snooperfly

I'm a longtime lurker who flies WN regularly for business, but finally signed up to ask a Delta question. Since I'm official now, I had to pop over here with a question, too. I board A1-15 and have a high success rate getting the infinite legroom seat. On the majority of my flights, the person in the LUV seat has tried to store their items under the window seat if I don't already have my bag there (it takes me a bit to dig out my water, entertainment, pillow, etc.). One even had the audacity to try to smash his bag on top of mine. I may look like a harmless old lady, but woe to the person who tries to steal my space, so they were unsuccessful every time.

Just wondering if this is a thing, as I've never seen it mentioned here, and it happens on a good 70 percent of my flights. I even had two store their bags on the floor in front of the seat. I didn't say anything because they weren't in my leg space and I wanted to see if the FAs said anything. They didn't either time, so in one case the bag stayed there and in the other it slid into my feet on takeoff and I told the LUVer he needed to take care of it if he didn't want my feet all over it when I stretched out, so he put it in its proper spot.

I'm happy to say I've never seen most of the horror stories posted here, like service ducks and rampant seat saving/seat selection rage, although my top wheelchair count is 20 (snowbirds heading north from MCO), over 15 of whom were miraculously cured in the air.

joshua362

Very, very common in my years sitting there. Most of the time it's completely unintentional not realizing it, I simply say "my (book) bag gotta go there" if the middle seat next to me is taken and they understand. Or I quickly get my crap out and put the bag there first.

Similarly is when they commandeer the tray table since they'll likely be served before you. I don't mind sharing but need a place for my 3 or 4 cups and cans. Most of the time they're embarrassed and start moving their drinks and I have to tell them it's fine. Had many a conversation about having the best seat on the plane with nice people in the Luv seat.

I conclude it's really not knowing, as they are stuffed in there badly and see a glimmer of extra space so take it.

If it's really an issue, establish territory early, put something underneath and something on the tray during boarding or right after takeoff.

I try to remember "that we're all in this together" even if I've overpaid for BS for a chance to snag that seat only to see it vaporize frequently due to a late connection...

PAX62

Yup...most of the time they do not realize you do not have a space and since there is no seat next to them they just assume it is fair game. Just politely remind them that that is your space with the assumption that they did not know nay better rather than nefarious intent and it usually resolves itself.

For the jackwaggon that shives their bags on your...I would in no uncertain terms let them know that their space is under THIER seat. That one warrants being a bit more of a response.

smmrfld

Happens frequently, and I've never had anyone hesitate to move their stuff if I need the space.

mile ho

My wife and I like to sit in the luv bird seats. I also like to use that space in front of the infinite legroom seat for my bag.

But I never, ever use it without asking permission from the owner of that space. Sometimes they aren't using it and sometimes they are. Nevertheless, it's always up to the person in the infinite legroom spot.

It's polite to ask and not assume. Sadly though, many are not as considerate.

sdsearch

Does every Southwest 737 configuration have an infinite legroom seat?

I know I've certainly been on 737s on other airlines where all exit rows were 3+3 (and thus no infinite legroom seats).

steved5480

Yes.

Most commonly on the port side, although on the starboard side on the few remaining non-Devolved-300s. There are 2 (one on each side) on the -800s.

saneman

If I don't get the inifinite legroom, I usually try to get the one adjacent to the legroom part and then I raise the arm rest on the window side and move my left leg to relax in the empty space. Very very very few people are tall enough to make it a conflict for that space. I am tall and when I get the infinite legroom seat, I don't mind if someone in the two seats in front of me decide to share that space as long as during takeoff they remove their bags since all bags have to be under a seat. I never store bags under the seat since I only carry my laptop bag and always store it in the overhead.

exwannabe

Other airlines have this "missing seat" configuration, and I have yet to see any post/thread address the issue you just raised.

As said, the under seat space belongs to the window pax. But is the legroom space fair game or not? I agree that it almost never matters.

My preference is for aisle seats, so on full flights I will take the aisle in the missing seat row, on the theory that "you" will do as you describe and therefore give me more space.

sdsearch

But at those other airlines, you typically have to have elite status to reserve exit row seats, and/or explicitly request them at the gate. And if you reserve them online, you're presented with a legal warning and a question you have to answer before you can reserve them. Therefore there tends to be more awareness of the exit row "etiquette" (except when the plane is full and random passengers who never asked for the exit row are seated there by gate agents) than there is at Southwest, where it's totally self-select at boarding time, including probably by some people not really all that conscious that what they're sitting in is an exit row (they just liked that it had two seats together and chose it for that reason, without thinking about why it only had two seats and not three).

Btw, in some other countries (including Argentina), you're not allowed to store anything under the seat in front of you if you're in an exit row. (I didn't see "infinite legroom" seats on LAN Argentina domestic planes; it was just conventional 3 + 3 exit rows.) I don't know what that list of countries is, and I don't know if Southwest flies to any such countries yet.

pinniped

I don't think I've ever boarded a WN and gotten the infinite legroom *after* the LUV seat was occupied, so this has never been an issue for me. By the time the LUV occupant arrives, my bag is already in its place.

I've never attempted to use that tray table though. It's well out of reach for me, so if the other person wants to use it that's fine with me.

tusphotog

If it's not a full flight and I have an open middle when I'm in the infinite legroom seat, I offer that space to the person in the LUV seat.

I've never had an issue with someone putting something there and not moving it when I need the space, though.

mthake

To clarify, this is the Martini seat... LOL...

I've had the pleasure of securing this seat well over 100 times. Business Select most times....

That space is yours, legally. If the lovebirds take that space, you have the right to request they remove their luggage.

I've had to request this 10% of the time. Most of those times, it wasn't an issue. A few time, I go the "stinky" eye, but $%#* them......

jb3t

I was sitting in the infinite leg room seat once and as I was taking stuff out of my bag and prepping to shove under the seat in front of my (my space). Just before I did that the guy in the LUV stuff his things there. I said "excuse me, I need to slide my bag in there". He got all bent out of shape and said "no". I told him "that's my space and I need to put my bag there". I then tried to fit both bags in there but they would not fit well. He proceeded to take his bag out and try to move it around and then took my bag the literally SLAMMED it under the seat (computer was in there). The then gave it a violent kick with his foot and tried to get his bag in there. I then yelled... "excuse me, that's my space" and had to hold back from knocking him out. The FA came over and did not say anything. She was watching. I told him to take his &$@! bag out and put it under his seat. He was pissed.

No problem sharing when there's space but this guy went ballistic.