#10

I was always skeptical on why anyone would swap an aisle for a middle ... until this weekend.

On a 2 hour US domestic economy A321, I was seated in a window seat with an empty middle. Near the end of boarding, a woman came to take the empty middle with several bags put under the seat in front of her. She was frazzled. The flight was full.

Right before the door closed, I notice a gentleman bolt for the front (restroom)? At almost the same time, my new seatmate also went to the front of the cabin. Being in the starboard window, I could see nothing upfront, but I was becoming concerned regarding the unattended bags under the middle seat. After several minutes, the man and woman returned, he to his middle seat a row forward and port. After a brief discussion with the woman in the aisle seat, my former seatmate returned to collect her bags and sit next to him on the aisle.

I mentioned to the woman who gave up her aisle seat for the couple that she had earned a great deal of travel karma. She honestly replied that he was having a panic attack and was happy to trade an aisle for a middle not to spend the entire flight next to him.

Doppy

I agree with these rules. When I book (or a reservation agent books) a window/aisle combo, I always give the middle seat person the choice of what to do. One time traveling with a friend we both booked aisles in the same three across middle seat and the middle person asked if we wanted to switch while we were still on the ground. We said no and didn't talk to each other for the rest of the flight.

Another time I randomly ran into a friend I had not seen in a while - we were seated in the same row and side of the plane, window and aisle. In that case I said to the middle person that we randomly met up and intended to catch up and would be talking during the flight, offering him the opportunity to switch to either seat. He declined and said it was OK if we talked, so we proceeded to talk through him the whole (90 minute) flight. It sure was awkward, but I didn't feel bad about it - he didn't want to move and said it was OK if we talked.

ft101

Valid choice for valid reasons, and your manners are to be commended. A different situation from the "me, me, me" posters for the reasons already given.

zitsky

Your response does not surprise me.

yyznomad

x1achilles

Just be careful if a Hasidim gets on the plane last.

vanillabean

yyznomad

I just tell the FA that I believe someone is in my seat and give him/her my boarding pass and let them "manage" the "offender". I'm batting 100% so far without any interaction with the seat offender and peaceful flights.

Badenoch

If someone is in the seat I reserved then I'm happy to show them my boarding pass but I'm not sure what difference it would make who showed who first. The only time I will demand to see someone else's boarding pass is if I agree to a swap to confirm that we are making an exchange that is acceptable to me.

catcher1

You show me yours, and I'll show you mine. Oh for those pre-teen years.

WillCAD

I vaguely recall some folks posting earlier in this near-1000-post thread that they've had less luck, that some FAs will either ignore the request for help or just tell the complainer to sit down and let the squatter have the seat in question.

What would your reaction be in such a circumstance?

FlyingUnderTheRadar

My response would be: "Please call the lead FA." If they were the lead FA, I would then ask for the GA or pilot. At some point I realize that I would run the risk of being asked to depart the plane. But in this day an age of social media, a story of an airline involuntarily disembarking a PAX because they requested to be seated in the seat in which was on their boarding pass would be gold.

Proudelitist

I have been in that situation. An FA basically didn't want to deal with a poacher and we were already delayed so she told me to take the poachers seat (10 rows further back, window, not aisle) and give up my exit row aisle. She made it clear she wasn't about to do anything about it. Rather than asking HER to see the purser/lead FA I simply walked back and found her myself. Explained the situation, pointed out that I paid extra for my reserved seat, and told her I would VDB myself and they could sort my unaccompanied luggage and take the late. Note, I used the jargon (VDB, Take the Late, etc) and was not bluffing..I had flexibility and miles enough to get another at no cost. She went and booted the poacher, and quite efficently at that. Took less than 1 minute.

The FA's authority is not the FINAL authority. You have the lead FA, the GA, maybe a station supervisor, and flight crew if you want to kick it up a notch.

IndyHoosier

Hopefully you reported the FA to the airline as well.

Proudelitist

No, sadly. Didn't feel like getting yet another boiler plate form letter, and ultimately I got my seat back. But these days I most likely would report it. My patience is growing really thin. This whole incident was over 10 years ago