sethb

I agree, sort of. People act in their own perceived self-interest. They're often wrong.

Once.

There have been a couple of times when I would have accepted.

sethb

So you always get your #1 most favorite seat on every flight? Are you Mr. Pillows?

Suppose some day you buy a ticket only to find that your favorite seat is taken and you have to book your second-favorite seat. Then, at T-15, the person who booked your favorite seat misconnects and somebody else gets upgraded into it. If that person offers to trade you your favorite seat for the one you have, is it in your interest to accept?

Tizzette

I certainly hope and believe you are wrong about the gate agent bumping me out of my seat "assuming your request is reasonable". What is reasonable to almost all these seat switchers posting here amounts to no more than a personal preference to sit by their traveling companion.

Qwkynuf

What is with all of these hypotheticals?, They come across thinly disguised efforts to catch some inconsistency so that you can say "AHA!!!!! See?!?!?!"

Take this most recent example -
Poster is stringing together 6 hypotheticals and basically saying "well, what about when THIS happens?"

I find it strange that one faction seems to be saying "the person being asked has every right to decline", but then goes on to define the reasons that THEY think are acceptable for declining. i.e. if you say "no" because you don't think the offer is for an equivalent or better seat, that's apparently both fine AND dandy. But if you decline because you "don't do seat swaps", then you are unreasonable.

What I want to know is, how are you going to police this distinction in real life?

DCFinanceinFlight

A few months ago I was flying DTW-LAS, one of the last flights of the night. I was in 4B, my GF was upgraded into 4D. When we boarded, I politely asked the guy in 4C if he would mind swapping for my seat. He obliged and I was grateful.

I do not believe it was much of an imposition as he could still easily get to his overhead, and he had to move his iPhone. To some this may of been to much, but I was thankful and we shared more than a few beverages and conversation. In full disclosure, he was playing catch up as he was late to the Bachelor Party, this may of played a part in his generosity.

Occupationalhazard

*Sigh*

And the Asker faction wonders why the Askee faction has such a jaundiced viewpoint.


I might be ok with that if it was like for like and he gave me an autograph. If not, then I'd say, "Reg, you may be in the Hall of Fame, but today you're in the Hall of Shame..."

In that situation, I'm sure they will, or likely will, provided that you aren't trying to screw them, which I trust you are not (paid F and all that). That said, assuming they don't, I would also trust that you would handle it with a certain degree of aplomb.

As a heads-up from a guy who formerly worked in the construction biz, you are better off slicing your hand through the air in a "karate chop" motion, making sure to follow-through all the way through; if the life-safety systems are working properly, the doors will open, if not, then you don't risk having your hand caught in between the doors.

They don't, in general...airline employees seldom like to take sides if they don't have to because someone is going to be left unhappy.

O/H

ATLflyer2017

They DO do it when I am traveling with my family and the website will not allow my child who has a high level of anxiety when traveling as it is to sit with me. Usually its trading a middle seat for a middle seat. No big deal. Would it kill you all to be a little bit more gracious? Its just a seat (it goes both ways) and is it worth fighting for it?

MSPeconomist

Middle seat to middle seat is one thing, although it would be gracious to offer the one that's farther forward to the other person, but most seat swap requests are from people trying to trade their middle seat for an aisle seat, which can be a big deal, especially on a long flight.

Tizzette

If the situation were explained to me, I would help out a parent separated from a high anxiety child, and I would help out the poster traveling with his elderly mother flying for the first time. I think most people would.

sethb

I find it interesting that you apparently can't count. There are only 3 hypotheticals: (1) => (2) (If your favorite seat is booked, you'll select your second-favorite, or perhaps one you prefer even less). (3) is missing entirely. (4) pretty much implies (5). So (1), (4), and (6) are the only independent hypotheticals.

But the more general case is, simply, if someone offers to swap you a seat you prefer to the one you currently hold, is it to your advantage to accept?

sethb

If I'm flying alone and the seats are similar, I'll trade. If I'm sitting next to my wife (or perhaps another traveling companion), it's less likely.

flying_donkeys12

You guys sure know how to beat a dead horse

PTravel

O/H said it best.

This is what it so often comes down to: Say no to the request and you're not gracious, or a jerk, or whatever other insults have been slung at those of us who are reluctant to swap seats.

I'm sorry, jackvogt, but I really don't care. Your problem is with the airline, not with me or any other pax. Your family is your responsibility, not mine. Multiply your attitude times the countless others who share it and many, probably most, of us have long ago reached the end of our patience with those asking for seat swaps.

Of course, if you're traveling for an emergency -- funeral, medical treatment, something like that -- just tell me so and I'll be happy to swap and render any other kind of assistance that I can. I will always help people truly in need. However, otherwise? The fact that you decided to travel with your family is of no interest to me and I really don't care whether you have to sit apart, or take another flight or fly another day.

"Gracious" does not mean subordinating my needs to those a stranger because they've decided to go flying with their kid. Thinking that someone isn't "gracious" because they won't swap to accommodate you and your kid, on the other hand, is entitlement demanding and selfish.

DeltaDunce

Grogs

Definitely happens sometimes. I was assigned to 13C at OLCI on a CR9 recently. I picked that one over 13B because 13A was occupied and 13D was not, so I was hoping to get an empty window seat beside me. When the GA cleared the standbys she put a couple into 13C-D and moved me to 13B. I did notice the change on my app, but I was never called up and my first official notice was when the scanner beeped and the GA handed me a new BP. Wasn't a big deal at all since they're equivalent seats on the opposite side of the aisle, but I do wonder if she would have called me up and asked if it was a move to 20B instead. Also, said couple was definitely in the "OMG, we can't possibly be apart for 90 whole minutes!" category.