Empty Seat Etiquette - Who is the [jerk]?
Nov 27, 2017, 3:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 47
Empty Seat Etiquette - Who is the [jerk]?
I recently had a long international flight sitting in a center row aisle seat. The cabin config was 3-4-3. I had one side of the row of 4, someone else occupied the other aisle seat, and we had 2 empty seats between us. As soon as the flight took off, the other guy put on his headphones and laid down across 3 seats, with his head on the seat directly next to me. I waited until we reached cruising altitude, then asked that he move over so that I could use one of the 2 empty seats as well. He either did not hear me or pretended to be asleep. I then pried back one of his headphones and again asked for him to move over. He glared at me then moved to occupy only 2 of the seats, giving me the other empty seat. Who is the <redacted by moderator> here?
Last edited by JY1024; Nov 27, 2017 at 9:31 pm Reason: edit by moderator
Nov 27, 2017, 4:32 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
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He should be glad you did not lift a butt check and fart :-)
That said I would probably not have lifted their headphones but tapped them on the shoulder until I got their attention.
That said I would probably not have lifted their headphones but tapped them on the shoulder until I got their attention.
Nov 27, 2017, 5:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2008
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As soon as the door closed I would have spread over into the adjacent seat to preclude someone from occupying three seats. Then I would have discussed with him the possibility of us each occupying three seats in shifts.
Nov 27, 2017, 5:30 pm
#5
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Nov 27, 2017, 7:54 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2017
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I recently had a long international flight sitting in a center row aisle seat. The cabin config was 3-4-3. I had one side of the row of 4, someone else occupied the other aisle seat, and we had 2 empty seats between us. As soon as the flight took off, the other guy put on his headphones and laid down across 3 seats, with his head on the seat directly next to me. I waited until we reached cruising altitude, then asked that he move over so that I could use one of the 2 empty seats as well. He either did not hear me or pretended to be asleep. I then pried back one of his headphones and again asked for him to move over. He glared at me then moved to occupy only 2 of the seats, giving me the other empty seat. Who is the <redacted by moderator> here?
Last edited by JY1024; Nov 27, 2017 at 9:32 pm
Nov 28, 2017, 3:28 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
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* when boarding is completed and door is shut, those 2 seats are free-for-all. you could have placed a clothing or personal item on that seat to preclaim it as yours.
* it is unpolite for the other passenger to bogart BOTH free seats, but it is not quite 'jerk' status. you snooze - lose.
* it is more unpolite for you to peel back someone's headphones. that's a tactless move.
* same goes for the passive-aggressive suggestion below...
that he acknowledged your wanting of the seat and (even if begrudgingly) agreed to split them... means you shouldnt really stay soured over the situation.
* it is unpolite for the other passenger to bogart BOTH free seats, but it is not quite 'jerk' status. you snooze - lose.
* it is more unpolite for you to peel back someone's headphones. that's a tactless move.
* same goes for the passive-aggressive suggestion below...
that he acknowledged your wanting of the seat and (even if begrudgingly) agreed to split them... means you shouldnt really stay soured over the situation.
Nov 28, 2017, 9:56 am
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
I agree a tap on the shoulder would be more appropriate. I agree neither is entitled to anything. Beyond that, the term 'etiquette' probably doesn't really exist in reality when it comes to airline travel these days. The entire system is set up to pit passenger against passenger. So maybe the mistake is in thinking there is an appropriate etiquette that should be followed.
Next time, book a seat in a row of 3. Now who gets the empty middle seat if there is one? What's the proper etiquitte for that?
Next time, book a seat in a row of 3. Now who gets the empty middle seat if there is one? What's the proper etiquitte for that?
Nov 28, 2017, 10:17 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 609
Taking turns to lay down presents far greater comfort to both party on a longhual international flight in coach.
Nov 28, 2017, 11:45 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 416
I recently had a long international flight sitting in a center row aisle seat. The cabin config was 3-4-3. I had one side of the row of 4, someone else occupied the other aisle seat, and we had 2 empty seats between us. As soon as the flight took off, the other guy put on his headphones and laid down across 3 seats, with his head on the seat directly next to me. I waited until we reached cruising altitude, then asked that he move over so that I could use one of the 2 empty seats as well. He either did not hear me or pretended to be asleep. I then pried back one of his headphones and again asked for him to move over. He glared at me then moved to occupy only 2 of the seats, giving me the other empty seat. Who is the <redacted by moderator> here?
Nov 28, 2017, 11:51 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3
I agree
I agree with the post.....as soon as the door closed however I would no have moved
on another note... the complete opposite. Why do I have to sit next to fat people tha invade my seat?
i am on a flight now and again the invasion of the flesh has started
on another note... the complete opposite. Why do I have to sit next to fat people tha invade my seat?
i am on a flight now and again the invasion of the flesh has started
Nov 28, 2017, 11:57 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, UA lowly commoner
Posts: 782
As has the invasion of the recurring complaint about fat people into a thread that was not about that particular issue.
Nov 28, 2017, 5:33 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Posts: 5,666
LOL, I don't even wait that long. We've got the seat map on our phones now, so you know if it's supposed to be empty or not. If it looks like I've got an empty row I toss stuff on the empties to discourage any poachers long before boarding ends. If someone happens to get assigned the seat at the gate then I'll gladly move my stuff. I've been seeing a lot of light loads on transpac flights lately, snagging an empty row is getting much easier than it used to be. Makes traveling on those God forsaken non-GPU-able K fares a lot more palatable.