Not switching seats with someone
Nov 15, 2009, 1:18 pm
#61
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You were within your rights regardless of situation. It is unreasonable for you to move to a window if you prefer aisle. Now, if it was a proposal to move to another aisle seat at a better location, and you refused to move, then I'd question.
Simply say, "No, thank you. I prefer my seat."
- Pat
Simply say, "No, thank you. I prefer my seat."
- Pat
Nov 15, 2009, 1:19 pm
#62
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I was recently asked in F on a BOS-MIA flight to switch for a couple, but they were offering me the bulkhead aisle. I am tall and had several knee injuries over the years and prefer aisle seats and often find bulkhead seats uncomfortable. I just explained that, sat with the wife, and had a very pleasant conversation and said that I had reserved my aisle seat for a reason. It wasn't particularly uncomfortable. In F, for a short flight I would likley move to a window seat.
Nov 15, 2009, 1:25 pm
#63
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I was recently asked in F on a BOS-MIA flight to switch for a couple, but they were offering me the bulkhead aisle. I am tall and had several knee injuries over the years and prefer aisle seats and often find bulkhead seats uncomfortable. I just explained that, sat with the wife, and had a very pleasant conversation and said that I had reserved my aisle seat for a reason. It wasn't particularly uncomfortable. In F, for a short flight I would likley move to a window seat.
Nov 15, 2009, 1:26 pm
#64
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I had FAs asking me in various situations to switch seats. Sometime I do - sometimes I don't !
I never switch for a bulkhead, thats for sure. On longhaul I also prefer my window seat.
After all it also depends on HOW I am being asked. If I find a demanding tone in the voice then I certainly do not switch seats for anyone.
I think the OP was ok here !
I never switch for a bulkhead, thats for sure. On longhaul I also prefer my window seat.
After all it also depends on HOW I am being asked. If I find a demanding tone in the voice then I certainly do not switch seats for anyone.
I think the OP was ok here !
Nov 15, 2009, 1:31 pm
#65
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This issue has been discussed many times, that I can tell, but I think it's a fairly decent topic to discuss as it covers a few areas. There are a few issues you've raised so I'll try to give my take on each one.
1. Should you have moved and were you a jerk for not moving?
Should you have moved is a a fairly delicate question.. As you have stated you don't know what their circumstances were. I suppose it would have been the nice/considerate thing to do, but I wouldn't necessarily feel obligated to do so. With respect to my own travel, I prefer aisle seats, regardless of cabin. This is because I go to the bathroom a fair bit, so if I was situated in the middle, the person or persons in the other seat/s would most likely have to move to accommodate me several times during the flight. So I would have likely declined for that reason (but probably would not have explained that to them and would have given a similar response like yours).
As you have surmised I would have bet they were last minute upgraders or something similar. While it would be nice for them to get seats together, when you get their late sometimes you take what you can get. I will say regardless, giving the stink eye is also uncalled for and impolite.
2. Are there instances that I should/must/whatever give up my seat and move.
I'd say probably in instances such as a parent traveling with their young child, a disabled person, elderly person with care taker, etc... I would not file "couples wanting to sit together" under these examples.
3. Can FAs move me involuntarily?
Yes they can. There are threads that talk to death about that issue (that I was in fact reading last night).
That said, I think what you did was perfectly fine and reasonable.
1. Should you have moved and were you a jerk for not moving?
Should you have moved is a a fairly delicate question.. As you have stated you don't know what their circumstances were. I suppose it would have been the nice/considerate thing to do, but I wouldn't necessarily feel obligated to do so. With respect to my own travel, I prefer aisle seats, regardless of cabin. This is because I go to the bathroom a fair bit, so if I was situated in the middle, the person or persons in the other seat/s would most likely have to move to accommodate me several times during the flight. So I would have likely declined for that reason (but probably would not have explained that to them and would have given a similar response like yours).
As you have surmised I would have bet they were last minute upgraders or something similar. While it would be nice for them to get seats together, when you get their late sometimes you take what you can get. I will say regardless, giving the stink eye is also uncalled for and impolite.
2. Are there instances that I should/must/whatever give up my seat and move.
I'd say probably in instances such as a parent traveling with their young child, a disabled person, elderly person with care taker, etc... I would not file "couples wanting to sit together" under these examples.
3. Can FAs move me involuntarily?
Yes they can. There are threads that talk to death about that issue (that I was in fact reading last night).
That said, I think what you did was perfectly fine and reasonable.
Last edited by PFKMan23; Nov 15, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Nov 15, 2009, 2:09 pm
#66
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You were in your rights to refuse. As for the couple, were they newly weds? Was it a big deal to them? Quite frankly, if they're not honeymooning and it's not a 10 hour flight, does it really matter? I'm sure they can deal with not sitting right next to one another for a few hours. LAS - ORD is not a long flight. They likely spend a lot of time together anyways.
You handled it well. "No, thank you, I like my aisle seat" is just fine. You can let the FA's deal with it. If it was their honeymoon or something, it would have been nicer of you to move. In the end, the airline allotted the seats, so it's their issue for not putting them together. Plus, it's only LAS to ORD. It's not a long flight.
You handled it well. "No, thank you, I like my aisle seat" is just fine. You can let the FA's deal with it. If it was their honeymoon or something, it would have been nicer of you to move. In the end, the airline allotted the seats, so it's their issue for not putting them together. Plus, it's only LAS to ORD. It's not a long flight.
Nov 15, 2009, 2:14 pm
#67
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In fact, the airline needs to make "reasonable accommodations" for people and can get into trouble if they dont't.
Nov 15, 2009, 3:21 pm
#68
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The concept of "trade" implies a quid pro quo: I have something that you want, so you offer me something that I want. If you're not offering me something that I want, it's no longer a trade -- it's asking a favor. Granting favors is discretionary. If I say, "no, thank you," to a seat trade and an FA gives me attitude, I'll ask for the senior or the purser and politely explain that I do not appreciate being abused in this fashion.
As for the mechanics of seat trading:
- Better for worse: okay
- Like for like: okay
- Worse for better: never
- Non-foreseeable emergency circumstances (funeral, medical emergency): okay
- Anything else, whether it is a couple that is split up, parent and child, family member or friend: Never. Your problem is with the airline, not with me.
As for the mechanics of seat trading:
- Better for worse: okay
- Like for like: okay
- Worse for better: never
- Non-foreseeable emergency circumstances (funeral, medical emergency): okay
- Anything else, whether it is a couple that is split up, parent and child, family member or friend: Never. Your problem is with the airline, not with me.
Nov 15, 2009, 4:55 pm
#69
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 4
I travel a lot for work and I have changed seats at times when asked to and I am not being put into a worse section than where I was. Do not underestimate the rudeness of people though. I have been told I am going to move because a person always has the aisle seat or because thier freind or family member is in the row I am in. When that happens Hell will freeze over beforeI voluntarily give up my seat. I have had several instances of two of us having the same seat and the flight attendants have always been helpful about it.
Nov 15, 2009, 5:37 pm
#70
Join Date: May 2008
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It's surprising to me that cabin staff would try to accommodate such requests (I'm talking about asking FAs to get a passenger to switch, not asking them if there's an empty seat somewhere they could move to,) for the simple reason that if pax get the impression that they can routinely enlist the FA to effect a seat exchange for them, it's going to mean a lot of extra work. Do FAs really want to add arranging routine (without compelling special reason) seat exchanges to their work load?
I guess I've been lucky, since I don't ever recall being asked to exchange (except on the rare occasions when some nice person has noticed that I'm separated from a companion and offered to exchange so we could sit together.) I'd be reluctant to do it though, and would certainly react negatively if the pax acted like they had a right to the exchange.
I guess I've been lucky, since I don't ever recall being asked to exchange (except on the rare occasions when some nice person has noticed that I'm separated from a companion and offered to exchange so we could sit together.) I'd be reluctant to do it though, and would certainly react negatively if the pax acted like they had a right to the exchange.
Nov 15, 2009, 5:41 pm
#71
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I'm especially put off by last-minute upgraders wanting the F cabin to play musical chairs to accommodate their whims (especially when the cabin crew and the gate agent are frantically trying to get the door closed so that the plane can depart on time.
If sitting together is such a critical issue, why does the couple not keep their adjacent seats in Y?
Also, vt_traveler, welcome to FlyerTalk!
If sitting together is such a critical issue, why does the couple not keep their adjacent seats in Y?
Also, vt_traveler, welcome to FlyerTalk!
Nov 16, 2009, 1:09 pm
#72
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I've had a squatter exactly once. I think I was flying STL-ORD on an AA MD80 several months back. The teenage girl in 12D(middle seat) thought she could take my 12E(window seat). I asked her to get up once, she wouldn't and gave me some kind of song and dance about being clausterphobic(right...), asked her to get up again in a firm tone, she didn't, then I finally demanded that she get up and she did. All while I'm standing in the aisle holding up the boarding process and pi**ing people off.
I'm not obligated to give up my seat to you, sorry, that's not the way it works.
I'm not obligated to give up my seat to you, sorry, that's not the way it works.
Nov 16, 2009, 6:31 pm
#73
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If you've had it only happen once, you're maybe tall or male or all of the above. I have it happen all the time. People see a tiny blonde middle-aged female and it's open season on my seat.
I'm not gonna argue with the poacher. I simply call over the FA and explain that I have a personal condition that requires me to keep my assigned aisle seat. Once or twice, when I've hit the "call" button, the poacher went ahead and moved their poaching rear end without further discussion. In my secret heart of hearts, I guess I wish that poachers got put off the flight or even arrested. They prey on short/small/female people.
It's like the folks (invariably male) who tell me how great Southwest is. They are flabbergasted to hear what happened to me on my last Southwest flight. Yah, nobody makes the 400 pound lady sit next to THEM instead of telling her to buy two seats. They make her sit next to me. After all, I'm a petite middle-aged Southern female, so I don't have feelings and it's OK if the obese person sits on me. Right, Southwest? Yes, my last flight on that airline was in 2004, but it will be a cold day in heck before I risk it again.
I'm not gonna argue with the poacher. I simply call over the FA and explain that I have a personal condition that requires me to keep my assigned aisle seat. Once or twice, when I've hit the "call" button, the poacher went ahead and moved their poaching rear end without further discussion. In my secret heart of hearts, I guess I wish that poachers got put off the flight or even arrested. They prey on short/small/female people.
It's like the folks (invariably male) who tell me how great Southwest is. They are flabbergasted to hear what happened to me on my last Southwest flight. Yah, nobody makes the 400 pound lady sit next to THEM instead of telling her to buy two seats. They make her sit next to me. After all, I'm a petite middle-aged Southern female, so I don't have feelings and it's OK if the obese person sits on me. Right, Southwest? Yes, my last flight on that airline was in 2004, but it will be a cold day in heck before I risk it again.
Dec 2, 2009, 8:10 pm
#74
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 53
Thanks.......same situation happened to me a week ago...
Ohhhh...not the dreaded stink eye!! That should show him! Seriously, why didn't you get the FA to move him? It's your seat, period. Let him get beligerent with them instead of you and see what happens.
I myself was in a similar situation last week...I get on the plane last and get to my asile seat...sure enough, there is a guy sitting there. I am polite at first, "Oh, I think you are in my seat"...he looks up from his magazine and says "Just sit there", tilting his head to the middle seat. Then he adds "It's not big a deal". So I respond with "If it's not a big deal, you sit there. I want the seat I paid for". What he said next floored me: "Don't give me back talk.". Okay, the dude is a psycho. I head to the rear and talk to the FA..she waits until everyone boards and then goes to move the guy..next thing I know, the guy is yelling at her, telling her how often he flies and how they "owe" him. She comes back to me and asks if I would mind just sitting in the middle seat. Absolutely not. She goes back and says, in a totally different voice, "Sir, you are going to have to sit in your assigned seat or get off the plane"...now everyone is watching, which is what I think motivated him..he moved over to the middle and I sat in my seat, sensing his seething anger the whole way.
Point is, don't put up with it.
I myself was in a similar situation last week...I get on the plane last and get to my asile seat...sure enough, there is a guy sitting there. I am polite at first, "Oh, I think you are in my seat"...he looks up from his magazine and says "Just sit there", tilting his head to the middle seat. Then he adds "It's not big a deal". So I respond with "If it's not a big deal, you sit there. I want the seat I paid for". What he said next floored me: "Don't give me back talk.". Okay, the dude is a psycho. I head to the rear and talk to the FA..she waits until everyone boards and then goes to move the guy..next thing I know, the guy is yelling at her, telling her how often he flies and how they "owe" him. She comes back to me and asks if I would mind just sitting in the middle seat. Absolutely not. She goes back and says, in a totally different voice, "Sir, you are going to have to sit in your assigned seat or get off the plane"...now everyone is watching, which is what I think motivated him..he moved over to the middle and I sat in my seat, sensing his seething anger the whole way.
Point is, don't put up with it.
I added that if he didn't want his seat, to get off the plane... there were 8 standbys who would be glad to have it.
Dec 2, 2009, 8:27 pm
#75
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Hmmm, this "squatter" wouldn't happen to crash State dinners as well? 