GMTmin8

MarkP24

My family of 4 were in paid F on a flight from JFK to SLC and as I purchased the tickets somewhat close to departure the seats available were not all together, but F was only window and aisle. I don't think other single passengers wanted to sit next to my preteens, and I didn't think an aisle would mind switching for a similar aisle seat, so I asked and was accommodated by the passengers. I think it's fair to ask, but if they want to sit next to my kids have at it...

Lrtalk

I was in 4B recently. Nice lady in 4A asked if I would be open to swapping with her husband who was in 5A. I said it would be fine except I need to keep an aisle seat since I tend to get up a good bit and don't want to climb over the person in the aisle. She said she totally gets that. So husband in 5A is talking to husband in 5B. His wife is in 5C, and they all want to sit by spouses. So they ask me if I will go to 5C and let the couples occupy 4AB and 5AB. I said sure, even though in my mind I'm thinking...well shoot....now I'm at risk for having to eat the pasta instead of beef for dinner. So I said to myself....self.......do not allow yourself to create a first world personal problem and get your rear end up and go to 5C. So I said absolutely - perfect. Was resigned to eating pasta for dinner. Turns out there was STILL beef left for dinner when the FA got to me. So I guess being nice with seat swaps pays sometimes......

kop84

It's not like there is a perfect system out there that will give everyone what they want. WN still has issues with people asking to swap seats and no one's got one ahead of time, so it's not just that airlines block seats for medallions, or they charge for seats, or whatever reason. So unless we're all willing to shell out at least 1/3 more per ticket and have the airlines not sell any middle seats, I think we're all just going to have to try to be reasonable and decent to one another...and even there could still be more demand for aisle seats than there are aisles available.

Proudelitist

It would be more appropriate, because your seating issues are between you and the airline, and the problem is yours and the airlines to solve, not to have a stranger fix for you. Sure, they may be willing, but there is no obligation there.

Proudelitist

Actually, it sounds like a whole bunch of trouble that could have been avoided with a "no".

flyerCO

Fine. Will you be upset when the airline unilaterally moves you? After all it's not an issue to involve you in.

pvn

yes, you still have that option, what a country!

ATOBTTR

Well I've offered up my FC seat to a random person to be able to sit next my wife, but hey, if you're happier in Y than a FC seat, well, more power to ya I suppose. ^

ijgordon

ijgordon

It would be nice for certain posters to abide by the FT rules:
12.3 Disruptive or repetitive posting

Posts that are inflammatory, inciting or unnecessarily provocative are not allowed.

Disrupting a forum by repetitively posting comments of the same general theme or 'piling-on' by posting merely to reinforce or bump a prior post of a disruptive nature are both examples of disruptive posting and not permitted.

pvn

oh good, the cops have arrived

Taz

I generally don't mind being asked to swap seats, but unless I'm being offered another aisle seat in F that is neither the bulkhead or the last row, 99% of the time I will decline. I do have a problem with other pax telling me that I need to swap in order to accommodate them and then giving me attitude when I say no. The last time that happened, one of the couple wanting to stay together called me an assortment of unpleasant names for saying no. It was such a lovely experience. NOT.

Lrtalk

I do think that the next time I'm asked the condition will be both another aisle seat and not on first or last row. I honestly don't really get the whole wanting to sit next to each other thing in the first place. My wife and I fly together a lot and almost always in F. She watches a movie and couldn't care less if I'm in the seat next to her or not. The people who wanted me to swap all watched movies, and you never would have known they even knew each other during the flight.

reimero

So I was recently on a flight, assigned to a Comfort+ seat (can't remember which, but it was either on a 737 or A320) and when I got there 2 boys were sitting side by side, one in my assigned seat. So I start to ask if that's where they're supposed to be sitting (not making a scene or anything, I just figure there's some mistake) and the mom comes up and asks if I'd be willing to swap with her one son so the two boys can sit together. Not at all unreasonable. Except it turns out the son who was in my seat had a seat assignment in first class.

The guy right behind me shook his head and said, "how come that never happens to me?"

TL;DR version: sometimes switching seats works out quite nicely indeed!