Nice story, but it always astounds me how often the would.

Big smile, "no thank you".

This is always a tough one for me if I am in an aisle seat...i am 6'4" so there has to be a VERY legitimate need before I switch.

Everything depends upon the situation given.. But everything must be done courteously and not in a manner of speaking in which a person does not want to be treated, then he/she should not treat another person the same way.

A little bit of politeness and courtesy always goes better in everything you do..

Exasperation!

Last year, as my wife and I seated ourselves in Portside A & B seats in an MD80**, the mother in a traveling family of 4 (2 of them in the row's E & F seats) asked that I, on the aisle, move to a middle seat aft in a nearly full a/c, so they might all sit in the same row. We had already had to evict her spouse from my seat, while they had managed to work a switch with an accommodating gent seated in the D seat. She had clearly watched my wife and me board together.

There's gall, and then there's unmitigated gall....

**AA's MD80s' seats are numbered A, B, aisle, D, E, F, which may be a differnt practice than used by some airlines.

i think the real issue is not how to respond to a request to move (in truth, a polite reply is all that is due), but how to deal with people who don't take a polite no for an answer. you have as much a right to refuse as the asker has a right to ask.

those of you who are shocked that families seemingly fail to book seats together should know that even when you book seats together, airlines frequently split them up. the odds of a splitup increase with each additional seat purchased. putting a note in your reservation that a particular passenger is a child, riding in a carseat, etc can and will be ignored by the airline's seat-shuffling algorithms. having flown alot and having read FT alot, i know which numbers to call and what to say when i fly with my kids. simply calling the general 800 number and asking the frontline rep to make sure your seats stay together will often be met with a "don't worry, your seats are reserved" that does NOT prevent them from moving later.

With all due respect . . . so what?

I think you are missing the point. If you want to fly with your children , it is your problem, not the problem of anyone else on the plane. I have no responsibility to ensure that you sit together, nor do I have any obligation to inconvenience myself for your benefit. If you're traveling on a genuine emergency, most people, including myself, would bend over backwards to assist. However, the fact that you want to fly with your kids is not justification for inconveniencing strangers. If you can't build into your plans the possibility of having to delay or change flights due to your specific seating requirements, don't fly with your kids. Don't assume, however, that flying with children (or flying with a significant other) creates any moral or ethical imperative for strangers to accommodate you.

I've done that myself. Works every time! :D

I usually just say a polite no thanks but there was one time where a couple wanted to sit together and the seat she wanted to give me was those single seats on row A. It was great, I now have a window and an aisle! :)

I was more than happy to change with her.

That's exactly the point: If considering the trade request at all, one must evaluate the trade option to be as good or better...AND ask to see the boarding pass for verification.

Pretty simple stuff.

I like your attitude.

I was in an aisle seat behind my son. I asked the gentleman who was in the aisle seat across from my son if he would mind switching. Man- gentleman was not the correct description here. I am talking about one row. He was quite rude and said I should have booked it that way. Well, DUH, I would of if it were available.

I think people dont realize that seat availability is not always available.

I had a woman ask (via the FA) for my window seat in the back of First with an open aisle seat. She was a few rows forward in the center section and I think her husband was on the right. She was old, dressed by Neiman Marcus, they'd been together for at least 40 years, not like there was going to be handholding involved. I complied and my new seatmate was a very congenial 2 MM-er.

Just before takeoff this woman is standing in front of me pushing her boarding pass in my face and non-verbally indicating I am in her seat.

So I returned to my far back window, and the genial 2MM guy went with me and the rude lady and husband sat together in "our" seats. Turns out the open aisle seat was open because it didn't recline. 2MM guy is okay with this and took it gracefully. We were embarrassed for her husband who was actually willing to stay in the broken seat, probably to stay away from the biitch he was married to.

That was one of my first experiences in first, and it still rankles. Now I usually trade seats, but I think it out a bit beforehand. In coach I was once asked to give up my exit row window so my large seatmate's girlfriend could have my seat and I could sit next to her dad in 87F or somewhere. I said no way, and the result was dad moved up with me, son moved back with girlfriend and thankfully dad was about 100 pounds smaller than the son. A happy ending, as they usually are.

It's always a matter of perspective.. from your viewpoint that might be the case, for the man-gentleman it might be another..

This is one of those 'we can continue this argument till hell froze over' type until every passenger gets what he/she wants. :rolleyes:

Wow.

You decided his seat was fungible with yours. Obviously, he felt otherwise. Why in the world would you think you have a superior claim to his seat just because two seats together weren't available? You asked a FAVOR. It is the person of whom the favor is asked who is the only individual who has any say in whether the favor should be granted. Sorry, but the one who was rude was you.

"I have a severe case of scoliosis." Just position your body slightly in one direction while you explain your situation. ;)