You're that guy? Oh boy :rolleyes: I'm the grumbler.

My wife's best friend got married in Tallahassee and I was working out of town, so work paid for me to fly into the event for the weekend and then back to work. So for my wife I used miles and she got first class each way.

Coming back we were on the same flight from Tallahassee to Atlanta before we split (me going to Houston, her going to DC). She was in first and I was in Y and I had the window seat, I had a person next to me and I asked, hey my wife is in first class would you switch with her?

He looks at me and says, No, I like my seat here, I am good.... Mind you, he had a MIDDLE SEAT between myself and another person....

:eek:

OP - I think you should book two middle seats in adjacent rows. On the basis that no-one in their right minds would book an aisle or a window if they could see that the middle seat had been taken, you are all but guaranteed two whole rows to yourselves to stretch out in. I can't even begin to imagine what could possibly go wrong.

I'm one of the people who thinks this is kind of obnoxious, especially as most of the time you will have to switch anyway.

My feeling is that a lot of people will be stuck in middle seats, and it just makes sense that where two people are traveling together they should just take two seats together (especially if one of them is an 11 year old).

In reality, unless the entire flight is full, there will probably be at least one middle empty. Why not try to maximize the chance that it is your three seats? If the flight is full, then nobody is out anything.

The last few empties are likely to be in Economy Plus. I've flown a lot over the years where there were 5 to 10 empty middle seats in E+ and every single seat was full in E-.

That said, I don't see any issue with the Aisle/Window booking. Just know that on United in particular, because of their system and how they fill E- before E+, it has to be a lightly loaded flight for that middle in the back to stay empty.

On AA, there's a greater chance that it works in the back of the plane. On WN, if you pick the appropriate rows, there's a pretty good chance that it works if the flight goes out even a couple seats short of full.

Now when my wife and I fly, we're more likely to go Aisle-Aisle if there's no 2-side. With high loads everywhere these days, it seems silly to worry about an empty middle too much.

How about offering said person the choice of the aisle or window instead of relegating them automatically to the window seat?

Years ago I ended up between a husband on the aisle and his wife by the window. The husband offered me the window seat but I declined (as I knew there was a cold draft along the floor by the window seats on that plane). I offered to take the aisle so he could sit next to his wife. He declined. We stayed as we were.

I wanted to turn to his wife and say "I guess your husband doesn't want to sit next to you that badly" but I resisted. Taking the high road and all.

I used to do the aisle/aisle but my wife said "you don't want to sit next to me" so we've gone the other route when not in an exit row 2 seat (763/MD80) or in F (which is most of the time). I'd complain to her but after 22 years of marriage she's still fantastic and it warms my heart that she wants to sit next to me (even in a middle).

OP here. First, thanks for all the feedback.
In response:
We have different last names so that is not an issue, lol.

If I were traveling with another adult I would do the two aisle seats across but since she is only 11, I would prefer to sit next to her so if she needs to be entertained, we can play cards or something.

I was feeling pretty reassured until someone mentioned the middle-seat person might want the aisle seat. I get a bit claustrophobic and have to be in an aisle seat so I'll have to hope that is not an issue.
I checked the dates: traveling on the NY/ORD segment it's the 27th of March and right in the middle of Passover so maybe less passengers.
However on one of the legs of the return IAH/LGA it is the Monday after Easter so I'm sure that one WILL be an issue.
All we can do is hope for the best. I really hate the 3 across.

I would rather sit in the middle than the window, because like you, I am claustrophobic - so in this scenario, the only switch I would be prepared to make is middle for aisle (I don't want to move even further from the aisle!) In an ideal worlds this doesn't happen as I pre-book an aisle seat, but I just wanted to warn you that it could.

That's what my dad and I are doing next month. Hopefully this strategy works!

Based on what you've said I strongly suggest you think about what you will do if the middle person doesn't want the window seat -- or perhaps doesn't want to move at all. Are you prepared to have a stranger sit in the middle between you and your granddaughter? If so, then OK. If not then book aisle and middle to begin with.

I know that's not what you want to hear but it's really the only way to be fair and avoid an uncomfortable situation.

My wife and I do this all the time. We've had zero problems, and do get an empty middle every few flights, more so now that Delta has economy comfort.

Because chances are that by doing so I am forcing three strangers to share a row, and honestly air travel in Y is bad enough that I think if I am part of a couple I should be willing to take one middle seat.

It sounds as though the OP is not really willing to sit anywhere but aisle and middle, so I think he ought to reserve aisle and middle. Why try to game the system to someone else's disadvantage?