sure I'm in my proper seat!!
For the curious -- My onboard kit has Xylitol nasal spray to keep all the nasty things in the cabin out of my nose, Briotech spray to spray all around me (and especially near the end of the flight when flatulence silently fills the entire cabin.) Chapstick, lipstick, a small mirror, gum, kleenex, one of those little mini toothbrushes, breath mints, and a comb.
For the curious -- My onboard kit has Xylitol nasal spray to keep all the nasty things in the cabin out of my nose, Briotech spray to spray all around me (and especially near the end of the flight when flatulence silently fills the entire cabin.) Chapstick, lipstick, a small mirror, gum, kleenex, one of those little mini toothbrushes, breath mints, and a comb.
But on the brighter side you can create and market a giveaway kit for companies to sponsor them and give them out to the CW / F pax who do post pictures of how dirty the planes are ? Ba will certainly throw some avios to you.
Mar 26, 2019, 8:33 pm
#113
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
For the curious -- My onboard kit has Xylitol nasal spray to keep all the nasty things in the cabin out of my nose, Briotech spray to spray all around me (and especially near the end of the flight when flatulence silently fills the entire cabin.) Chapstick, lipstick, a small mirror, gum, kleenex, one of those little mini toothbrushes, breath mints, and a comb.
Mar 26, 2019, 9:20 pm
#115
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
Mar 26, 2019, 9:37 pm
#116
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
Mar 27, 2019, 2:39 am
#118
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,571
My “best” experience was a few years ago on QR from London to Doha I had seat 1A , one boarding I found a then labour politician Peter M , who had decided that seat 1A was his right , he asked me to speak to the cabin crew who would arrange me another seat as he always had seat 1A , he has already changed to his “lounge wear “ and it would be very difficult to move , the cabin crew refused to speak to him as he was a “VIP” but the London ground staff had no such problem and sent his on his way to a middle seat further back, he wasn’t happy at all to say the slightest .....
Mar 27, 2019, 3:03 am
#120
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,947
I've told this story before, but hey ho.
Was queuing for a flight to LHR at NCE, and a lady pushed past me (and the others in the queue). She ignored my questioning, but I was in no rush to stand on the non-air-conditioned jetty.
We board, and I find her in my seat 1F with her sunglasses on and a scarf over her. She feigns being asleep, and as I cant be bothered, I sit in 1D (her boarding pass was on the table).
Once we takeoff, she puts in her music, has a meal, and goes to the bathroom. At no point does she apologise, and I discreetly have a word with the crew about what I plan on doing.
We land at LHR, I stand up, put my case into the space where 1E would be, put my own sunglasses on, and rest my eyes. She asks me to move, and I tell her that seeing as she was in such a rush to board, perhaps she would like to spend some extra time on the plane. Shes very unhappy, and looks to someone for assistance, but people just want to get off the plane. She tells me that "She always sits in 1F, and it was her seat". I point to her boarding pass which says 1D, show her mine which says 1F, and suggest she relearn the seating plan.
She picks up my suitcase to move it, and I remind her that it's my private property, and having just been 'woken up', I'm not best pleased at her having disturbed me.
As the last few passengers disembarked, I stood up, took my case, and wandered off.
If you're going to be an inconvenience and inconsiderate, be cautious that the other person doesn't have a lot of free time on their hands!
M
Was queuing for a flight to LHR at NCE, and a lady pushed past me (and the others in the queue). She ignored my questioning, but I was in no rush to stand on the non-air-conditioned jetty.
We board, and I find her in my seat 1F with her sunglasses on and a scarf over her. She feigns being asleep, and as I cant be bothered, I sit in 1D (her boarding pass was on the table).
Once we takeoff, she puts in her music, has a meal, and goes to the bathroom. At no point does she apologise, and I discreetly have a word with the crew about what I plan on doing.
We land at LHR, I stand up, put my case into the space where 1E would be, put my own sunglasses on, and rest my eyes. She asks me to move, and I tell her that seeing as she was in such a rush to board, perhaps she would like to spend some extra time on the plane. Shes very unhappy, and looks to someone for assistance, but people just want to get off the plane. She tells me that "She always sits in 1F, and it was her seat". I point to her boarding pass which says 1D, show her mine which says 1F, and suggest she relearn the seating plan.
She picks up my suitcase to move it, and I remind her that it's my private property, and having just been 'woken up', I'm not best pleased at her having disturbed me.
As the last few passengers disembarked, I stood up, took my case, and wandered off.
If you're going to be an inconvenience and inconsiderate, be cautious that the other person doesn't have a lot of free time on their hands!
M