Originally Posted by manneca (Post 19052755)

I had a flight last week and the guy next to me talked the entire flight. I'd much preferred reading, but I couldn't figure a way out. I've sat beside some really crazy people who wanted to talk about UFOs and secret cabals. I've sat beside people whose political views were offensive to me.

Originally Posted by Rebelyell (Post 19078548)

I think if you study the situations where people recount being asked to trade seats, being asked to trade seats from 31A to 29F is rarely a problem. It's being asked -- or bullied -- to trade from say 7C to 33B, where C is an aisle seat and B is a middle seat, that causes tempers to flare. So now you are talking about trading a seat that will allow one to have a fairly comfortable flight for one that will force one to spend hours in abject misery.

Originally Posted by PTravel (Post 19077905)

I've had this happen twice, both times I refused to move (I explained to the FA, calmly and quietly, why I was unwilling to do so) and both times the parent and child were removed.

Originally Posted by cbn42 (Post 19079466)

Not to question your honesty, but I am extremely skeptical about this. If an airline removed a parent and child from a flight because passengers refused to let them sit together, it would have made national headlines, triggered petitions and protests from interest groups, resulted in discrimination lawsuits, etc.

Originally Posted by GRALISTAIR (Post 19079342)

I fly a lot without my wife - business etc. I totally understand from her point of view that when we travel together we sit together even if it means me giving up a confirmed UG to first.

Originally Posted by nrr (Post 19080648)

Playing hypotheticals, would all of those who feel a husband and wife (male and female) should be given special treatment and not be separated also feel that a (legally) married male/male or female/female couple should also be given special treatment?

Originally Posted by PTravel (Post 19079983)

All I can tell you is that (1) it was on UA, and (2) I wrote about it in the UA forum when it happened. Each incident involved a squatter parent who took my seat and played the, "what am I supposed to do?" card.

Originally Posted by medic51vrf (Post 19080738)

I was recently on a flight where "a senior executive from a major corporation" was sitting next to me at the pointy end of the jet and his wife was back in cattle class.

Fair enough, his company was paying for his seat and his wife was just tagging along but I couldn't help but wonder about the dynamics of their relationship.

Originally Posted by cbn42 (Post 19084027)

Could you link me to your report on the UA forum? I would be interested in reading it.

Originally Posted by PTravel (Post 19077628)

Nope -- there's a third choice. Wait for the FA to remove parent and child, as no one will voluntarily accommodate them.

Originally Posted by Yaatri (Post 18932707)

If you are going to be talking a lot, it's better that one of you switch with the person in the middle seat. It's not fun for the person in middle seat to have people on either side talking over them.

Originally Posted by suranyi (Post 19090351)

Twice I've flown with my wife and child when the seats we were assigned were not appropriate for an infant car seat. (Too close to the window exit.) The FA forced us to switch with the people behind us. The people behind us were forced to move up a row.