MSPeconomist

Job Well Done!

UKtravelbear

Sometimes you don't get a choice and if the middle seat occupier is not related to either of the aisle occupiers then it is acceptable to disturb me (as long as they are an equal disturber) but as I said you should be willing to disturb your partner/companion over a stranger.

And on a UA flight I overheard someone complaining that someone would't let him out (they were asleep) out the FA basically told him to wake his partner up 'but shes asleep!' he responsed 'and so is the gentleman on the aisle and his sleep is just as important as your wife'

Marilu

Here's something that happened to a friend/coworker of mine. I'll call her "Mary": She had paid for 3 EC seats on a 12-hour int'l flight for her and her 2 children, one of them with special needs. She boarded the plane and found one of the seats taken by an infant. It turned out a woman had a "lap baby" but didn't want the baby in her lap the entire flight, so she put her baby in Mary's seat. The woman refused to move her baby, and when the FA came over, the FA backed up the woman who took Mary's seat, telling her that she can send one of her children to the back of the plane. She couldn't leave her special needs child alone, and her other child was afraid to be alone. Understandably, she was not happy and raised a stink, refusing to have any of her children sit alone. The FA had Mary and her children removed from the plane!! Remember, she paid for the 3 seats, and the woman commandeered Mary's paid-for seat for her own use.

Of course, back at the gate, a supervisor agreed that Mary was in the right, and they let her reboard. I couldn't believe that a FA would side with the lap baby woman, although Mary believes it was a matter of the FA being a fellow countrywoman as the offending passenger. She never got any sort of compensation for what happened.

yohanson

I guess she has him trained well.

mnredfox

+1 to the OP's feelings. To many folks feel entitled to switching and think you owe it to them. If you don't you get the glare and you are the evil one.

Ask politely when I arrive. A nice thank you if I agree. Don't sit there assuming it's a yes.

nystateofmind

Had something similar recently on an Air France A320 BUD-CDG. Purposely chose 2D as it has the most legroom. All other bulkheads are limited by solid divider. 2F was empty and there was a person in 1A or 1B. Couple boards at tail end of boarding and are pissed that they have 2F and the other Row 1 seat and had the nerve to ask me to move. Needless to say I politely informed the man and the Purser that I chose 2D for a reason and go ask the guy in Row 1. He had no problem moving as 2F may be slightly better than Row 1 because you have some space in front of 2D if you need to get to the aisle

MSPeconomist

Yet another example of an overentitled couple who claim to desperately need to sit together, but want to trade their worse seat to accomplish this. It sounds like things worked out well and fairly in this case.

exwannabe

I have twice accidentally sat in the wrong seat. Once when I was a newb on a config with seriously unaligned rows. Once when I was boarding at 5:00 AM with 0 sleep and had a big G2 on BP (which was the gate). I really was in BE in seat 5G.

So I will give a squatter a polite "are you in the wrong seat?". But after that it is gloves off.

There is NO reason to accept this crap, and these type people to be treated with complete contempt. Call the FA, but make certain you toss come humilating insults at them.

MSPeconomist

....and if the FA is unwilling to evict them, get names and make a big stink.

Pinkmoose

I have never had someone poach my seat, however I have swapped it so families can sit together etc.
However there was one person who had their seat stolen and would not let up. The FA told them to choose another seat and they would not stating they had chosen that particular seat.
As the FA was not very helpful, the person clearly stated that he was going back to the lounge, to speak with the customer service reps there and he wanted his baggage removed from the plane. He knew that this would actually cause the plane to miss its departure window. The flight was full, the FA was not going to let them miss their departure window, so she then changed her mind and insisted that the seat squatter move!
There was applause all around as the seat people moved to his seat at the very back of the plane.

So if you are being pushed around, just waste time and then just before the doors close state you want to exit the plane and you want your luggage removed. This will inconvenience everyone and most FAs will change their tune.

Syrgul

Had one of these kind a couple of weeks ago flying back from LHR. Anytime I'm doing long haul I prefer the window seat as I don't usually need to get up and it's easier to sleep against the fuselage when you're sardined back in Y. Got to my row and found a guy sitting in the middle seat and his mother in the window seat. I polite state "there might be a mistake, I have the window seat" and he motions to me to seat down in the aisle seat. When I finally get him to understand I want the seat I picked, they finally move, he puts the mother in the aisle seat, and then proceeds to spend the entire flight leaning over the arm rest to put 1/2 his body in my seat space as if he was being petty and trying to be a nuisance. Turns out it's a good thing I made the mother take her original seat, as they had a special meal order in for her.

Dovster

It is not always necessary to bother the FA. I "squatted" one time. I was given a battlefield upgrade and put into a window seat. I sat in the aisle seat, and when the rightful person arrived, I explained to her that my doctor has told me I have to walk around several times during the flight to avoid DVT (this was my first itinerary after my bypass).

I said that I would prefer not making her get up each time, but if she wants her seat I will move to the window.

As it turned out, she was also on an upgrade and very unhappy about not getting a window seat!

bethechange

Interesting piece in the NYT about jumping in someone else's seat...
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/bu...road.html?_r=1

rylan

If I'm already seated and somebody politely asks if I can switch, then I usually will (unless I'd be stuck in a bulkhead or much worse seat).

If there is a pax already in my seat and it isn't a mistake, then they're getting the boot whatever the reason.

yohanson

I was in 3B on a flight from LAS-ATL last year when the woman in 3A boarded and asked if we could swap seats because her boys were in 2C and 2D. I apprehensively agreed. The boys boarded a few minutes later with their Starbucks. They were about 16 and 18 I would guess. I haven't given up my seat since.