elevatorgeek

They just need a policy, either for or against seat saving.

jeffandnicole

Not really.

If they say seat saving is permitted, that'll greatly reduce the effectiveness of the EBCI. It's basically saying "Buy 1 for your entire group".

If they say seat saving isn't permitted, not only will many people be irate, but they'll still try saving seats. When someone wants that seat, then the flight attendants will have to deal with 2 (or more) unhappy people.

As it's been for many years, some people will save seats. Most people boarding will simply move on to another empty seat. I think the problem is greatly exaggerated in these forums, but the reality appears to be there's very few problems with the current seating arrangement.

Marko123

But then where would the person you were supposedly saving the seat for go, or were you not really saving the seat and hoping it would remain open?

If everyone acted like you, then yes I would agree that a policy is needed.

Exactly.

But the normal, everyday occurrences aren't worth writing about so no one does. 9/10 of my trips are alone, and I'm usually the first person in whichever row I choose and head to the window. 99% of the time the person wanting to sit in the middle will ask me if it's ok for them to sit there. I always say yes. 5/10 times someone will ask me if it's ok for them to take the aisle seat even if no one is in the middle yet! That's crazy to me but shows that most people actually practice common courtesy.

I travel with my wife 5-10 times a year and we've never had an issue saving seats (it's just the two of us). The first one on always goes to the middle third though, and not in the exit row.

elevatorgeek

We just wouldn't have been together that flight. But neither would the people who insisted on taking the saved seat.

nsx

That was cruel. But very, very funny.

In some 1500 flights I've never personally witnessed a real argument over a seat. I guess these reports are like the TV news, where you see things that are so rare you'll never see them in person your entire life.

Proudelitist

The obvious solution: Assigned Seating.

joshua362

Exactly. Maybe an occasional grumbling to themselves or their traveling companion IME.

Juanefny

You know.... assigned seating is not always all that it's cooked out to be - for one thing if you standby on a regular airline, (by choice or irrops) chances are you'll end up with really crappy seats b/c everything else is sold out - even as a higher tier elite, I've had to sit at really bad places due to this. With open seating, there are greater chances you may end up doing better.

SpaceCoastBill

I fart.

A lot.

SpaceCoastBill

But close enough to pass the food and other items back and forth. The point was the bulkhead where we prefer to sit.

elevatorgeek

Fine. You can do that sitting window/aisle. I'm not moving if someone insists like that. The middle certainly is not open if I am occupying it. Officially I'm not saving seats then. Anyway, I travel solo most of the time so I don't care. I'd never pay extra for the bulkhead anyway because it is usually filled with preboarders.

smmrfld

Agree. 100+ flights a year and have never seen one. So much anonymous aggression and puffery in this thread that likely would never take place IRL.

howahya

Well, we know those aggressive people are real because here they are spewing their aggression.

Honestly, to the guy who claimed to have said, "well, then you'll have to go through me" (to get to a saved window seat), I would in reality press the FA call button right over his head and not move until the situation was resolved. But in my fantasies I would:

I fart.

A lot.

While also making sure my purse made some contact with his head while I climbed over him.

While I've never seen a fight break out over a seat, or even a loud argument, I have had unpleasant encounters. People who cheat and lie to you, people who stand in the row and glare at everyone walking by, etc.

Thank goodness that 90% of people are very cooperative and pleasant. It makes the flying experience better for us all.