Anyone Prefer Middle Seats?
 

I'm scheduled to fly BNA-ATL next Friday. Booked the flight 2 months ago and picked a nice exit row aisle seat. I check back from time to time to make sure I haven't been booted out of my seat by an equipment swap or some such thing.

My row remained empty until about 3 or 4 days ago and I now have a seatmate. Interestingly, they chose (or perhaps were assigned) the middle seat. The only non middle seats left are the window seats in the exit rows.

I know it can be a bit cool in the Exit Row Window seats. But it got me to wondering if it really is possible that someone would intentionally choose a middle seat when an aisle or window is available.

So, are there any fters who prefer middle seats?

Could be that the person didn't want to pay extra for an Exit Row seat (or they know it's either colder there, or less comfortable in that the seat cushion is usually thinner and the arm rests don't come up). Also, if they didn't choose a seat, perhaps the airline assigned them the middle seat.

Also, it's only about a 30 minute flight, so perhaps they just don't care.

On full WN flights, when there are a lot of overweight people around, I have deliberately chosen the middle seat between two thin people, even when aisles and windows were left. For a short flight, I'd rather not be pushed out into the aisle or crushed into the window by someone who barely fits into a seat. I have also selected a center exit row seat for some long flights on AA, when the flight was obviously going to be full. On at least two occasions, I sat between a couple that then volunteered to take the center seat.

Aficionados of frottage, maybe?

I hate aisle seats, so yes, I prefer middle seats over aisle seats.

It's possible your new seatmate is a person younger than exit row age.

I don't think anyone would intentionally choose a middle seat when there are aisle and window seats available. They may not want to be responsible for opening the door in case of an emergency. The window seat could've been taken when they were looking for seats and they preferred an exit row and the middle seat was the only exit seat available at the time they were seat selecting.

The widow seat could now be available because the person was upgraded to first.

All options open, I would never take a middle seat. I prefer aisle, except PHX-SLC-SEA, which I fly frequently. Flights are short and I never get tired of the aerial view of that part of the country.

However, when options are limited: I have taken a middle seat on a WN flight that looked like it was going to be packed - better to grab a middle between two small people than risk something worse.

And I have taken an exit row middle when the aisle/window were taken. I prefer exit row middle to non-exit row aisle/window.

same here

those make sense except the comment that they may not want to be responsible for opening the door in case of an emergency -- everyone in the exit row has to be prepared to do that, not just the window seat person

I am claustrophobic and hate window seats, so if a window and a middle were the only seats available, I would take the middle.

^ I'm tall and gangly. Aisle seats mean that someone is constantly bumping up against me. First choice, I'm in the window. But short of that...

Only when good looking girls are sitting next to me! :-)

Sorry, but I have no problem asking the FA or GA about their POS (Person of Size) policy and would they please enforce it.

I would only prefer a middle seat if it meant that my two beautiful little daughters were in the seats on each side of me while on our way to a warm weather destination. Geez that sounds good about now after the snow storm that we just had.