Jul 14, 2015, 2:48 pm
Last edit by: BadgerBoi
The Definitive Guide to Seat Poaching
1. Don't do it.
2. Alternatively to #1: Asking politely (and not demanding) to swap for an equal or better seat is acceptable by most (but the final decision always lays with the original seat holder)...but, be warned, some FT'ers may breathe fire at you.
3. Keep in mind that Point 2 is not seat poaching.
1. Don't do it.
2. Alternatively to #1: Asking politely (and not demanding) to swap for an equal or better seat is acceptable by most (but the final decision always lays with the original seat holder)...but, be warned, some FT'ers may breathe fire at you.
3. Keep in mind that Point 2 is not seat poaching.
Seat Swapping, Seat Poaching and Seating Etiquette: The Definitive Thread
Mar 3, 2017, 1:29 pm
#916
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Mar 3, 2017, 1:38 pm
#917
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I was suspicious, but I just didn't put it together right away. If I had specific plans to recline and sleep for that 45 mins., I think I would have remembered. But like I said in my OP, I rarely ever recline.
I will add that the FA was right on top of it. As I mentioned, we were already about 25+ mins delayed, so they were working hard to get everyone situated. When she heard me tell the guy that I had 25E she immediately intervened to assist. So the whole interaction was rushed, and I just took 24E because I couldn't come up with what sounded like a good reason not to. I know I'm "entitled" to the seat I booked, but it would have made me look rather petty, IMO, to insist on it in those particular circumstances with no better reason than I want that seat vs. the same exit row seat right in front of it. I'm just too laid back to pull that off. Now if I had mentioned the recline aspect of it, that would have been a whole new situation that completely justified forcing the switch. But even in that case, it's not like I had plans on reclining.
I will add that the FA was right on top of it. As I mentioned, we were already about 25+ mins delayed, so they were working hard to get everyone situated. When she heard me tell the guy that I had 25E she immediately intervened to assist. So the whole interaction was rushed, and I just took 24E because I couldn't come up with what sounded like a good reason not to. I know I'm "entitled" to the seat I booked, but it would have made me look rather petty, IMO, to insist on it in those particular circumstances with no better reason than I want that seat vs. the same exit row seat right in front of it. I'm just too laid back to pull that off. Now if I had mentioned the recline aspect of it, that would have been a whole new situation that completely justified forcing the switch. But even in that case, it's not like I had plans on reclining.
Mar 3, 2017, 1:50 pm
#918
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There's something you're forgetting here when you compare the seats: Regardless of whether or not you recline your seat, it's better for you to be in a seat where the person sitting in front of you cannot recline. Thus, whether or not the other guy wanted to recline his seat, he ended up with the better seat.
Mar 3, 2017, 2:35 pm
#919
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In any case, I actually flew AA this week. And I always board last so you'll never find me in your seat.
I did actually poach a seat on my DFW-MEM flight, I had 16A on a MD83, 16B was occupied but both 18A and 18B were empty so I grabbed 18A.
Mar 3, 2017, 2:38 pm
#920
Join Date: Sep 2015
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Got two stories, thankfully they didn't involve me, yet...
1. This was a couple of years ago, getting on a flight and this little old lady was in front of me. As she gets to her aisle seat, there's already someone in the seat. This large man, younger, sitting there with his head phones on. She says, that's me seat. He doesn't even look up at her and grunts, "I'm sitting here". She was too scared to do anything and just went to the middle seat behind him he was assigned.
2. This happened last summer, I believe from Norfolk to ATL. This older gentleman was in his seat and reclined before take off trying to sleep. A man sits down behind him and immediately is trying to get him to move his seat up, "because he paid for it and he is in his space."
The man refused to move, so instead of it being done, this guy starts punching the back of the seat and cursing him. Over and over. When we are about to take off, he moves his seat up, but puts it back when in the air. Same thing. The entire flight. The old man is trying to sleep and this a-whole keeps up the cursing and punching his seat. Complains to the FA and says she can't make him move. The older gentleman complains to the FA about what he is doing, and she tells him to cut it out.
So he is quiet for the last 30 minutes, but as soon as we land he's back at it.
Crazy, because this guy looked like a middle-aged business man who at least looked respectable. I wanted to get up and sucker punch the guy, which probably would have got cheers, but didn't want to risk it for myself either.
1. This was a couple of years ago, getting on a flight and this little old lady was in front of me. As she gets to her aisle seat, there's already someone in the seat. This large man, younger, sitting there with his head phones on. She says, that's me seat. He doesn't even look up at her and grunts, "I'm sitting here". She was too scared to do anything and just went to the middle seat behind him he was assigned.
2. This happened last summer, I believe from Norfolk to ATL. This older gentleman was in his seat and reclined before take off trying to sleep. A man sits down behind him and immediately is trying to get him to move his seat up, "because he paid for it and he is in his space."
The man refused to move, so instead of it being done, this guy starts punching the back of the seat and cursing him. Over and over. When we are about to take off, he moves his seat up, but puts it back when in the air. Same thing. The entire flight. The old man is trying to sleep and this a-whole keeps up the cursing and punching his seat. Complains to the FA and says she can't make him move. The older gentleman complains to the FA about what he is doing, and she tells him to cut it out.
So he is quiet for the last 30 minutes, but as soon as we land he's back at it.
Crazy, because this guy looked like a middle-aged business man who at least looked respectable. I wanted to get up and sucker punch the guy, which probably would have got cheers, but didn't want to risk it for myself either.
Mar 3, 2017, 2:46 pm
#921
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FWIW, I don't think Allan38103 was really talking about you in his post.
In any case, I actually flew AA this week. And I always board last so you'll never find me in your seat.
I did actually poach a seat on my DFW-MEM flight, I had 16A on a MD83, 16B was occupied but both 18A and 18B were empty so I grabbed 18A.
In any case, I actually flew AA this week. And I always board last so you'll never find me in your seat.
I did actually poach a seat on my DFW-MEM flight, I had 16A on a MD83, 16B was occupied but both 18A and 18B were empty so I grabbed 18A.
Similarly, if you have an agreement to change seats with someone, that's swapping, not poaching.
Moving and swapping are not really disagreeable. On the other hand, poaching - which means occupying someone else's assigned seat without asking - ought to be dealt with by nothing less than a strong verbal dope slap and unrelenting insistence that the poacher get the heck out of your seat.
Mar 3, 2017, 2:51 pm
#922
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If the seat is unpurchased or unassigned, you're just moving, not poaching.
Similarly, if you have an agreement to change seats with someone, that's swapping, not poaching.
Moving and swapping are not really disagreeable. On the other hand, poaching - which means occupying someone else's assigned seat without asking - ought to be dealt with by nothing less than a strong verbal dope slap and unrelenting insistence that the poacher get the heck out of your seat.
Similarly, if you have an agreement to change seats with someone, that's swapping, not poaching.
Moving and swapping are not really disagreeable. On the other hand, poaching - which means occupying someone else's assigned seat without asking - ought to be dealt with by nothing less than a strong verbal dope slap and unrelenting insistence that the poacher get the heck out of your seat.
Mar 3, 2017, 2:58 pm
#923
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btw, I am assuming Allan38103 is also a MEM flyer, maybe he took your seat
Mar 3, 2017, 2:59 pm
#924
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Mar 3, 2017, 3:18 pm
#925
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The 38103 certainly made me think he might be from MEM, but I wasn't sure when his "Location" said otherwise. Maybe he did take my seat. 
In all honesty, that would be so rich to catch a poacher in the "wild" of FT.
Assuming you would ask for a switch or quickly move had 18A arrived, not just pointed out where 18A could otherwise sit after being woken from your headphone covered fake sleep, then I would call your move seat "exploring."
Seat Exploring: Exploring an otherwise unoccupied seat when it reasonably appears all surrounding seats have been settled to determine if you would like to inhabit said seat in the event it has no indigenous people or other rightful occupant(s).
In all honesty, that would be so rich to catch a poacher in the "wild" of FT. Seat Exploring: Exploring an otherwise unoccupied seat when it reasonably appears all surrounding seats have been settled to determine if you would like to inhabit said seat in the event it has no indigenous people or other rightful occupant(s).
Mar 3, 2017, 4:08 pm
#926
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2. This happened last summer, I believe from Norfolk to ATL. This older gentleman was in his seat and reclined before take off trying to sleep. A man sits down behind him and immediately is trying to get him to move his seat up, "because he paid for it and he is in his space."
The woman going to the funeral was waaaayyyy too chatty and told me her cousin was sitting several rows back. They could not get seats next to each other. If I switch seats, there is a double victory: I remove myself from this situation and I don't have to sit next to this well meaning but annoying woman. So I go back to 28F, find the cousin and tell her we can swap seats. The cousin says okay, but as she is moving forward she whispers to me that she purposely chose different rows so she wouldn't have to sit next to her cousin!
Mar 3, 2017, 4:27 pm
#927
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The 38103 certainly made me think he might be from MEM, but I wasn't sure when his "Location" said otherwise. Maybe he did take my seat. In all honesty, that would be so rich to catch a poacher in the "wild" of FT.
Assuming you would ask for a switch or quickly move had 18A arrived, not just pointed out where 18A could otherwise sit after being woken from your headphone covered fake sleep, then I would call your move seat "exploring."
Seat Exploring: Exploring an otherwise unoccupied seat when it reasonably appears all surrounding seats have been settled to determine if you would like to inhabit said seat in the event it has no indigenous people or other rightful occupant(s).
In all honesty, that would be so rich to catch a poacher in the "wild" of FT.Assuming you would ask for a switch or quickly move had 18A arrived, not just pointed out where 18A could otherwise sit after being woken from your headphone covered fake sleep, then I would call your move seat "exploring."
Seat Exploring: Exploring an otherwise unoccupied seat when it reasonably appears all surrounding seats have been settled to determine if you would like to inhabit said seat in the event it has no indigenous people or other rightful occupant(s).
+1 thanks for the chuckle
Mar 4, 2017, 7:35 am
#928
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Mar 4, 2017, 10:58 am
#929
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Now that Delta is using the highest level medallion status for upgrades when two are travelling together I wonder if we'll see more seat poaching.
Yesterday on dtw/las I was 2 on the upgrade list for 4 seats and only one available was an aisle bulkhead. The other three was the window beside the bulkhead and third and fourth windows.
I was at the airport early and asked the GA if I could get the aisle when she cleared the upgrade list and she was able to tell number 1 had a window preference in his profile and she went ahead and cleared him and then cleared me into the aisle.
Apparently three and four on the list were a married couple (different last names because I've been trying to notice how many people had the same last name on the upgrade list lately just out of courousity since Delta implemented the new policy) and they must have boarded with preboarders because there was only one person in front of me when she called PREM was called.
1A asked me to switch with his wife in 3D and I stated I wanted an aisle. Not sure of the conversation that transpired between his wife and 3C but she came up and asked me if I would take 3C if 3C would take 3D. It was a better seat and an odd number flight and the FA took meal orders from back to front and 3D slept the entire flight so worked out good for everyone. I was a little ticked off he pulled a DYKWIA after I got up and was getting ready to move back he said something to the flight attendant along the lines of he was a Platinum and his wife rarely flies and doesn't like sitting apart from him and there were two seats together before the upgrade list was cleared and Delta should take care of their platinums and keep their seats together. I wanted to tell him I was sure if it was that important for them to sit together they could have found a couple in C+ sitting together willing to give up their seats and sit apart in F so him and his wife could sit together
Yesterday on dtw/las I was 2 on the upgrade list for 4 seats and only one available was an aisle bulkhead. The other three was the window beside the bulkhead and third and fourth windows.
I was at the airport early and asked the GA if I could get the aisle when she cleared the upgrade list and she was able to tell number 1 had a window preference in his profile and she went ahead and cleared him and then cleared me into the aisle.
Apparently three and four on the list were a married couple (different last names because I've been trying to notice how many people had the same last name on the upgrade list lately just out of courousity since Delta implemented the new policy) and they must have boarded with preboarders because there was only one person in front of me when she called PREM was called.
1A asked me to switch with his wife in 3D and I stated I wanted an aisle. Not sure of the conversation that transpired between his wife and 3C but she came up and asked me if I would take 3C if 3C would take 3D. It was a better seat and an odd number flight and the FA took meal orders from back to front and 3D slept the entire flight so worked out good for everyone. I was a little ticked off he pulled a DYKWIA after I got up and was getting ready to move back he said something to the flight attendant along the lines of he was a Platinum and his wife rarely flies and doesn't like sitting apart from him and there were two seats together before the upgrade list was cleared and Delta should take care of their platinums and keep their seats together. I wanted to tell him I was sure if it was that important for them to sit together they could have found a couple in C+ sitting together willing to give up their seats and sit apart in F so him and his wife could sit together
Mar 4, 2017, 11:44 am
#930
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Now that Delta is using the highest level medallion status for upgrades when two are travelling together I wonder if we'll see more seat poaching.
Yesterday on dtw/las I was 2 on the upgrade list for 4 seats and only one available was an aisle bulkhead. The other three was the window beside the bulkhead and third and fourth windows.
I was at the airport early and asked the GA if I could get the aisle when she cleared the upgrade list and she was able to tell number 1 had a window preference in his profile and she went ahead and cleared him and then cleared me into the aisle.
Apparently three and four on the list were a married couple (different last names because I've been trying to notice how many people had the same last name on the upgrade list lately just out of courousity since Delta implemented the new policy) and they must have boarded with preboarders because there was only one person in front of me when she called PREM was called.
1A asked me to switch with his wife in 3D and I stated I wanted an aisle. Not sure of the conversation that transpired between his wife and 3C but she came up and asked me if I would take 3C if 3C would take 3D. It was a better seat and an odd number flight and the FA took meal orders from back to front and 3D slept the entire flight so worked out good for everyone. I was a little ticked off he pulled a DYKWIA after I got up and was getting ready to move back he said something to the flight attendant along the lines of he was a Platinum and his wife rarely flies and doesn't like sitting apart from him and there were two seats together before the upgrade list was cleared and Delta should take care of their platinums and keep their seats together. I wanted to tell him I was sure if it was that important for them to sit together they could have found a couple in C+ sitting together willing to give up their seats and sit apart in F so him and his wife could sit together
Yesterday on dtw/las I was 2 on the upgrade list for 4 seats and only one available was an aisle bulkhead. The other three was the window beside the bulkhead and third and fourth windows.
I was at the airport early and asked the GA if I could get the aisle when she cleared the upgrade list and she was able to tell number 1 had a window preference in his profile and she went ahead and cleared him and then cleared me into the aisle.
Apparently three and four on the list were a married couple (different last names because I've been trying to notice how many people had the same last name on the upgrade list lately just out of courousity since Delta implemented the new policy) and they must have boarded with preboarders because there was only one person in front of me when she called PREM was called.
1A asked me to switch with his wife in 3D and I stated I wanted an aisle. Not sure of the conversation that transpired between his wife and 3C but she came up and asked me if I would take 3C if 3C would take 3D. It was a better seat and an odd number flight and the FA took meal orders from back to front and 3D slept the entire flight so worked out good for everyone. I was a little ticked off he pulled a DYKWIA after I got up and was getting ready to move back he said something to the flight attendant along the lines of he was a Platinum and his wife rarely flies and doesn't like sitting apart from him and there were two seats together before the upgrade list was cleared and Delta should take care of their platinums and keep their seats together. I wanted to tell him I was sure if it was that important for them to sit together they could have found a couple in C+ sitting together willing to give up their seats and sit apart in F so him and his wife could sit together
My wife always wants to sit together and when there were more upgrades often there weren't two seats together, so we would try and switch. We've maintained the same status so the new rules can hurt us. I don't want to start another discussion there, but we had success.
I also agree about him being a DYKWIA. Ironically, if not for the change I assume he wouldn't even be in that situation and should be happy for the upgrades period.
I also have no problem with you talking to the GA and seeing if you can have your preference. I'm sure you did not act like a DYKWIA.