Would you switch a good seat for a worse seat?
Jan 23, 2015, 3:36 pm
#136
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 866
To me, this is the best possible scenario. I like the window but I book the aisle because I like to get up often. When someone asks to swap seats I tell them that I can swap but they will likely get up every hour to let me out. It it is bulkhead like for you it's ok to climb over them but if it isn't bulkhead they can't sleep in the aisle and lock me in. Sometimes they decide not to swap but at least they understand and it makes the next 7 hours better.
Jan 23, 2015, 3:38 pm
#137
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: YYC/MNL
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy SE
Posts: 520
My question is really long, so here's the full question:
"Would you switch a good seat for a worse seat if a mother asked you to accommodate her child to sit with her?"
I actually witnessed 2 cases in one trip recently. In both cases, the passenger who was asked was kind and gave up an aisle or window seat to sit in the middle in another row.
However, I did not like seeing how the women asked the passengers. They approached their "targets" in a demanding way, as if the passenger wouldn't be a good person if he/she were to decline the request.
One of them didn't even say "excuse me" or "please" in what I heard. She simply talked like she was a flight attendant, by saying that she "was trying to get two kids to sit together."
Fortunately, I wasn't asked. But, as I was sitting in my aisle seat in the crowded plane, I was wondering what I would have said. I was particularly tired with a back pain that day, so I didn't feel like moving as I was already settled. But, honestly, I would have agreed if the woman had asked nicely. I really didn't like the way she asked as if it was her right.
What do you all think?
"Would you switch a good seat for a worse seat if a mother asked you to accommodate her child to sit with her?"
I actually witnessed 2 cases in one trip recently. In both cases, the passenger who was asked was kind and gave up an aisle or window seat to sit in the middle in another row.
However, I did not like seeing how the women asked the passengers. They approached their "targets" in a demanding way, as if the passenger wouldn't be a good person if he/she were to decline the request.
One of them didn't even say "excuse me" or "please" in what I heard. She simply talked like she was a flight attendant, by saying that she "was trying to get two kids to sit together."
Fortunately, I wasn't asked. But, as I was sitting in my aisle seat in the crowded plane, I was wondering what I would have said. I was particularly tired with a back pain that day, so I didn't feel like moving as I was already settled. But, honestly, I would have agreed if the woman had asked nicely. I really didn't like the way she asked as if it was her right.
What do you all think?
1. Is she hot?
2. Is the worse seat beside her in a three-seat configuration?
Jan 24, 2015, 7:16 am
#138
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,602
I would find anyone wanting to change seat rude if not capable of explaining nicely his/her situation for the change. I can be very nasty when jerky people bump on me or seat next to me with unpolite behaviour.
I can be very polite too on the positive side. I have had few times people ask me change seat and most of the time it has been easy to accodomate the question.
2 examples come to my mind.
Once FA was asking people in the front of Y cabin to move back to balance the plane and nobody moved. I volunteered as I did not have hurry with my connection, so thought heck it is only a short leg, why not. I was replaced from aisle-seat (next to me empty) to last row seat (next to me occupied).
Other time I was seating in the back of a longhaul Y and I had so low mood anyway due the Y seat that I found absolutely no problem to change for a seat adjacent to a mother with a crying small baby. There was a lady who, at the time of still not even taxiing off, did not bear the cry of the child. I have kids and have flewn with my newborns and I am more or less "deaf" to baby scream, so I was empathetic to the mother who was seemingly "sweating" off the pressure she must have been feeling from neighbouring passenger due to the crying baby.
I am pretty empathetic to small babies on plane, whereas I do have trouble to put up with a little older rage-kids not controlled by their lazy parents
I can be very polite too on the positive side. I have had few times people ask me change seat and most of the time it has been easy to accodomate the question.
2 examples come to my mind.
Once FA was asking people in the front of Y cabin to move back to balance the plane and nobody moved. I volunteered as I did not have hurry with my connection, so thought heck it is only a short leg, why not. I was replaced from aisle-seat (next to me empty) to last row seat (next to me occupied).
Other time I was seating in the back of a longhaul Y and I had so low mood anyway due the Y seat that I found absolutely no problem to change for a seat adjacent to a mother with a crying small baby. There was a lady who, at the time of still not even taxiing off, did not bear the cry of the child. I have kids and have flewn with my newborns and I am more or less "deaf" to baby scream, so I was empathetic to the mother who was seemingly "sweating" off the pressure she must have been feeling from neighbouring passenger due to the crying baby.
I am pretty empathetic to small babies on plane, whereas I do have trouble to put up with a little older rage-kids not controlled by their lazy parents
Jan 24, 2015, 2:59 pm
#139
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 866
Would you switch a good seat for a worse seat?
Here is another strategy. My family of 5, including 3 kids under 10 was on a ATL-lax flight a few years ago. I was on a separate reservation from them as work paid for my ticket. I try unsuccessfully for 8 weeks to get us together on the flight but simply can't make it happen. I manage 4 together but the last one is 7 rows away.
Come the day of travel I actually get upgraded to first. I board with first to grab overhead space as we only have one bag for overhead bins and that way my wife and the kids can board last (they were in the first 2 rows of coach).
So everyone is getting settled in and I approach the guy on the aisle next to my wife and then 3 year old daughter and ask if he will swap seats with me. He asks if it's an aisle and I tell him 'no, it's 2a- a window. I've never seen someone move as fast as he did at that point.
Come the day of travel I actually get upgraded to first. I board with first to grab overhead space as we only have one bag for overhead bins and that way my wife and the kids can board last (they were in the first 2 rows of coach).
So everyone is getting settled in and I approach the guy on the aisle next to my wife and then 3 year old daughter and ask if he will swap seats with me. He asks if it's an aisle and I tell him 'no, it's 2a- a window. I've never seen someone move as fast as he did at that point.
Jan 24, 2015, 4:14 pm
#140
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
Here is another strategy. My family of 5, including 3 kids under 10 was on a ATL-lax flight a few years ago. I was on a separate reservation from them as work paid for my ticket. I try unsuccessfully for 8 weeks to get us together on the flight but simply can't make it happen. I manage 4 together but the last one is 7 rows away.
Come the day of travel I actually get upgraded to first. I board with first to grab overhead space as we only have one bag for overhead bins and that way my wife and the kids can board last (they were in the first 2 rows of coach).
So everyone is getting settled in and I approach the guy on the aisle next to my wife and then 3 year old daughter and ask if he will swap seats with me. He asks if it's an aisle and I tell him 'no, it's 2a- a window. I've never seen someone move as fast as he did at that point.
Come the day of travel I actually get upgraded to first. I board with first to grab overhead space as we only have one bag for overhead bins and that way my wife and the kids can board last (they were in the first 2 rows of coach).
So everyone is getting settled in and I approach the guy on the aisle next to my wife and then 3 year old daughter and ask if he will swap seats with me. He asks if it's an aisle and I tell him 'no, it's 2a- a window. I've never seen someone move as fast as he did at that point.
Jan 25, 2015, 12:28 am
#141
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 948
Here is another strategy. My family of 5, including 3 kids under 10 was on a ATL-lax flight a few years ago. I was on a separate reservation from them as work paid for my ticket. I try unsuccessfully for 8 weeks to get us together on the flight but simply can't make it happen. I manage 4 together but the last one is 7 rows away.
Come the day of travel I actually get upgraded to first. I board with first to grab overhead space as we only have one bag for overhead bins and that way my wife and the kids can board last (they were in the first 2 rows of coach).
So everyone is getting settled in and I approach the guy on the aisle next to my wife and then 3 year old daughter and ask if he will swap seats with me. He asks if it's an aisle and I tell him 'no, it's 2a- a window. I've never seen someone move as fast as he did at that point.
Come the day of travel I actually get upgraded to first. I board with first to grab overhead space as we only have one bag for overhead bins and that way my wife and the kids can board last (they were in the first 2 rows of coach).
So everyone is getting settled in and I approach the guy on the aisle next to my wife and then 3 year old daughter and ask if he will swap seats with me. He asks if it's an aisle and I tell him 'no, it's 2a- a window. I've never seen someone move as fast as he did at that point.
Jan 25, 2015, 3:32 am
#142
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: GRR/ORD FOE MCI
Programs: UA 1K/Million Miler, AA Platinum, Starwood Preferred Gold, Marriot Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 95
I did swap my preferred aisle seat to a window on one of United's crj 200's a few weeks ago.
The passenger who had the window next to me was massive, at least 6'5, and 280.
He asked nicely and explained he would like the aisle so he could at least stretch one leg into the aisle. It was under an hour flight so I made the swap.
It's got to be torture for anyone that size to fly on a devil's chariot. I am only 5'5 and I dread flights on those planes.
The passenger who had the window next to me was massive, at least 6'5, and 280.
He asked nicely and explained he would like the aisle so he could at least stretch one leg into the aisle. It was under an hour flight so I made the swap.
It's got to be torture for anyone that size to fly on a devil's chariot. I am only 5'5 and I dread flights on those planes.
Jan 25, 2015, 8:20 pm
#144
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
Jan 25, 2015, 8:47 pm
#145
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: EWR
Programs: Mucci, AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 587
I'm reluctant to change seats because I try to plan ahead and choose the best possibility for which I can plan.
Latest seat switch- I was on BA. I boarded early in a WT+ bulkhead seat that has a bassinet. I stowed my luggage, and headed to the lav. When I came back a mother with a young infant had taken the seat next to me, and had covered the items that I had left in my seat with her stuff (a blanket and some other baby items). Upon reaching my seat, she asked me to switch with her husband, one row back- aisle for aisle exchange. This was a TATL flight- about 7 hours. I hesitated, but decided that since it was a day flight, I could accommodate.
My irritation at this switch was twofold: first, I resented the stuff on my seat, and secondly, the husband tried to make full use of the the recline in the seat. I couldn't work on my laptop. At that point, I pressed the issue and forced him to move the seat back to no recline.
My irritation was to the entitlement about disrupting my flight. If I accommodate, why should I be inconvenienced?
Latest seat switch- I was on BA. I boarded early in a WT+ bulkhead seat that has a bassinet. I stowed my luggage, and headed to the lav. When I came back a mother with a young infant had taken the seat next to me, and had covered the items that I had left in my seat with her stuff (a blanket and some other baby items). Upon reaching my seat, she asked me to switch with her husband, one row back- aisle for aisle exchange. This was a TATL flight- about 7 hours. I hesitated, but decided that since it was a day flight, I could accommodate.
My irritation at this switch was twofold: first, I resented the stuff on my seat, and secondly, the husband tried to make full use of the the recline in the seat. I couldn't work on my laptop. At that point, I pressed the issue and forced him to move the seat back to no recline.
My irritation was to the entitlement about disrupting my flight. If I accommodate, why should I be inconvenienced?
Jan 25, 2015, 10:04 pm
#146
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New Orleans (MSY)
Programs: AA EXP, IHG PLT, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Amtrak, WN
Posts: 2,617
I'm usually pretty good with swapping aisles for windows, etc., especially in premium cabins so couples or families can sit together. I'm not as flexible with single-minded travellers who simply "want an aisle instead of a window." I don't know if I'd swap for a middle seat in the back between two passengers of size, but I usually don't mind.
Not too long ago, I swapped an F seat for a Y seat on a short MSY-DFW flight. A person boarding had recent abdominal surgery and was clearly having trouble. Overheard her asking the FA if she could have a seat that was closer to the front so she wouldn't have to walk as far. I told her she could have 4E, I'd trade with her.
Not too long ago, I swapped an F seat for a Y seat on a short MSY-DFW flight. A person boarding had recent abdominal surgery and was clearly having trouble. Overheard her asking the FA if she could have a seat that was closer to the front so she wouldn't have to walk as far. I told her she could have 4E, I'd trade with her.
Jan 25, 2015, 10:06 pm
#147
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New Orleans (MSY)
Programs: AA EXP, IHG PLT, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Amtrak, WN
Posts: 2,617
The entitlement factor is a killer for me, and I'd be especially guarded because BA charges for advance seat assignments. IMHO, it's all about how the person asks.
Jan 25, 2015, 11:09 pm
#148
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
Jan 26, 2015, 11:13 am
#150
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 1,782
My wife and I were flying EWR-BCN a few years ago. Our friend gave us two upgrades and we made it up into BusFirst or whatever United called it. We ended up with two aisle seats, one behind the other. We had booked two seats together back in Y.
I asked one person if he would swap so I could sit next to my wife and he said no. Apparently, he really wanted the window seat. As it turned out, Clyde Drexler said he's switch with me. He was heading over for a reunion of sorts of the Olympic Dream Team.
If he hadn't switched, I think we would have survived.
Before people assume and freak out that a family or couple haven't bothered to arrange to sit together, please consider that the airlines make equipment changes etc. Several times we've paid for E+ and gotten seats together. We show up at airport and voila, new plane and different seats. Not our fault.
I asked one person if he would swap so I could sit next to my wife and he said no. Apparently, he really wanted the window seat. As it turned out, Clyde Drexler said he's switch with me. He was heading over for a reunion of sorts of the Olympic Dream Team.
If he hadn't switched, I think we would have survived.
Before people assume and freak out that a family or couple haven't bothered to arrange to sit together, please consider that the airlines make equipment changes etc. Several times we've paid for E+ and gotten seats together. We show up at airport and voila, new plane and different seats. Not our fault.