jamesteroh

I've noticed that as well. But one time I encountered that and didn't say anything. Was number 3 for 3 seats on the upgrade list for a DTW/SFO flight and prefer aisles since I get up a lot. Had an agent who didn't clear the upgrade list until premium had already boarded and only windows were available and I asked the agent if I could have 1a (easier to get up out of a bulkhead window without your seatmate having to get up) and she said no problem since most people don't want that seat . I got the upgrade and someone was in 1A with the blanket over her and pillow against the window sleeping. I took 1b and had not issue with that seat being poached It would have been a paid F seat and she was asleep the entire flight so maybe she honestly thought she was in the window.

N639DL

It would've sounded fishy to have someone poach 1 row behind when it appears they were by themselves... If I were you I would've said something to him before deplaning.

ULDB65

Its not just a thing on airplanes. On city buses in Buenos Aires, you are supposed to give up your seat for pregnant women, infant in arms, elderly, and disabled. And there are overhead signs on the bus indicating this.

There are also signs on the windows stating "pretending to sleep does not relieve you of your responsibility to vacate the seat for the elderly, etc."

pvn

A) I don't think this makes any difference at all

B) I don't think this is a safe assumption anyway, it could have been a window upgrade, RUC/GUC etc.

KevinDTW

Although when someone is attempting a seat poach that at first glance seems to be like-for-like, that should be grounds for immediate suspicion that the poacher has already figured out some reason why your seat is preferable to his.

HMO

it's sad when this kind of sign is necessary...

pvn

what about actually being asleep?

jamesteroh

In this case it would have been a paid seat because I was watching the seat map closely about a week before and every aisle seat was taken.

I know it doesn't matter if it's a paid first seat or not when it comes to poaching but was just stating I thought it was odd she didn't chose the window bulkhead instead of the aisle when it was available when booking the ticket.

kitkat77

I think those of us that obsess over our travel (and I'm totally guilty), forget that many times people just take whatever seat they are assigned at booking and don't even think about changing their seat, or even know that they *can*.

Proudelitist

^^^

I never buy the argument that "It's all the same" or "We all get there at the same time"..if it were true, they wouldn't want to switch. I have a standard response to this which I have used during seat swap requests, poachers, or when dealing with a line jumper on WN: "If it doesn't matter than you shouldn't mind taking your original seat/spot in line".

MEMLawGuy

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.

Allan38103

It's OK to complain about the other passenger in every case, as long as you feel in the end that you are the better person in the encounter

"I agreed to switch seats with someone else and I feel bad about it. It's HIS FAULT."

"I chose not to switch seats and I feel bad about it. It's HIS FAULT."

If that doesn't work, blame the FA, "the FA was right there all the time and didn't step in to resolve it. It's HER FAULT."

Or maybe you can try to blame the GA. "The GA didn't assign my regular seat and I had to ask the passenger already there to move, and I feel bad about it. It's the GA's FAULT."

Or blame the design of the design of the airplane, or the weather, or whatever. Whatever makes you feel superior, you win.

pvn

I like the cut of your jib

Zorak

I admit to occasionally wondering if you two are the same person

MEMLawGuy

I think you missed the point of my posts. No one is assigning "FAULT" here. I stated several times that, in the end, I didn't care about switching because I had no plans to recline so I was totally unaffected. So it was not this guy's, or the FA's, FAULT that I had 24E. I voluntarily accepted it.

And I admitted that the only reason I even contemplated further action later would have been out of spite, not out of feeling bad because I didn't get the seat I wanted. I didn't forego such action because I wanted to be the "better person" in the encounter. I let it go because it didn't ultimately affect me and further action (simply for spite) is a d-bag thing to do.

The point of my posts was that if the guy did it on purpose, which the evidence seems to suggest that he likely did, then he is a seat poacher, which is what this thread is about.

And intentional seat poachers (those that just take with no intention of asking for a switch) are scum, so it takes no effort or assignment of FAULT for me to feel superior to them.