More seat swapping/poaching fun!
Oct 20, 2018, 4:31 pm
#211
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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......
I would have politely said "no" about 5 seconds into 4As spiel.
Oct 20, 2018, 4:45 pm
#212
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Is that the case all or even most of the time? Probably not, but again the point being you never know and it’s only an assumption of the circumstance on your part.
Oct 20, 2018, 4:51 pm
#213
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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.
Also keep in mind a lot of people, even people who travel frequently, have a lot of anxiety around flying, and sitting next to someone they know can go a long way towards mitigating that, even if they don't speak during the flight.
Oct 20, 2018, 6:41 pm
#214
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That goes directly into the "not my problem" file.
Oct 20, 2018, 6:52 pm
#216
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That's something Ma-kettle who demands I give up my seat can't offer.
Oct 20, 2018, 7:27 pm
#217
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I might. I might even fight it, or at least get the compensation owed me for the price I paid ontop of the ticket to select my premium seat. I actually have a business interaction with the airline, a contract of carriage. That means either party..me or the airline..can change things. If I am getting kicked out of my seat I retain a possible path of recourse.
That's something Ma-kettle who demands I give up my seat can't offer.
That's something Ma-kettle who demands I give up my seat can't offer.
Oct 20, 2018, 7:43 pm
#218
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
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Not necessarily an obligation if the airline is not involved, but I think it's fair to ask
Oct 20, 2018, 7:45 pm
#219
Join Date: Mar 2015
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And that's certainly your right. You're allowed to say no, but I don;t see any harm in asking.
Oct 21, 2018, 1:06 am
#220
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 21
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!
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!
Oct 21, 2018, 4:36 am
#221
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: NYC, CDG, NCE
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Had a fun moment this week when I get on an A320 to find someone in my 7D,
I'm friendly - smile and say, "I'm in 7D".
Barely looks up from his book - indicates the empty middle seat and says "That's 7D"
A little less friendly, I just say. "No" .
I stand there for another second before he looks up, peers around a little and get up and gathers all his stuff.
As I sit down he realizes that he's supposed to be across the aisle in 7C.
It was an honest mistake, I think.
If he had engaged a little I would have been happy to sit across the aisle and not make him move his stuff, but he didn't.
So No worked just fine.
I'm friendly - smile and say, "I'm in 7D".
Barely looks up from his book - indicates the empty middle seat and says "That's 7D"
A little less friendly, I just say. "No" .
I stand there for another second before he looks up, peers around a little and get up and gathers all his stuff.
As I sit down he realizes that he's supposed to be across the aisle in 7C.
It was an honest mistake, I think.
If he had engaged a little I would have been happy to sit across the aisle and not make him move his stuff, but he didn't.
So No worked just fine.
Oct 21, 2018, 5:17 am
#222
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Oct 21, 2018, 6:37 am
#223
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: SJU
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They probably don't get the whole being unwilling to swap to the last row of F thing, either.
That's great that the two of you don't mind sitting apart. Some people have other preferences.
Also keep in mind a lot of people, even people who travel frequently, have a lot of anxiety around flying, and sitting next to someone they know can go a long way towards mitigating that, even if they don't speak during the flight.
That's great that the two of you don't mind sitting apart. Some people have other preferences.
Also keep in mind a lot of people, even people who travel frequently, have a lot of anxiety around flying, and sitting next to someone they know can go a long way towards mitigating that, even if they don't speak during the flight.
Oct 21, 2018, 10:47 am
#224
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I might. I might even fight it, or at least get the compensation owed me for the price I paid ontop of the ticket to select my premium seat. I actually have a business interaction with the airline, a contract of carriage. That means either party..me or the airline..can change things. If I am getting kicked out of my seat I retain a possible path of recourse.
That's something Ma-kettle who demands I give up my seat can't offer.
That's something Ma-kettle who demands I give up my seat can't offer.
You can ask the couple trying to reunite themselves to give you a cash payment for switching seats.