mike_asia

The plane has plenty of empty seats. Why does someone traveling alone sit in the middle seat just because it is an exit row? I can't understand why people do this when they could have a row with 3 seats to themselves.

Does CO have any policy to 'block' the middle exit row seat if the flight is not full?

Steph3n

no policy to do it, maybe someone picked the middle hoping it would discourage people from picking the aisle or window

belynch

Perhaps they assumed the rest of the flight would fill... ?

I'd rather a middle exit than a window or aisle non-exit. I'm also tall.

mike_asia

could be one case, you are right.

I wish CO would learn from AA and block the middle exit row seats though

Flyer_70

When does AA block the middle exit row seats? I just came off a truckload of AA flights and middle seat was always selectable (not that I would select it or anything). I'm not too bright so go easy on me.

.

chollie

Actually, I just picked the only remaining exit row seat (middle) on a 14-hour+ flight.

Lots of empty rows in the back, but I've seen that before at purchase time only to board a completely full plane. Also seen those rows that were empty 24 hours before departure fill up because of earlier irrops.

RNE

That's one of the drawbacks to exit row seating: no unoccupied seats. And with all due respect to belynch and chollie, although the middle-seat occupant may not know there will be empty rows before the flight, he/she certainly knows this after boarding is complete. Still, the middle-seat occupant won't move to an open aisle or window seat. And while tall travelers may prefer the middle-exit to other seat choices, rarely have I actually seen tall people sitting beside me in the exit rows, probably because there are so many "average height" elites fighting for all the exit row seats. Still, the titular fool remains. Go figure!

mauld

I had always been one who whould choose any exit row seat (ailse preferred), but my last trip to LAS changed all that. I had originally booked 22C, but as the flight was very full, and I HATE waiting for everyone to gather their bags etc, and slowly stroll off the aircraft -- I changed my seat at check in to 8A outbond and 8C return (bulkhead). These are now my new favs -- lots of legroom, no one crossing over you, able to get up anytime, quick to the wc etc.-- but most importantly, for me,... getting off the plane first!

pptp

If it were me and someone plopped into the middle seat while there were empty rows, I'd bail out. I wouldn't sit there the whole flight in my aisle or window exit row seat just to prove a point, George Castanza style, even though I'm one of those who actually NEEDS the exit row (unlike many that sit there because they "like the extra room" and who could easily stretch their legs out in a regular seat, grrrr). But I digress. I would bail out of that exit and into an empty row. In fact, I would take a regular row, empty middle before I would be shoehorned into a full exit row with two other big guys. I'll let my patellas suffer a little to have some shoulder room. I can't stand trying to eat my meal when i can only bend my arms at the elbow, looks like a T-rex.

Now if the person I'm sitting next to is a petite girl...and cute...I might suffer through it.

hughw

I tend to agree with you. But "who's the fool?" you are the big guy that plopped down next to you. You politely point out that there are empty rows elsewhere on the plane and perhaps everyone would be more comfortable if he moved. He says "no thanks, I like the exit row even if I'm in the middle." So you move and now he has the window or aisle in the exit row with the middle empty. So again. "who's the fool?"

CAPTMARK

i'll take an aisle seat anytime over a middle exit row seat

pptp

So his ploy worked, but at least I'm sitting in an empty row instead of suffering through the flight just to prove a point. Believe me, I would be irked, but I would also be comfortable. Better than irked and uncomfortable.

Again, George wouldn't give up the seat even if the plane was on fire and everyone was evacuating. I have bigger battles to fight.

sbm12

Couldn't agree more!

craz

sure it would be nice to have an empty seat next to me, but when in the Bulkhead or Exit rows it really doesnt matter since the armrests do Not go up, so I wont gain any extra sitting room

Now being 6'2" Id rather sit in the middle in the Bulkhead or Exit row then any window or aisle seat in a reg row where the whole will be full. If I can get an aisle in a reg row with the middle seat empty, thats another story. I dont like windows since the skin of the plane takes away alittle from the width of my leg room (the skin curves inward), plus I dont like being contained and not being able to get up when I want to

Steph3n

not sure which planes you fly only exit rows with armrests that don't go up that I know of are on the 737-700

Others go up just fine.