Originally Posted by txaggiemiles

If I happen to board first I’ll usually sit in the wrong seat but have my bag in my lap and not settle in while trying to make eye contact. I’ll then quickly say would you mind if I sat here my seat is this one (again it’s generally across the aisle or right in front or back of where I am).

Originally Posted by Drunkmuppet

Flying from SFO to ORD a few weeks ago, 789 was swapped from a new to an old config. Traveling alone and was moved four times accommodate couples traveling together. I really felt bad for the flight crew as they were so confused when they came to take orders. Normally I'm happy to swap once or twice assuming the seat was the same, but it was getting a little out of control. Got to the point where couples were arguing with each other about which set of two each should take.

Originally Posted by JC5280

I am surprised you put your laptop in an overhead bin. In my 20+ years of traveling, I lost count of how many times I watched another traveler lob their heavy roll-aboard in to an overhead bin and in to a fragile laptop. Sometimes you hear the crack of a screen, sometimes you don't. But either way, the laptop almost always loses this fight, and I would imagine the damage isn't always discovered right away. In fact, Ive watched some flight attendants ask people to hold their laptop bag at their seat (mostly because they have seen this too) to avoid this happening.

And overhead bins are cleaned far less frequently than carpets, if at all. The bins are actually not even part of the cleaning SOP, other than lose items, so I would recommend you reconsidering your logic there.

Originally Posted by threeoh

Serious question: for those of you who don't mind swapping like-for-like if asked nicely, but object to someone "poaching" your seat, what is the best way for the person who wants to swap to ask? You want them to wait until you are fully settled in and have unpacked your bag, etc.? And if not, where are they supposed to wait to pop the question just as you arrive at your seat?

Obviously a poacher who has fully settled in, unpacked their bag, used the pillow, etc. is very rude / trying to make it hard for you to say no. But on the flip side letting the original person in the seat fully settle in before asking (e.g. waiting until boarding is complete) seems like a mistake too.

The one time in the past decade I've asked someone to swap (me + partner separated due to irrops), I just "perched" in his seat (bag on lap, didn't take my coat off) and when he arrived I just said "hey would you be willing to switch for another aisle further forward so I can sit next to my partner?" and he said "yeah no problem", took a look at my boarding pass, and then went and sat in my assigned seat. (I did make sure we were offering a seat further forward in the plane since most people prefer that, and obviously I would have moved without fuss if he had declined.)

Was I DYKWIA? What is best practice here?

Originally Posted by manstein58

All interesting. If I'm on a 737 or equivalent., I always try to book 1A or 1F. Little more space, easier to get to the head without bothering your seatmate. Usually say no to requests to swap unless a kid's involved. And call me old-fashioned but, when traveling with spouse or kids, I always try to buy seats side-by-side. If I cannot do that, I would never ask someone to swap seats.

Originally Posted by StuMcIlwain

I generally don't mind swapping for a roughly equivalent seat and will usually move if asked. I don't really care how I am asked as long as the request is made politely.

One time that I refused to move was when an FA, who was trying to get a family seated together, asked me to move from a Y+ to a Y- seat on a 9-hour flight to HNL. She was polite, but that didn't help.

Originally Posted by canadiancow

I take something like 2A 2E, knowing that either 2B or 2F should have no issue swapping since they're getting an equivalent seat in the same row.

Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer

Personally - if you were already in my seat that is in almost all cases - an automatic no unless somehow/someway my seat was an inferior seat - and that generally never happens.

I'll consider swapping for another aisle (a window seat is a hard no) - or if Polaris seating, don't ask me to swap to an angled seat (they just seem smaller to me) and don't ask me to go multiple rows behind me.

While it may seem harsh - everyone will survive if not seated together.

Originally Posted by canadiancow

I've booked flights that were only 50% full, but literally had a staggered layout of open seats, like 1B, 1F, 2A, 2E, 3B, 3F etc.

In that case, I take something like 2A 2E, knowing that either 2B or 2F should have no issue swapping since they're getting an equivalent seat in the same row.

Originally Posted by SPN Lifer

Some people have a great aversion to having the sun shine directly in their eyes or on their laptop screen, and prefer the shaded side of the aircraft.

Your proposed exchange is least likely to succeed shortly after sunrise or before sunset, unless you are giving up the "better" seat.

Originally Posted by halls120

I never poach someone else’s seat. I board, then I approach the person who is sitting in the seat I’d like to sit in, explain the reason, and hope he/she is willing to change.

Originally Posted by 50Kthehardway

I've also proactively offered my seat when I've seen a couple being separated. Biz travel is different from personal travel.

Originally Posted by tarheelnj

Most emphatic "no" to a seat swap request: Island Hopper, paid J, in 3F. Husband and wife aisle across from each other on HNL-MAJ segment, and wife (boarded after I did) asked me to take an aisle seat. I (politely) pointed to my digital camera, already out and poised to take pictures, and explained why I was taking the Hopper in the first place. She grumbled much of the flight, and I was glad they departed at MAJ.