F seat giveaway!
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SLC
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F seat giveaway!
Was on a flight ATL-SLC the other night and boarded with my Y seat and after getting settled GA came and found me and told me they had an F seat available. My seatmate who was still putting his stuff in the overheads had a meltdown, yelling about the terrible day he had had, and how he felt he deserved the F seat. Fighting the urge to not reward what I felt was bad behavior (the parent in me) I offered the F seat to the man who was clearly upset. His response was, "Really? SURE!" And off he went, no thank you, or hey I appreciate that. The whole thing left me a little bemused to be honest, especially the passenger's lack of any kind of social etiquette. I have wondered in the past if I should offer my F seat to another passenger for various reasons, but I am not sure I will again.
So it got me thinking, anyone else ever offer their F seat to another passenger, what were the circumstances and/or reactions? Just curious...
So it got me thinking, anyone else ever offer their F seat to another passenger, what were the circumstances and/or reactions? Just curious...
#3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
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A couple weeks ago I was flying from somewhere to somewhere (can't keep track anymore, but I may have been going to MEM, or FFL, or GSO). There was a very tall man in a wheel chair who was moving slowly with a cane. The FA said to him, "Your seat, 10D, is right over there, but I'm a little worried about whether your feet are going to fit because with the bulkhead, there's not a lot of room." With that, I asked the woman in 2C if she would mind sliding over and I went to 10D.
The upshot: Nobody was in 10E, so I had the row to myself, I'm short and don't need the leg room and I got all the free drinks/Twix/Bananas I could use. Plus, a woman gave me a hug because she thought it was such a nice thing to do! The man thanked me over and over on my way off the plane. (He remained seated.) He told me that he had never flown in F before and it was such a thrill.
Another time, the woman sitting next to me in F gave her seat to a soldier. He was a very nice guy on his way home from Iraq. He was supposed to be going to base for a week or so, then on to home to see his wife and daughter. They were at the airport waiting for him past security. OK, I'm crying again remembering it.
The upshot: Nobody was in 10E, so I had the row to myself, I'm short and don't need the leg room and I got all the free drinks/Twix/Bananas I could use. Plus, a woman gave me a hug because she thought it was such a nice thing to do! The man thanked me over and over on my way off the plane. (He remained seated.) He told me that he had never flown in F before and it was such a thrill.
Another time, the woman sitting next to me in F gave her seat to a soldier. He was a very nice guy on his way home from Iraq. He was supposed to be going to base for a week or so, then on to home to see his wife and daughter. They were at the airport waiting for him past security. OK, I'm crying again remembering it.
#5
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A couple weeks ago I was flying from somewhere to somewhere (can't keep track anymore, but I may have been going to MEM, or FFL, or GSO). There was a very tall man in a wheel chair who was moving slowly with a cane. The FA said to him, "Your seat, 10D, is right over there, but I'm a little worried about whether your feet are going to fit because with the bulkhead, there's not a lot of room." With that, I asked the woman in 2C if she would mind sliding over and I went to 10D.
The upshot: Nobody was in 10E, so I had the row to myself, I'm short and don't need the leg room and I got all the free drinks/Twix/Bananas I could use. Plus, a woman gave me a hug because she thought it was such a nice thing to do! The man thanked me over and over on my way off the plane. (He remained seated.) He told me that he had never flown in F before and it was such a thrill.
Another time, the woman sitting next to me in F gave her seat to a soldier. He was a very nice guy on his way home from Iraq. He was supposed to be going to base for a week or so, then on to home to see his wife and daughter. They were at the airport waiting for him past security. OK, I'm crying again remembering it.
The upshot: Nobody was in 10E, so I had the row to myself, I'm short and don't need the leg room and I got all the free drinks/Twix/Bananas I could use. Plus, a woman gave me a hug because she thought it was such a nice thing to do! The man thanked me over and over on my way off the plane. (He remained seated.) He told me that he had never flown in F before and it was such a thrill.
Another time, the woman sitting next to me in F gave her seat to a soldier. He was a very nice guy on his way home from Iraq. He was supposed to be going to base for a week or so, then on to home to see his wife and daughter. They were at the airport waiting for him past security. OK, I'm crying again remembering it.
I think it's awesome you did this for the man in the wheel chair. I'll bet he'll be talking about it to a lot of people for a long time. There's infinite value in generousity.
#6
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#7
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#8
Join Date: Jun 2004
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The OP is Spreading Peace and Love
However, the OP's approach is admirable.
It reminds me of a flight on UL from CMB-SIN. A bunch of monks boarded, and the senior monk was seated in biz class. His businessman seatmate was having a "bad day" and crabbed at the FA. It was strange, but the businessman's negativity just rolled off of the monk, who seem to throw off this unbreakable calm and serenity.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Love the story about the older gentleman. I have given my F seat to soldiers. Ashamed to admit this part but I really don't want to do it if they are assigned middle seats.
#10
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I would have never switched seats with someone who "deserved" an upgrade because he's had a bad day. I have switched seats in the past with military personnel, given I teach on a military post and BNA-ATL is military heavy.
#11
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: Delta Gold :-( KLM Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 107
Was feeling super nice
Did not give up a F seat, but did switch from a D to a B to allow wife and kids to sit together (they had B, E, F), on a 4 hour flight. I kinda thought to myself that I am foolish, then during the flight the daughter and the lady were holding hands and I thought it was worth it. I certainly would have appreciated (but not expected) someone to do this for my family in the same situation. They said thank you and were very nice.
Seats were the exit row type "fixed" width.
When you do give up a F, do you do it before boarding? or do you wait for the soldier / person in wheelchair / other to go to their seat and then walk back to them and say "hey, you can switch with me "?
Seats were the exit row type "fixed" width.
When you do give up a F, do you do it before boarding? or do you wait for the soldier / person in wheelchair / other to go to their seat and then walk back to them and say "hey, you can switch with me "?
#12
Join Date: Jul 2009
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very nice of you, OP, but i wouldn't want to reward someone having a temper tantrum with an F seat.
#13
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During boarding - GA's have the flexibility (but not requirement) to upgrade uniformed service members if there are seats remaining after all elites are upgraded, which wouldn't be known before boarding.
#14
Join Date: Jul 2010
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^
Exactly. If I were you, I would've taken it myself because I earned the seat being a medallion, not him.
Exactly. If I were you, I would've taken it myself because I earned the seat being a medallion, not him.
#15
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And some (apparently in ATL) like to upgrade military before processing upgrades for Elites, and in one case, removing a paid F customer from their seat in order to give it to a military person and then trying to humiliate the F customer on board into allowing it to happen.