CT-UK

That would be fantastic on EDI-LGW to be mooved to J. Its only a one class flight and all Y

PUCCI GALORE

Etiquette? Honestly I roar with laughter when I read these threads about Etiquette. The Oxford dictionary defines this as "Convential rules of personal behaviour in polite society, ceremony of Court, unwritten code resrticting professional persons in what concerns the interests of their colleagues or the dignity of their profession".

So we are asked what is the dignified way of asking someone to give up a seat that the OP is clearly not anxious to forego for himself. This is not a criticism but a comment. The emphasis is on how to get the other person moved rather than move oneself. Clearly we all want the best and so does everyone else. I'd book into the nearest available seat keep checking OLCi - this person could easily change or cancel at the last moment as is the way in F and you will have it for yourself. Unless the person asks would you like to swap - do not raise the subject yourself. It is entirely possible that they may join you for meals. Me I think that I would sap with who ever was in 4f or E and have the two together.

As for threatening with climbing over for toilets I would say that as a tried and tested groper climbing over me would be an open invitatin and that if he did that often I would regard that as a come-on. Now did he want to threaten some more or bow to the inevitable and take me with my hands to myself.

convair

Maybe there is a very simple etiquette rule - with a choice between whether you or your companion moves (and for two people travelling together there will almost always be that choice available) then always offer the swap that results in the 3rd party getting an improved seat. They are doing you a favour, they should get the reward. If that rule was followed in every single case then there would be no issue, and no-one would ever be embarassed by asking for a swap. Fair consideration on both sides. I can't think of any situation other than First (with its assymetric layout) and baby bassinets where you wouldn't ALWAYS be in a position to offer another pax a seat at least as good if not better. In any club world flight if you are in separate window or aisle seats you could ALWAYS make an offer to a pair of singleton centre row pax to take both your seats, you end up sitting together and they end up with better seats. It's only sheer selfishness that makes us want to win better seats AS WELL AS sit by our companions that causes the problems.

Irish lad

I was in 1K not so long ago, get on the plane and this elderly couple have plonked themselves down in 1A and 1K. Now upon leaving the lounge it had looked like 1A was still available (the flight "is not full in F") so perhaps these were upgrades or something? Anyway, I was basically told to shove off back to 5K. I was not impressed by the cabin crew who simply assumed I would move, nor by the elderly couple who assumed likewise. That is not good etiquette.

Of course, I moved with minimal fuss but it is annoying to be treated so dismissively in such circumstances. On the other hand, I was in F and there was champagne being poured so I recovered quickly...

PS Do not get me started on having booked AC on Club Europe and being asked to move (t0 DEF) due to a couple with a young baby and the layout of oxygen masks onboard. Happened to me twice. Grrrrr.

Pyeinthesky

That was very badly handled by the sound of it

It could have been even worse though I suppose, 5e or 5f...

pbarnette

This is always a touchy subject. On the one hand, I would never turn down a reasonable exchange (like in this example), but is it fair to put someone in that position? I mean, I would make the switch because it is the polite thing to do, and almost feel obligated. Do I want someone else to do it, knowing that many will say yes, even if they don't really want to? Definitely a thorny issue, but I guess a reasonable like-for-like/better request is perfectly proper.

On a recent trip, I did have to ask someone to switch. The wife and I were traveling on separate PNRs, with me already in CW. At check-in, we bought the wife an upgrade to CW and snagged seats together on the Upper Deck. Well, the wife goes through boarding without a problem. I go through boarding and the agent scratches out my seat and writes down 1A. While normally I would be happy, this would obviously not sit well with the wife. I talk to the purser; he says that the fellow next to the wife hasn't boarded and that he will swap us. Well, it doesn't work, I'm standing in the guy's seat, looking like a first-class idiot, and left asking the guy to swap. Luckily I had 1A to barter with, but I still felt like I was imposing.

Swanhunter

I'd agree it is better handled through the crew...and IIRC you are supposed to ask them for permission to move anyhow. Certainly if I move seats in a cabin I always ask rather than assume.

I've turned down requests in the past - most recently to move from 64K to 64B so a couple could sit together. I politely said no, explained why (needed to sleep as going straight to office, like the extra legroom, selected this seat specially). The crew member was a bit taken aback, but accepted my reasons. I like to help when I can, but disadvantaging myself just so people can sit together seems daft. Had it been a family with a young child, it might have been different. I'd have asked for a seat downstairs instead.

gms

I've never had any problems, but totally agree that this should always be handled through the cabin crew.

On a recent flight in WTP a chap on the other side of the cabin had asked someone sitting in an aisle seat if he would swap for another aisle seat on the opposite side of the cabin so he could sit with his friend. He agreed, no problems. Then as he was settling down in his new seat, the chap who had agreed to swap noticed that the CSD was talking to the other chap sitting in his original seat, before proceeding to move him up to J! He grabbed another crew member to try to explain that he thought it should be him being upgraded, but it was all too late. He was not best pleased!

To his credit the CSD did come back down to talk to him. Apparently he should have got the upgrade, but when he spoke to the other two chaps they had not made any mention of the swap, so he thought he was upgrading the right person. The CSD did say that all changes should be done through the crew, otherwise he has no way of knowing. He did get a bottle of bubbly to try to make up.

LeisureFirst

I suspect the FA simply wasn't used to people who are as picky about their seats as the average FT member. On my last flight from JFK I mentioned to the friendly passenger in 62J how nice it was that my favourite seat (62K) wasn't broken. She was amazed I had a favourite seat and quite curious to know what was so special about it.

As I said above, it wouldn't take much more than a polite request to make me give up my seat for one that was only very marginally worse (like 62A). But for a significantly worse seat it would need a rather special reason like someone needing to be next to a very elderly or disabled relative that they were caring for. In much the same way, I would (and do) give up my seat on the train for someone who badly needs it, but not just for someone who's a bit uncomfortable standing because he's fat.

spmd2

Situation:

LHR-SFO, First flight for partner in F.
I am silver so no 1A/K
4E/F taken
Currently in 2 A/K
Other seats available - 3A, 4K, 5A/K, 5E/F

Question:
Which option is best?
1) Stay with 2 A/K and wave to partner across cabin
2) Move to 5E/F for 'couple-time' but less 'F' experience.
3) or 2A & 3A perhaps...?

Pyeinthesky

2A/K, whithout a shadow of a doubt.

Here we go again...

john11111111111

You can't spend a few hours away from your travelling companion? Either grow up or check in earlier.

john11111111111

Great story! That settles it - I'm never going to swap seats - that upgrade could come right at the last minute. Never give up hope.

mwalsh

That would be 11 hours from LAX, actually. Plus as a Blue I can only check in at T-24. But then as a Gold Eurocheat, I guess you'd have forgotten about that.

G-BOAC

Although he did use the description himself his location says PRG so I think he's a bona fide EU member, actually.

FWIW whilst I'm here, if anyone was as obnoxious/threatening as in your (I assume) example exchange of "OK then, but I gotta warn you...I need to pee like every 5 minutes..." there's be no chance in hell of me moving and I'd go out of my way to be twice as obnoxious back. A rather different reaction to the polite request.