Not switching seats with someone
Mar 31, 2010, 8:42 am
#151
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: LH FTL
Posts: 9
I think you should not feel guilty at all. Clearly he was not willing to give up his seat and take 18e instead. So why should you? I understand that they want to sit together, and the situation might have been different if his request to sit in 18e would have been denied. In his case, I would have tried switching to 18e.
Mar 31, 2010, 8:43 am
#152
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Austin, TX
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Mar 31, 2010, 8:43 am
#153
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: COS
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Posts: 1,899
The guy was a complete buffoon and no doubt his wife was too. Expecting you to give up prime real estate for his benefit but unwilling to trade down to cuddle w/ Mrs. Buffoon? I think not. They're lucky they got seats at all.
Mar 31, 2010, 8:48 am
#154
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I never understand why some people think it is acceptable to trade their miserable situation with someone else. 
Mar 31, 2010, 8:49 am
#155
Join Date: Nov 2007
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you should have a clear conscience ^
Mar 31, 2010, 8:50 am
#156
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PDX
Programs: AS, DL, UA, AC, Nexus, TSA Pre
Posts: 364
However trading windows/aisles for middles doesn't work. Anyone who flies with any frequency would know better than to even ask.
Also your comment about trading for 18E was spot-on. If they wanted to sit together that badly, then it is they that should be inconvenienced, not you.
nrg
Mar 31, 2010, 8:56 am
#157
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Central Texas
Programs: Many, slipping beneath the horizon
Posts: 9,859
I only trade for "better", unless we're talking about a parent/small child adjoining seats situation (and even then I'll carefully ponder what other seating is available).
Selfish? Maybe. Self interest? Certainly. Rational? Overwhelmingly.
Selfish? Maybe. Self interest? Certainly. Rational? Overwhelmingly.
Mar 31, 2010, 9:05 am
#158
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: DL Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,314
Ditto what everybody else has said. If all the guy wanted to do was sit with his wife, he would have tried the middle seat option you suggested. The fact that he didn't shows that his real motive was to trade his middle seat for your aisle seat, and he was just using his wife as a prop.
Mar 31, 2010, 10:08 am
#159
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I think you're fine. As a rule, I'll trade an E+ window or aisle for another E+ window or aisle or an E+ middle for another E+ middle to help someone out. I'd even give up the bulkhead to do so if they were nice.
However trading windows/aisles for middles doesn't work. Anyone who flies with any frequency would know better than to even ask.
Also your comment about trading for 18E was spot-on. If they wanted to sit together that badly, then it is they that should be inconvenienced, not you.
nrg
However trading windows/aisles for middles doesn't work. Anyone who flies with any frequency would know better than to even ask.
Also your comment about trading for 18E was spot-on. If they wanted to sit together that badly, then it is they that should be inconvenienced, not you.
nrg
Mar 31, 2010, 10:09 am
#160
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA-GS/3k, SPG-Gold, PC-Gold
Posts: 98
ok, not really. clearly you're a nicer person than I am, i'd have probably laughed in his face if i politely said no and he found an attitude about it. and that would be on a 60 minute flight. on an 8 hr flight i'd have had probably asked him how much cash he had.
Mar 31, 2010, 10:51 am
#161
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: UA 1P
Posts: 314
The best part about stories like this is how not only do people expect you to switch with them, but they only want the more favorable switch. So you are actually supposed to make two sacrifices for them while they make zero.
Mar 31, 2010, 12:25 pm
#162
In memoriam
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Originally Posted by knifemein
The best part about stories like this is how not only do people expect you to
switch with them, but they only want the more favorable switch. So you are
actually supposed to make two sacrifices for them while they make zero.
switch with them, but they only want the more favorable switch. So you are
actually supposed to make two sacrifices for them while they make zero.
"just trying to be nice," and the recipient was clearly pulling a swindle. As the
donor got up, a neighbor said, you shouldn't have done that, and the donor
pulled a face and said, no, I shouldn't.
Don't do it even to be nice. It irritates you, it irritates your neighbors, and it
just encourages the perps.
Mar 31, 2010, 12:37 pm
#163
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 971
Frankly, I don't understand why married people feel that they'll just die if they don't sit within 6 inches of each other. ESPECIALLY after a couple of decades or more of togetherness. I would NEVER take a middle seat just to sit next to my husband: I've heard every one of his stories, thanks very much, many times.
Mar 31, 2010, 12:39 pm
#164
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I always reply "Nice try", laugh, shake my head, and stick my head back in my book, and don't have to talk to anyone for the rest of the flight. Sweet.
On the opposite side of the equation I have seen people swap an aisle for a middle seat and I want to scream "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" as they agree to it as they are being had imho (I am talking long haul here).
On the opposite side of the equation I have seen people swap an aisle for a middle seat and I want to scream "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" as they agree to it as they are being had imho (I am talking long haul here).
Mar 31, 2010, 2:19 pm
#165
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: NWA Worldperks, AA Advantage, United Mileage Plus
Posts: 168
Yeah, it's your seat and it's your right not to give it up. The only reasons I would ever give up my seat would be to trade up for a better seat or if the person asking was an elderly or disabled person. Other than that they're stuck with the seat they got assigned.