This thread probably sounds like a joke but Mrs. Reds is flying solo tomorrow on almost a five hour flight (1845 DL DTW/LAX) tomorrow. Upgrade cleared but only windows are available.

Here's the problem, she is a diabetic and on other meds that make her use the restroom a lot. There is a good chance she will get up four times during the flight tomorrow (this is meal flight and she will need to check her sugar and take insulin which will require a lav visit right there).

She always has had aisle seats in the past or if in a window was sitting next to me so it wasn't a problem for me getting up. Is it proper etiquette to tell the person in the aisle she will be getting up a lot or should she just do it and not worry about it? She is concerned she is going to upset the person in the aisle but I told her that is the risk the aisle person takes.

Since my heart operation several years ago I am under doctor's orders to get up and walk around quite a bit during flights in order to avoid DVT. I, too, always take aisle seats.

The one time that I was given a window seat (last minute upgrade) I briefly explained the situation to the woman in the aisle seat in order to give her the choice of switching seats or being disturbed numerous times.

She chose the window seat and thanked me for being courteous enough to give her the choice.

I get up a lot during a flight as well and that is why I always chose an aisle seat. Your wife should go to the gate as soon as the flight is opened and ask the agent to let her know if an aisle seat happens to open up.

If she is stuck in a window, I wouldn't worry about getting up if I was her. If she in first at least she is only disturbing one passenger. She should also see if a window bulkhead is available. A lot of aircrafts have enough space you can crawl over the person in the aisle seat without them getting up.

I once had the window seat passenger explain something similar to me and I willingly swapped seats.

I would suggest Mrs. Reds check the seat map periodically before the flight to see if an aisle frees up. You can also set up an ExpertFlyer seat alert for free.

Like the first posters, I pee often on flights. I drink too much! However, I cannot sit in anything but an aisle seat, so life is good.

I suggest that she tell the aisle passenger what's going on and ask if the other passenger wouldn't mind switching. The window seat is better than the aisle seat just as a seat; the disadvantage is that it's harder to get out. But if she's going to be getting up 4 times or more, the other passenger will find it easy to coordinate his or her getting up so that there is minimal interference between her and the other passenger.

Just ask the person and give them the option to swap. I'm an aisle seat person so personally I would say no, but assure the person asking that I will not be upset about getting up. It's happened to me exactly like that before. Tell your wife not to sweat it, the person next to her will appreciate the honesty.

Def check if she can get into a last minute aisle seat. If that fails, just tell her to level with the aisle seater.

I have been in similar situations. Due to a medical condition, I always take an aisle seat. But sometime the last minute upgrades doesn't allow that. In that case I've had a frank (and sometime embarrassing) conversation with the aisle person explaining that I may need to get up several times during the flight.

Over half the time, the aisle person has no problem switching with me. However, when they don't, they have told me they appreciate the heads up, and that won't mind moving for me as many times as needed. I've only encountered the d-bag aisle seater once or twice.

If she is just honest with the aisle seater, things will work out almost all of the time. The d-bag factor is always in play, but most people are very understanding.

Ummm...isn't 1845 tomorrow the 31st a 777? I'm looking at Delta.com and it shows a
1-2-1 seating in front. IF that's the case, every seat is an aisle. Did I miss something?

(Seems I did...sorry. OP's post was at 12:06 so his "tomorrow" is actually today. Yes, today's flight is a 767 with 2-2-2 seating...my bad. As Emily Latella would say..."Nevermind")

My post was around 11:05 CST So tomorrow was Friday

Thanks for the suggestion on the expertflyer alert. I didn't realize a free member could sit one. I am a paid EF member and should have thought of that. I ended up just sitting the alert myself and she was with me when I received the text and she was able to snag an aisle.

I would much rather be given the option of switching seats before the flight takes off than have to endure repeated passes to the lavatory.