Seat Swap in same cabin etiquette
#31
Join Date: Mar 2009
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#32
Join Date: Apr 2000
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This times 1,000. I am 1K, and I earn the miles almost entirely on one route: DEN-OGG. Usually in a 757. Row 1 is awful, no leg room, actually worse than E+, and on the red eye it is miserable.
I fly for business, alone, and this is a big "couples" route. I book an aisle in row three, and just about every flight someone from row 1 asks if I would switch so they can sit next to their one and only in 3A (or 3F) and would I mind heading up to row1. I swapped a few times. Now I just say; "Why don't you see if 1A wants to sit back here in 3A where dearly beloved is currently"?
I fly for business, alone, and this is a big "couples" route. I book an aisle in row three, and just about every flight someone from row 1 asks if I would switch so they can sit next to their one and only in 3A (or 3F) and would I mind heading up to row1. I swapped a few times. Now I just say; "Why don't you see if 1A wants to sit back here in 3A where dearly beloved is currently"?
I would not willingly trade 1B for a seat in row 3!
#33
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 923
Originally Posted by 1P:24055837
This times 1,000. I am 1K, and I earn the miles almost entirely on one route: DEN-OGG. Usually in a 757. Row 1 is awful, no leg room, actually worse than E+, and on the red eye it is miserable.
I fly for business, alone, and this is a big "couples" route. I book an aisle in row three, and just about every flight someone from row 1 asks if I would switch so they can sit next to their one and only in 3A (or 3F) and would I mind heading up to row1. I swapped a few times. Now I just say; "Why don't you see if 1A wants to sit back here in 3A where dearly beloved is currently"?
I fly for business, alone, and this is a big "couples" route. I book an aisle in row three, and just about every flight someone from row 1 asks if I would switch so they can sit next to their one and only in 3A (or 3F) and would I mind heading up to row1. I swapped a few times. Now I just say; "Why don't you see if 1A wants to sit back here in 3A where dearly beloved is currently"?
I would not willingly trade 1B for a seat in row 3!
#34
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#35
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Who knows? You may get lucky.
Last time I did a seat swap on SFO-HNL (old styled B772 INTL). I was originally seated at C, center left aisle (2-3-2 seating). I swapped to the left aisle for the couple.
I ended up having both C seats by myself.
Last time I did a seat swap on SFO-HNL (old styled B772 INTL). I was originally seated at C, center left aisle (2-3-2 seating). I swapped to the left aisle for the couple.
I ended up having both C seats by myself.
#36
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
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Returning to US on a 738 in F. Every seat was coupled up except for two : row 1 & 4, both on same side. Newlyweds from that previous weekend (destination wedding) were split up sitting in those rows. neither a guy, who was a father of two & whose wife & kids were in E+, & a woman who wanted her aisle seat cutout in row 1, would move. I felt bad for the couple (though admittedly, not bad enough to move myself). Had I been flying solo, I would have moved in a heartbeat.
I was in row 21D(exit row) on a 757, the guy in 22D asked to switch to sit next to his friend in 21E.
I turned around and asked if the man in 22E would be willing to switch with 21E(and move to the exit row).
When the man in 22E enthusiastically said "yes", the "friend" (in 21E) said "No thank you". They had the balls to ask me again to switch with 22D ...
Basically I was being asked to switch from an exit row to E- on a 6 hour flight, instead of the "friend" switching from an exit row to E-.
I turned around and asked if the man in 22E would be willing to switch with 21E(and move to the exit row).
When the man in 22E enthusiastically said "yes", the "friend" (in 21E) said "No thank you". They had the balls to ask me again to switch with 22D ...
Basically I was being asked to switch from an exit row to E- on a 6 hour flight, instead of the "friend" switching from an exit row to E-.
#37
Join Date: Dec 2012
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Sometimes I get two CPU seats last minute while they are boarding group 1 at the gate and naturally they are not next to each other. While I make an attempt to trade taking into consideration the seat preferences of the person I am speaking to, in the end my wife or kids (old enough to sit solo) were already pre-warned that they might not be next to each other in F. It is not the end of the world as far as I am concerned, especially when you get them for FREE at the last minute. If they want to sit together so badly, they can easily go to Y and ask 2 solo fliers sitting in seats they would like if they want to move up to F. I had a GS do that a couple years ago with his single upgrade seat, as he preferred to sit in exit row middle next to his wife (aisle). The passenger who he was asking to trade said "No" so I jumped up and said I would take the F seat (he could have my exit row window) - at which point exit row middle guy thought hard and walked up to F.
I had something similar on a 9 hour TATL, except it was only trading a E- window for an E- middle (I need to lean on window in Y to get any sleep). I had to look into her eyes and ask if she understood what she was asking of me. She said she didn't care as she was separated from her young kids. I told her I understand and proceeded to show her how to trade like for like, next to one of her other assigned seats. Worked out just fine (and I would not have left her young kid solo regardless). Some people just don't understand that other passengers place value on specific seats, or pretend to ignore that such value exists. Probably a bit of both.
I had something similar on a 9 hour TATL, except it was only trading a E- window for an E- middle (I need to lean on window in Y to get any sleep). I had to look into her eyes and ask if she understood what she was asking of me. She said she didn't care as she was separated from her young kids. I told her I understand and proceeded to show her how to trade like for like, next to one of her other assigned seats. Worked out just fine (and I would not have left her young kid solo regardless). Some people just don't understand that other passengers place value on specific seats, or pretend to ignore that such value exists. Probably a bit of both.
Mind you, I'm usually on a 2 hr flight, so it's puzzling that the love birds can't be apart. And yes, I know there may be reasons (medical, caregiver, etc.), I'm jot talking about those.
Cheers.
#38
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 923
I had a GS do that a couple years ago with his single upgrade seat, as he preferred to sit in exit row middle next to his wife (aisle). The passenger who he was asking to trade said "No" so I jumped up and said I would take the F seat (he could have my exit row window) - at which point exit row middle guy thought hard and walked up to F.
.
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#39
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Thanks for your thoughts. Makes me feel better. The guy was not happy, so I felt bad being Christmas Eve and all. If I ever wanted to swap, I think I would ask the seat mate after boarding rather than going to the desk. I guess every situation is different. Merry Christmas everyone!
I was in row 21D(exit row) on a 757, the guy in 22D asked to switch to sit next to his friend in 21E.
I turned around and asked if the man in 22E would be willing to switch with 21E(and move to the exit row).
When the man in 22E enthusiastically said "yes", the "friend" (in 21E) said "No thank you". They had the balls to ask me again to switch with 22D ...
I turned around and asked if the man in 22E would be willing to switch with 21E(and move to the exit row).
When the man in 22E enthusiastically said "yes", the "friend" (in 21E) said "No thank you". They had the balls to ask me again to switch with 22D ...
I've also had people in window seats in 2-2-2 C try to swap with me in the center aisle seat, and get mad when I refused.
Amazing how they always want to swap for the better seat... and refuse to swap for a worse one which would nonetheless get their party together. Me, when I ask to swap, I always have a better seat to offer; the past two vacations, it's been a 3-class F seat for a C seat. The pax didn't turn that down either time!
#40
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Like the FT tags ... maybe we can create a index card size 'Seat Swap Etiquette' info we can hand over to a person who asks to switch? If asked to switch, I can say, "no, but here's how you might succeed asking someone else to switch."
#41
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: UA MP Gold, 1MM, Global Entry
Posts: 470
Have a friend who had small cards made to put on car windows when they took two parking spaces.
The seat swap etiquette card is slightly more civilized.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 26, 2014 at 9:47 pm Reason: inappropriate language, not allowed by FT ToS
#42
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
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Was in F on an ORD-DEN flight and a guy asked me if I could switch 4B for 3C or D, I forget which. For a short flight like that, I'm pretty agnostic on aisle/window. It was so he could sit with his wife, who hadn't boarded yet. I just asked him, "Do you want to sit with her, or do you want a break? I can tell her I said no?". He didn't get what I meant for second and then chuckled, looked into the distance for a second, mentally came back and said, "No, I want to sit with her."
#43
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
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The last time I agreed to swap seats, so a couple could sit together, the person that I swapped with was sitting in the wrong seat initially. This was in domestic F, pretty early in the boarding process.
But I found out, after settling into my new window seat, when the actual owner of that seat showed up. Turns out that the guy who had asked me to swap had the aisle seat. Not a big deal, I simply moved over one seat. But I would have preferred to avoid that slightly awkward moment.
However, next time someone asks to swap (and if the request sounds reasonable), I might ask to see their boarding pass before moving.
But I found out, after settling into my new window seat, when the actual owner of that seat showed up. Turns out that the guy who had asked me to swap had the aisle seat. Not a big deal, I simply moved over one seat. But I would have preferred to avoid that slightly awkward moment.
However, next time someone asks to swap (and if the request sounds reasonable), I might ask to see their boarding pass before moving.
#44
Join Date: Feb 2014
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Returning to US on a 738 in F. Every seat was coupled up except for two : row 1 & 4, both on same side. Newlyweds from that previous weekend (destination wedding) were split up sitting in those rows. neither a guy, who was a father of two & whose wife & kids were in E+, & a woman who wanted her aisle seat cutout in row 1, would move. I felt bad for the couple (though admittedly, not bad enough to move myself). Had I been flying solo, I would have moved in a heartbeat.
#45
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 270
on recent ord/pdx leg i was in 1a (with cutout) and my 15y son was in 1e (no cutout).
during boarding i ask the woman in 1b:
" hey, thats my son in 1e, if possible for you to switch aisle seats, we'd prefer to sit together...but no tears if not...without the cutout, 1e is definitely a worse seat"
she responds quite happily: "sure, no problem...i don't care where i sit"
i was frankly a bit unnerved at her carefree ways and pushed:
"are u SURE?...u see there's no cut-out in 1e...its definitely a worse seat for 4hrs...so really, no harm if you don't want to switch"
but she switched nonetheless...almost with a song in her heart.
i just don't get some people
during boarding i ask the woman in 1b:
" hey, thats my son in 1e, if possible for you to switch aisle seats, we'd prefer to sit together...but no tears if not...without the cutout, 1e is definitely a worse seat"
she responds quite happily: "sure, no problem...i don't care where i sit"
i was frankly a bit unnerved at her carefree ways and pushed:
"are u SURE?...u see there's no cut-out in 1e...its definitely a worse seat for 4hrs...so really, no harm if you don't want to switch"
but she switched nonetheless...almost with a song in her heart.
i just don't get some people