Exactly this. Had the same on EK, one of the few times it has happened to me.

FA showed little interest in shifting the chap in my aisle seat, until I mentioned the magic word offload. The cabin supervisor was there within 60 seconds and the chap was on his way back faster than Usain Bolt.

Sorry mate, and enjoy your middle seat next to the bogs (I didn't stop to see).

I had what I felt was a well handled seat swap request earlier this week. I was called up to the gate just prior to boarding started and the gate agent said I am trying to reunite a couple and was wondering if you would switch, but all I have is two windows. Before I could say anything, "you don't have to switch. The couple don't know I'm asking you. It's all at your discretion." I agreed to the swap because I can handle a window for a couple of hours instead of an aisle (any longer and I would've had to say no). The gate agent then let me board the plane directly behind him instead of waiting in line. Towards the end of boarding the agent came onboard for something else and stopped at the couple and told them they needed to thank me for swapping so they could have seats together, making sure they knew it was a courtesy from me (not that I needed that part but it means they don't expect it automatically the next time).

In those situations, you also have to consider the fact that the FA is not booting them because the pax is a non-rev and they know each other. It's not aways easy to find out, but it doesn't hurt to drop that you suspect so to the higher level crew.

Whenever I am at the gate I always notice when pax seem overly familiar with any of the crew. If that pax is the one that causes trouble, you can bet dollars to donuts that's what's happening.

I had a memorable incident with United 2 years ago that I posted about here. Short version: 2 non-revs travelling together...she was a UA FA and he was a WN Mechanic. He poached my seat to sit next to her, told me I could have his old one..showed me a BP for a middle, but insisted he was "really" in the aisle because he swapped with the aisle guy in that row. BP also said NRSA. The male FA just looked on sheepishly and clearly didn't want to say anything because he knew her. I refused, took my seat, got a sarcastic "Thanks a lot" from the non-rev UA..reported them both at the destination, with UA customer service, and to a sup here on FT who actually did something about it. Point is, at the departure the non-rev FA was noticably buddy buddy with the gate staff. Hugging, talking about old times, even boarded first..I knew going in they were non-revs, but yeah when I boarded,..sure enough...MY seat would be the issue. Of course.

It's shennanigans enough when it is a non-rev, but made worse when the cabin crew is complicit.

Thank you both. Not that it happens often to me, but it sure could come in handy to know.

At which time can the airline no longer change your seat? I always thought it's when you pass the gate control.

+1.

I've gotten upgrades cleared by the gate staff after boarding -- they send a new BP in and have one of the FAs come find you. I've always been in an exit row when it's happened, and I'd assume the seat I'm vacating was reassigned, not just left up for grabs, but I can't say that for certain.

AFAIK, seating is technically under gate control until right before they close the doors -- they (normally) print the manifest right before that, after the gate has already closed. In practice, though, once you're on board it will be the onboard crew handing seating issues unless someone escalates the situation back to the gate.

The whole aisle/window thing is annoying. How many people really *do not* talk over the middle or pass things back and forth?

People chatting and passing things over you is a good lesson on why you should pay the extra to pre-select a seat. FWIW, this year my current record on aisle/window bookings resulting in an empty middle is about 50 per cent. The percentages vary depending on time of year, destination and where on the aircraft you select your seats. You can approach 100 per cent on some flights if you are not travelling in peak season and select seats near the rear of the aircraft.

So paying for pre-selecting a seat gives you the right to be rude?

If plane is full and/or you have to fly last minute, you might get stuck in a middle.

It gives my wife and I the right to sit where we choose. Aisle for me, window for her with a chance of an empty seat in between. We may pass items over to each other as required. Whether you consider it "rude" is of entirely no consequence.

It may be a good idea to bring a newspaper on board whey you get a middle seat. After all nobody can stop you from reading it.

Paying for pre-selecting seats gets me and my spouse the seats we prefer. Not paying for pre-selecting seats would likely separate us in middle seats. How is this "rude?"

If you don't want an undesirable seat, plan ahead and, if necessary, pay up.