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What Do You Think The Seating Strategy Is Here?

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What Do You Think The Seating Strategy Is Here?

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Old Jan 3, 2024, 6:27 pm
  #1  
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What Do You Think The Seating Strategy Is Here?

This is an upcoming flight of mine. (At the time of booking we could upgrade for free to C+ but the only seats available at the time were middle seats and we preferred regular Economy seats at a window versus middle C+ seats.)
You can see where we are in red.
But what puzzles me are the two economy rows directly in front of us.
What is the strategy of selecting middle seats as one's choice when both aisle and windows are available in the same row?
I've heard of a couple selecting the Window and the other selecting the Aisle in the same row, hoping no one else would select the Middle seat.
But assuming the person in 34B and the person in 35B are traveling together, why would one do this?
Just kind of intrigues me.

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Old Jan 3, 2024, 6:43 pm
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Easy. The middle seats in the first few rows of main cabin are white (not blue) and are free to non-medallions. 34B and 35B would be the closest free seats to the front. Blue seats can be expensive to non-medallions for this long-haul flight.
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Old Jan 3, 2024, 7:14 pm
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Originally Posted by sydneyracquelle
Easy. The middle seats in the first few rows of main cabin are white (not blue) and are free to non-medallions. 34B and 35B would be the closest free seats to the front. Blue seats can be expensive to non-medallions for this long-haul flight.
Just all the same, I would probably take 39D&E Or, me personally would probably take 37A and 39D.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 6:52 am
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***Delete***

Last edited by Dracarys; Jan 4, 2024 at 9:27 am Reason: Read original post wrong.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 7:32 am
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Originally Posted by Dracarys
The only two scenarios that make sense are that:

a) Two people traveling together hoping for the entire row and no one takes the middle seat.

b) Single travelers booking seats closest to the front and obviously not choosing the middle seat.
I think you missed the point, the middle seats are taken while the window and aisle are vacant.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 9:26 am
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Originally Posted by indufan
I think you missed the point, the middle seats are taken while the window and aisle are vacant.
You are correct, I read it wrong.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 9:36 am
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Originally Posted by indufan
Just all the same, I would probably take 39D&E Or, me personally would probably take 37A and 39D.
It could have been an auto-assignment, perhaps by a corporate travel booking engine.
I'm sure there are better non-preferred options further back too. 39D seems like it could be trouble so close to the lav door.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 9:50 am
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Why are we assuming 34b and 35b are traveling together?
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 10:10 am
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Also always possible that the window/aisle were occupied at the time the middle seat traveler booked their ticket
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 10:36 am
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I see this all the time on domestic narrowbody flight seatmaps. People pick the middle seats simply because they are the closest seats to the front that do not cost extra money. Would not be my strategy, but I some people value a seat closer to the front higher than having an aisle or window.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 11:41 am
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Originally Posted by The Situation
I see this all the time on domestic narrowbody flight seatmaps. People pick the middle seats simply because they are the closest seats to the front that do not cost extra money. Would not be my strategy, but I some people value a seat closer to the front higher than having an aisle or window.
And it just reiterates how stupid some people are.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 2:36 pm
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I mean...
If they're only offering you a map full of middle seats...you're going to take the closest to the front, though, right?
Especially if the other options are lots of $$ for that long-haul.

As an experienced flyer, I would simply not choose (worked out great for me on a Vueling hop this morning) but many people may not know that.


Originally Posted by indufan
And it just reiterates how stupid some people are.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 2:46 pm
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I'm not sure we can conclude that there is a strategy here - those of us on this board easily forget how many people on a flight have very little travel/airline savvy. Even many who do have frequent flyer status don't make the most of it because they aren't really plugged in all that much.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 3:54 pm
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Originally Posted by steex
I'm not sure we can conclude that there is a strategy here - those of us on this board easily forget how many people on a flight have very little travel/airline savvy. Even many who do have frequent flyer status don't make the most of it because they aren't really plugged in all that much.
I agree with your overall point but a large, large number of people do understand middle seat hell.
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Old Jan 4, 2024, 4:04 pm
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Originally Posted by The Situation
I see this all the time on domestic narrowbody flight seatmaps. People pick the middle seats simply because they are the closest seats to the front that do not cost extra money. Would not be my strategy, but I some people value a seat closer to the front higher than having an aisle or window.
Not to mention the other benefits for C+, early boarding, enhanced snack basket (ha ha), drinks, etc. I just had someone sit in a middle seat next to me on a short hop though with the flight 1/2 empty, but I was in Euro Biz class so up front. Not my choice either, but for some they don't care.
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