emma69

I did this on a recent flight booking, took an aisle next to someone instead of the 6 other available aisles further back. For me it is because I stay awake so don't like people reclining into me. At T- however many weeks, chances are it will fill up, so I would rather pick the seat I prefer than gamble on a seat staying empty even if when we board I would move to the row behind if it is empty.

Annalisa12

I recall years ago a fairly empty plane from SYD to HNL and I announced to those around me before take off that once the seat belt sign goes off you can move to wherever you like and that the armrests fold up so you can have a middle row of 4 (I'm sure it was 4 and not 3). When we hit cruising altitude it was game on. Everyone ran to spread out. I had a row to myself and my travel companion had the row in front. Half way through the 10 hour flight I passed by 2 people in their original 2 seats near the window and said..bet your sorry you didn't listen to me.

clubeurope

one short answer: no.

cblaisd

Or in other places too:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18075082-post1.html

haa

Some people I know (quite regular travelers) want to sit as far to the front as possible (of the section they are in), preferring even middle in the very front rows to aisle/window a few rows back. This could explain the seats including middles filling up in front when there is space. I try to avoid this by booking exit row if I can or something 5-10 rows back from the front of a aircraft cabin section.

It seems some automated systems fill the plane from the front / middle / back with full rows, maybe to balance the aircraft or after equipment change? For me, experflyer [just a happy customer] aircarft change alerts are great, I can try to change the seat to a better one.

I call an empty seat in Y next to me "the poor man's business class", it really makes it much more comfortable to travel, so try to optimize for that if possible. These days it is hard to decide exit row, more leg space but more likely to be a full row, compared to bigger chance of empty middle in 3+3 layout a few rows back...

drewguy

+1. But I would keep monitoring.

clubeurope

Agreed.

As such, a seat map is a poor indication of flight loads and should not be assumed to predict the load of a flight, especially not in certain places where people rarely do online check-in and/or select seats.

pinniped

I'll admit it: it's me. OP, I'm looking forward to our flight. I plan to discuss my favorite organized religion, CrossFit, and veganism for the entire flight. See you onboard!

Jesperss

You were flying out of Japan.

I'd bet everything I own that the flyer was Japanese and was assigned that seat. The thought of moving never crossed their mind. It's a cultural thing (my wife is Japanese). The combination of following rules and living in an area where there's a lack of personal space means the entire plane could have been empty and they still would have sat there.

Carnforth

Isn't it possible that they were perfectly happy where they were and also, didn't wish to be party to the 'run to spread out' ?
It makes perfect sense to make use of empty seats in the fashion you describe
but different travellers have different priorities and it strikes me that the presumption to expect others to take the same actions as themselves and to somehow regret it if they didn't; a bit er, presumptive.