FlyerTalk Forums - Interesting Idea to avoid someone sitting in the middle seat between two of you.

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- - Interesting Idea to avoid someone sitting in the middle seat between two of you. (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1402445-interesting-idea-avoid-someone-sitting-middle-seat-between-two-you.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbwpi (Post 19608233)

It's also my choice not to tolerate arrogant and rude behavour.

^^^

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbwpi (Post 19608233)

It's also my choice not to tolerate arrogant and rude behavour.

Fair enough indeed. I totally respect you right to choose to be intolerant :cool:.

It is my belief that the likelihood of any passenger assigned to a middle seat turning down a polite offer of an exchange with their choice of window or aisle is extremely low, and as I have never come across that situation and do not ever expect to, so its all hypothetical anyway ;).

So would I book Aisle and Window with the hope of an empty middle seat if that option was available to me? ... yes I would. Have I done so? Not yet in my many years of flying as I have not yet been presented with the situation/opportunity.

I have done it many times.

The middle seat pax has yet to refuse to switch... ever.

There are certain people flying in/out of SLC that select the middle seats for a reason. However, I'm pretty sure they would be pleasant enough to switch with you.

Air New Zealand wouldn't let me book the window and the aisle in a 3-3-3 configuration. We both had to book adjacent seats. Subsequently, I am the poor person in the middle for both legs of our flight from LHR to AKL. My husband likes a window and is a nervous flyer whereas, given a choice, I will choose the aisle.
I hope the aisle sitter doesn't mind being disturbed every couple of hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbwpi (Post 19608233)

It's also my choice not to tolerate arrogant and rude behavour.

It's not entirely clear how you propose to "not tolerate" it. I suppose you could move to a seat elsewhere on the plane, but your options are otherwise limited.

Quote:

Originally Posted by angels1five (Post 19611040)

I had this issue last year on an NZ domestic flight. Wouldn't let me allocate (online) seats across the aisle from each other on a 3-3 config (had to be next to each other). I didn't bother chasing it up as it was just a 1 hour or so flight, but I am guessing a phone call to NZ may result in you being able to allocate as you wish? But that is only a guess, you would have to try to find out.

Oh, and welcome to FT! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Science Goy (Post 19611215)

It's not entirely clear how you propose to "not tolerate" it. I suppose you could move to a seat elsewhere on the plane, but your options are otherwise limited.

I believe the newspaper "trick" mentioned earlier would work. Not that it's particularly less rude, but I imagine a decent pair of sound leaking ear buds would also help, depending on your musical taste (if you wanted to fight fire with fire).

Quote:

Originally Posted by angels1five (Post 19611040)

When travelling long-haul, husband and I book middle-aisle. We agree to exchange seats around the half-way mark, so each of us has a turn at the aisle seat.

For example, on the AKL-LHR route, husband has the aisle AKL-HKG and I have the aisle HKG-LHR. The same would apply if going through LAX.

We always book the middle section, so that we only have to climb over each other if we want to get out, and no-one has to climb over us.

We're doing the trip premium economy so hopefully the extra legroom will mean that we won't be clambering over the person on the aisle. Coming back via LAX we have the 2 middle space seats.

I really hope that PE is worth the extra money. Almost double economy and just about half our entire budget for the trip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by angels1five (Post 19611040)

Never bothers me. And certainly not on a longer flight. I'd rather have someone crawling over me every hour than sit in a middle seat!

Quote:

Originally Posted by wharvey (Post 19597130)

I much prefer the aisle/aisle option personally.

While I have not run across it, what do you do if you do aisle/window and the person in the middle refuses to move? That could be an uncomfortable flight.

My niece and I purposely booked window/aisle on a 747 from JFK to HKG. Neither of us wanted the middle seat on a long flight. She wanted a window. I prefer window but could accept an aisle. The middle person asked if we wanted to switch (we never volunteered) but we both politely declined. Worked out fine. Very little passing of things back and forth/obnoxious conversations through the middle person, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenbel (Post 19597785)

I've been that person in the middle and the people on the window/aisle didn't even offer a switch, but assumed they could act as though I didn't exist (e.g. talking over me as though I wasn't there etc, making sexist comments about the female pilot over me, a woman). Fortunately, I had a newspaper on me which I would normally have read folded up, but since it was a broadsheet, by reading it not folded it provided a suitable barrier to their chat, and I added my own views on the sexist comments they were passing. As a result we sat in stoney silence for the duration of the flight. Oh, I also determinatedly refused to cede the arm rests (which I would normally view as the middle person's anyway). So as a result of their decisions, none of us had a comfortable flight.

As a result, I find people doing this to be incredibly selfish.

I often travel alone and I often book a window seat where the aisle is already taken but the window/middle are still available. Kind of the same thing, though never an issue of "switching" just hoping the middle seat stays free. I don't see it as selfish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by angels1five (Post 19611040)

I guess you could book in two separate reservations and go online or call individually for seats. I doubt they would put 2 and 2 together.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chollie (Post 19613698)

Never bothers me. And certainly not on a longer flight. I'd rather have someone crawling over me every hour than sit in a middle seat!

That doesn't really make me feel any better than sitting in a Hobson's Choice of seat. Especially considering what it cost. :(

I've done this before with success. Another factor that I've noticed is that the plane tends to fill front to back once aisle/window seats start filling up. That means that your best chances will be towards the back of whatever section you are in (F/C/Y+/Y).

In my experience, no one has ever refused the swap and I can't think of a scenario where, if stuck in a middle seat, I would refuse the swap. If you get someone who is ornery about the "trick" and demands to remain in the middle despite being offered better seats, then the right thing to do is just deal with it. Besides, what difference does two feet really make? It's not like you aren't going to see them again when you get off the plane.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rankourabu (Post 19610208)

I have done it many times.

The middle seat pax has yet to refuse to switch... ever.

^

I have never had an issue, as well. Although I always just ask the guy in the middle if he prefers the aisle or window. Usually, the guy is thrilled to not have to sit in the middle.

Sure, there is always a chance of someone saying no and wanting the middle, but I think the risk of that is acceptably small. And the benefits of occasionally getting an empty middle outweigh this small risk.