Seat Swap Request Horror Stories
Nov 5, 2016, 12:48 am
#901
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SFO/OAK ex DCA ex ALB
Posts: 625
I had something similar to this happen to me a few years back, though not mid-flight. Transcon redeye, my now-wife and I board and take our aisle-middle combination near the back of the plane. She graciously volunteers to take the middle. Shortly thereafter the seats immediately in front of us are claimed by a couple with a lap infant, dad taking the aisle and mom/baby the middle (this strikes me as being both unfair to mom and inconsiderate in relation to the poor stranger in the window seat, but I digress). While boarding is still in progress, I go back to use the aft lavatory and when I return, I find that mom has gotten up from her middle seat, moved back a row and plopped herself down in my aisle seat, and has settled in with baby now asleep on her shoulder. Hell to the no, I say to myself, miffed at her chutzpah as well as my wife's apparent failure to intervene (which was later explained to me satisfactorily). Mom ignores my initial polite "excuse me" and pretends not to hear my subsequent, louder attempt either. On the third try, she gestures toward the baby and gives a helpless "what do you want me to do about it?" look. She finally got up and went back to her original seat when I told my wife I was going to get the flight attendant and would be right back. Dad proceeds to keep his aisle seat for the duration, declining to hold baby at any point. I did feel bad for the mom, but it wasn't my problem that dad wasn't exactly thoughtful about the seating arrangement and division of parental labor.
Nov 5, 2016, 8:03 am
#902
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
I had something similar to this happen to me a few years back, though not mid-flight. Transcon redeye, my now-wife and I board and take our aisle-middle combination near the back of the plane. She graciously volunteers to take the middle. Shortly thereafter the seats immediately in front of us are claimed by a couple with a lap infant, dad taking the aisle and mom/baby the middle (this strikes me as being both unfair to mom and inconsiderate in relation to the poor stranger in the window seat, but I digress). While boarding is still in progress, I go back to use the aft lavatory and when I return, I find that mom has gotten up from her middle seat, moved back a row and plopped herself down in my aisle seat, and has settled in with baby now asleep on her shoulder. Hell to the no, I say to myself, miffed at her chutzpah as well as my wife's apparent failure to intervene (which was later explained to me satisfactorily). Mom ignores my initial polite "excuse me" and pretends not to hear my subsequent, louder attempt either. On the third try, she gestures toward the baby and gives a helpless "what do you want me to do about it?" look. She finally got up and went back to her original seat when I told my wife I was going to get the flight attendant and would be right back. Dad proceeds to keep his aisle seat for the duration, declining to hold baby at any point. I did feel bad for the mom, but it wasn't my problem that dad wasn't exactly thoughtful about the seating arrangement and division of parental labor.
Nov 6, 2016, 5:02 am
#904
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,332
I had something similar to this happen to me a few years back, though not mid-flight. Transcon redeye, my now-wife and I board and take our aisle-middle combination near the back of the plane. She graciously volunteers to take the middle. Shortly thereafter the seats immediately in front of us are claimed by a couple with a lap infant, dad taking the aisle and mom/baby the middle (this strikes me as being both unfair to mom and inconsiderate in relation to the poor stranger in the window seat, but I digress). While boarding is still in progress, I go back to use the aft lavatory and when I return, I find that mom has gotten up from her middle seat, moved back a row and plopped herself down in my aisle seat, and has settled in with baby now asleep on her shoulder. Hell to the no, I say to myself, miffed at her chutzpah as well as my wife's apparent failure to intervene (which was later explained to me satisfactorily). Mom ignores my initial polite "excuse me" and pretends not to hear my subsequent, louder attempt either. On the third try, she gestures toward the baby and gives a helpless "what do you want me to do about it?" look. She finally got up and went back to her original seat when I told my wife I was going to get the flight attendant and would be right back. Dad proceeds to keep his aisle seat for the duration, declining to hold baby at any point. I did feel bad for the mom, but it wasn't my problem that dad wasn't exactly thoughtful about the seating arrangement and division of parental labor.
Nov 6, 2016, 11:59 am
#905
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
So on a recent early morning 3 hour flight I was sitting in 1A, a seat with no bulkhead, so a nice long stretch out. 1A & 1B were paid for by me, for the mrs, but she didn't' come, so the seat was empty. 1C was occupied.
As is the norm, we both nicely spread ourselves out, and threw magazines etc onto the spare seat.
At some point in the flight, the guy sitting in 1D (D, E & F all having a bulkhead) got up, and pointed at our seat, making a breast stroke swimming motion, ie please move your things away, and proceeded to sit down in between us, stretch out pull his eye shades down and go to sleep, which obviously had a big comfort effect on myself and the neighbour, who was clearly as miffed about it as me. Obviously I felt a bit of a (misplaced) sense of ownership over that seat since I had paid for it, but ignoring that it certainly had a direct effect on my comfort, I was in essence trading my comfort, for his.
Thoughts? Deny him? suck it up?
As is the norm, we both nicely spread ourselves out, and threw magazines etc onto the spare seat.
At some point in the flight, the guy sitting in 1D (D, E & F all having a bulkhead) got up, and pointed at our seat, making a breast stroke swimming motion, ie please move your things away, and proceeded to sit down in between us, stretch out pull his eye shades down and go to sleep, which obviously had a big comfort effect on myself and the neighbour, who was clearly as miffed about it as me. Obviously I felt a bit of a (misplaced) sense of ownership over that seat since I had paid for it, but ignoring that it certainly had a direct effect on my comfort, I was in essence trading my comfort, for his.
Thoughts? Deny him? suck it up?
Frankly I don't see him as being any more rude that you. Unless, as I said, you threw the ticket away and let the airline keep the money.
Nov 7, 2016, 9:14 am
#906
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
So on a recent early morning 3 hour flight I was sitting in 1A, a seat with no bulkhead, so a nice long stretch out. 1A & 1B were paid for by me, for the mrs, but she didn't' come, so the seat was empty. 1C was occupied.
As is the norm, we both nicely spread ourselves out, and threw magazines etc onto the spare seat.
At some point in the flight, the guy sitting in 1D (D, E & F all having a bulkhead) got up, and pointed at our seat, making a breast stroke swimming motion, ie please move your things away, and proceeded to sit down in between us, stretch out pull his eye shades down and go to sleep, which obviously had a big comfort effect on myself and the neighbour, who was clearly as miffed about it as me. Obviously I felt a bit of a (misplaced) sense of ownership over that seat since I had paid for it, but ignoring that it certainly had a direct effect on my comfort, I was in essence trading my comfort, for his
Thoughts? Deny him? suck it up?
As is the norm, we both nicely spread ourselves out, and threw magazines etc onto the spare seat.
At some point in the flight, the guy sitting in 1D (D, E & F all having a bulkhead) got up, and pointed at our seat, making a breast stroke swimming motion, ie please move your things away, and proceeded to sit down in between us, stretch out pull his eye shades down and go to sleep, which obviously had a big comfort effect on myself and the neighbour, who was clearly as miffed about it as me. Obviously I felt a bit of a (misplaced) sense of ownership over that seat since I had paid for it, but ignoring that it certainly had a direct effect on my comfort, I was in essence trading my comfort, for his
Thoughts? Deny him? suck it up?
Nov 9, 2016, 5:56 pm
#907
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PDX
Programs: kayaker
Posts: 851
I've seen this stunt before. Three are traveling together, for example in seats DEF. They see an empty seat nearby, such as B in the same row and send E to move into B so that two of their party, namely D and F, have more space for themselves at the expense of the strangers A and C. So E/B is equally uncomfortable, but D and F win at the expense of A and C.
Nov 10, 2016, 7:05 am
#908
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club (Silver), Le Club Accor (Silver)
Posts: 680
BA flight LHR-DUS on an A321 two weeks ago. Myself and another chap (stranger) were in exit row seats 9D and 9F, with 9E seemingly "blocked" by BA thanks to status and the fact it wasn't a particularly full flight. All settled in and just before doors closed, the man in 8D asked the cabin crew if he could move into 9E for more legroom and she said yes! In this row there is no 8F. So instead of 2 people being comfortable and 2 being uncomfortable, you move to 1 being comfortable (Mr 8E with 2 seats to himself) and 3 being uncomfortable. Sigh. He was a big guy too and took up all the shoulder space!
Last edited by kingstontoon; Nov 10, 2016 at 7:06 am Reason: .
Nov 11, 2016, 12:39 am
#909
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
I thought it was bizarre, especially since the flight was somewhat empty so that the party of three could have moved into their own row on both sides of the aisle farther back.
Nov 11, 2016, 2:00 am
#910
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
I've seen this stunt before. Three are traveling together, for example in seats DEF. They see an empty seat nearby, such as B in the same row and send E to move into B so that two of their party, namely D and F, have more space for themselves at the expense of the strangers A and C. So E/B is equally uncomfortable, but D and F win at the expense of A and C.
Dec 14, 2016, 9:16 pm
#912
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,042
I lost my empty empty middle to somebody moving out of his family's row of three to give the other two more room. When the FA asked if he was in his assigned seat, he wouldn't move back and she didn't force him. He said he was more comfortable in my row. Most FAs just want to avoid confrontation.
Dec 14, 2016, 9:19 pm
#913
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 243
I lost my empty empty middle to somebody moving out of his family's row of three to give the other two more room. When the FA asked if he was in his assigned seat, he wouldn't move back and she didn't force him. He said he was more comfortable in my row. Most FAs just want to avoid confrontation.
Dec 16, 2016, 6:17 am
#914
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
I lost my empty empty middle to somebody moving out of his family's row of three to give the other two more room. When the FA asked if he was in his assigned seat, he wouldn't move back and she didn't force him. He said he was more comfortable in my row. Most FAs just want to avoid confrontation.