Zorak

Witnessed today: towards the end of boarding someone shows up with a BP for 3C. The lead FA happened to be there and said oh yes, we had a father and young daughter that needed to sit together but we moved you to... (looks around) 2D.

3C looks annoyed and wants his original seat. FA explains again about young daughter. "Well they should have planned ahead." FA offers miles and asks if that's ok. "No it's not ok, I have to have an aisle seat." After this exchange I couldn't help but wonder if this was one of our hardliners from the thread.

The situation was defused when 2C agreed to take 2D.

​​​​What's weird is that the upgrade list only showed two upgrades into 5AB. So I also can't help but wonder if dad never looked back at the seat map after purchase to notice two adjacent open seats, or if he never asked the GA who surely would have assigned them 5AB.

FlyingNone

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I will never understand this. Never. Do people really think that someone should move to a middle seat from an aisle or window ?

vincentharris

I dont think the FA was right at all in this, and the father sure did not plan right. Unless the child is a infant or 1 or 2 the daughter can sit one row away for a few hours. In F I specifically pick one seat on all planes I like, and I choose the aisle as I need to get up often in flight. If it was a straight swap (aisle for aisle/window for window) thats one thing but to move someone from aisle to window and then expect them to just be ok with it is not right.

Reminds me of a quote I have heard for well over 20 years........

flyerCO

The problem is it always isn't a planning issue. I currently have an immobile knee. Thus I'm entitled to disability seating. In my case the law says the airline has no choice but to move a passenger. If I'm able to book far enough in advance, yes I plan and select a seat based on need. However not always able to do that. Also IRROPS and SDC means last minute flight changes. Same with families. If the child is old enough to be in middle school, I don't feel they need parent right next to them. As long as they're with a row or two of them in case of emergency is fine. However any younger and feel parent should be next to them.

pvn

If a three year "can sit one row away for a few hours" then surely a grown adult (barring disability) can sit in a window seat for a few hours.

MSPeconomist

vincentharris

Thats fair but for the same reason someone needs an aisle due to their leg etc I need it for medical reasons as well. Not saying the person who was upset was in the same boat, but there are some embarrassing medical reasons the guy may not have wanted to say out loud. (urology issues etc)

defrosted

Was on a flight a couple weeks ago, sitting in C+, a poacher sits down in the aisle adjacent to me. Then the person with that seat assigned to them arrives. The normal awkward "I think you are in my seat" ensues. Then then as poacher can't produce evidence he should be there the poacher claims he wasn't given a seat assignment, so he figured he would just pick somewhere.

Really? I felt like asking if it was his first time not flying on Southwest. I can't think of any other plausible rationale behind that excuse. That or he was oblivious to the GA yelling "sir" at him as he meandered down the jet bridge forgetting his little seat assignment slip.

Could he have been telling the truth and got on the plane without a seat assignment? I think not, but if anyone has any theories?

3Cforme

Not as a paid passenger. I don't know the routines for Delta employees or non-Delta non-revs. (I've seen a FedEx non-rev on a Delta Connection flight sent to the jump seat so I could have 4D.)

Zorak

Good thoughts, but in this case it was a 75D/H and an odd numbered flight.

pvn

My guess is 95% or more of F passengers have no idea what FEBO is, probably higher for pax traveling with small kids.

MSPeconomist

Sometimes, very rarely, when the flight is delayed or a passenger arrives very late, the GA would instruct someone to take any seat and then "board" the passenger after the flight leaves. I haven't seen this is a long time, so I'm not at all sure it's still allowed.

Similarly, if someone is upgraded at the very end of boarding and the GA knows that there are FC seats remaining, the person might, very rarely, be told to take any seat, but in this case usually the GA would come on board with the passenger in order to make clear to the FA that this passenger should be in FC.

jetsfan92588

It happened in home alone 2 - didn't work out well

ryandc99

I've deleted a few non-contributory posts here. Please keep the discuson on topic.

Ryandc99, Moderator Delta Air Lines

MSPeconomist

The "take any seat" discussion reminded me of a situation with a delayed flight where a PMNW GA at DTW announced on the PA at the gate that she was going to start boarding and people should just take any seat. I think there had been an aircraft change after a MX and she didn't want to take the time and cause a further delay by reassigning seats. There was the expected rush to the jetway but I and a couple other FC passengers immediately screamed that we were confirmed in FC and the GA quickly amended the announcement to say that people should take any open seat in coach.