Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles
Reload this Page >

Seat Swapping, Seat Poaching and Seating Etiquette: The Definitive Thread

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old Jul 14, 2015, 2:48 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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.
Print Wikipost

Seat Swapping, Seat Poaching and Seating Etiquette: The Definitive Thread

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 10, 2017, 10:57 pm
  #1561  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Hilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
DL can always make the preferred seating a separate cabin class, like C+ on most routes, and call it an "upgrade." Then DL weouldn't be forced to give such seats to families for free.
FAA doesn't consider C+ a separate cabin. It is a separate fare class on DL, but FAA still considers it part of Y. Thus why passengers with disability on Y tickets can demand bulkhead row even though it's C+.

However i believe the law said airline doesn't have to give seats to which extra privileges are attached. Ie free drink or food
flyerCO is offline  
Old Oct 10, 2017, 11:46 pm
  #1562  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: California
Programs: DeltaSilver/MM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 494
Originally Posted by dgparent
What about BE ? I don't think you should be able to purchase BE seats if one of the party is under 13 or whatever the age is. If they allowed that all hell would break loose.
Really? My daughter, at 5 years of age, first was in BE from LAX-NRT w/o problem. At 2009, at 9 years of age, she flew LAX-NRT-MNL (upper deck on a 747 on NRT-MNL) without problem. Last December, on an LAX-SYD she, at 10 years of age, was in BE in 10A while I was in 2D. There was no problem on any of these flights, but she did think the food sucked.

She is a better traveler than many adults.
spamkiller is offline  
Old Oct 10, 2017, 11:49 pm
  #1563  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Hilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
Originally Posted by spamkiller
Really? My daughter, at 5 years of age, first was in BE from LAX-NRT w/o problem. At 2009, at 9 years of age, she flew LAX-NRT-MNL (upper deck on a 747 on NRT-MNL) without problem. Last December, on an LAX-SYD she, at 10 years of age, was in BE in 10A while I was in 2D. There was no problem on any of these flights, but she did think the food sucked.

She is a better traveler than many adults.
Think you're confused. DL hasnt called business BE for a couple years. BE nowadays means Basic Economy.
flyerCO is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 1:02 am
  #1564  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SYD
Programs: OZ Platinum LifeTime; DL PM; QF Gold; VA Gold; HH Diamond; IHG Diamond
Posts: 1,128
Originally Posted by spamkiller
Really? My daughter, at 5 years of age, first was in BE from LAX-NRT w/o problem. At 2009, at 9 years of age, she flew LAX-NRT-MNL (upper deck on a 747 on NRT-MNL) without problem. Last December, on an LAX-SYD she, at 10 years of age, was in BE in 10A while I was in 2D. There was no problem on any of these flights, but she did think the food sucked.

She is a better traveler than many adults.

LOL

So, let me get this straight...
In 2009 she was 9 years old.
Last year (2016), she was 10 years old.

So between 2009 and 2016, she only aged 1 year?!

Are these dog years? Is she a pet dog??? :P
DiverDave and Proudelitist like this.
sol95 is online now  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 1:23 am
  #1565  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: California
Programs: DeltaSilver/MM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 494
Originally Posted by sol95
LOL

So, let me get this straight...
In 2009 she was 9 years old.
Last year (2016), she was 10 years old.

So between 2009 and 2016, she only aged 1 year?!

Are these dog years? Is she a pet dog??? :P
We changed planes in a TARDIS.

Actually, the LAX-NRT-MNL was in 2016, not 2009. Her first BE flight (now Delta One) was in 2012.
spamkiller is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 6:24 am
  #1566  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Originally Posted by dgparent
What about BE ? I don't think you should be able to purchase BE seats if one of the party is under 13 or whatever the age is. If they allowed that all hell would break loose.
Are you talking about what's now D1, and was Business Elite, or Basic Economy?
cestmoi123 is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 6:27 am
  #1567  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Programs: AA PLT PRO, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plt. Premier
Posts: 587
Originally Posted by cestmoi123
Since they don't charge for seat assignments in BE, I don't see how this legislation would have any impact...
What if the flight only has middle seats a few rows apart left when the BE seat assignments are made and someone is travelling with their 5 year old the mother/father gets row 16 middle kid gets row 22 middle, if they MUST be sat together someone loses a aisle or window for a middle.
dgparent is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 6:33 am
  #1568  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
Programs: Delta DM 1 MM; Hz PC
Posts: 11,169
Originally Posted by obscure2k
Flyertalk invites civil discourse. When comments stray off topic or when individuals begin engaging in snarky, offensive and defensive behavior it undermines the value of the thread. There are many useful posts in this long thread, however, recent posts have lost much of the initial intent and value. I have deleted several posts in the interest of keeping the thread alive. Please engage in civilized discussion.
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator
Originally Posted by KevinDTW
Thanks for restoring some civility with your actions today. ^
^ +1
GRALISTAIR is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 7:54 am
  #1569  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
Switch 16 middle to 23 middle. The result is two middle seats adjacent to each other, front to back, and in the rear of the aircraft. Problem solved.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 9:38 am
  #1570  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSN
Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,987
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Switch 16 middle to 23 middle. The result is two middle seats adjacent to each other, front to back, and in the rear of the aircraft. Problem solved.
Clever!
bergamini is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 10:10 am
  #1571  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
Originally Posted by MEMLawGuy
Now how can you be sure about that?

It may be likely you'll never see them again, but going through life treating every person you see as an isolated and single interaction seems to be a rather obtuse way to go about things.

Do you harbor that same attitude (of not caring what other people think about you) with people who work in your same building? People who live in your same city? People who live on your same street? Or do you only draw that line with people on an airplane that you hope to never see again?
What you call obtuse I call accurate. The odds are so low that it is rationally allowable to act as though I will never interact with that person again, and to know that it is inconsequential what they think of me.

The degree to which I use the attitude is dependent upon the odds of my having to interact with them again, and to what degree they have any influence or power over my life. On the plane, that's pretty much nothing. In my workplace, it's everyone. So the attitude changes depending on the context. Although I do appreciate you trying to draw false equivalences.
Proudelitist is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 11:31 am
  #1572  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, 1MM
Posts: 3,784
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Switch 16 middle to 23 middle. The result is two middle seats adjacent to each other, front to back, and in the rear of the aircraft. Problem solved.
That works well unless the person originally in 23 middle is traveling with someone (especially a child!) in 23 window or aisle.
CarmenOM is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 11:51 am
  #1573  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
Originally Posted by dgparent
What if the flight only has middle seats a few rows apart left when the BE seat assignments are made and someone is travelling with their 5 year old the mother/father gets row 16 middle kid gets row 22 middle, if they MUST be sat together someone loses a aisle or window for a middle.
That, I think, is the question. If, at the time of booking, there are no adjacent seats available, I can't see the airline being required to provide a free upgrade to the family, nor can I see the airline arbitrarily switching seats for passengers who are already ticketed and have seats. As I understand it, the legislation requires that parents sit with children. It doesn't require that the airlines accommodate parents who wish to book flights for which there are not adjacent seats. As I noted in another post, the latter would cause quite an uproar, particularly among FF business travelers.
PTravel is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 11:57 am
  #1574  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
Originally Posted by CarmenOM
That works well unless the person originally in 23 middle is traveling with someone (especially a child!) in 23 window or aisle.
Presumably, the PNR will reflect that, so that the earlier family reservation would be blocked from switching. If, however, it was not a family reservation, just pax traveling together, I would expect more than a little consternation if people lose their chosen seats to accommodate a later-booking family. The intent of the legislation was to prevent, as often happens, parents being separated from their children either because of airline-initiated re-booking (IRROPS, equipment changes, etc.) or because the parent books singles. I don't think Congress intended to create "uber status" for parents traveling with children that results in the airline bouncing other pax from their seats or from the entire flight, just because a parent wishes to fly on a heavily-booked flight.
PTravel is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 12:14 pm
  #1575  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Originally Posted by PTravel
That, I think, is the question. If, at the time of booking, there are no adjacent seats available, I can't see the airline being required to provide a free upgrade to the family, nor can I see the airline arbitrarily switching seats for passengers who are already ticketed and have seats. As I understand it, the legislation requires that parents sit with children. It doesn't require that the airlines accommodate parents who wish to book flights for which there are not adjacent seats. As I noted in another post, the latter would cause quite an uproar, particularly among FF business travelers.
This is my understanding as well - airlines can't charge extra for a parent to sit with a child, but they don't have to upgrade people, or more pax, in order to make that happen.
cestmoi123 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.