catocony

I will admit that in the rare instances that I don't have an aisle seat, I will ask around if anyone wants a window and if I can swap. The reason for this is that I drink water constantly on flights and thus need to use the lav every 90 minutes or so. That's not really a medical reason to swap seats, but I view it as legit since I hate asking two people to get up and let me out 2-3 times on a transcon.

I once had a really smelly guy sit down in the middle seat. His friend wanted to sit by him, so I did give up my E+ aisle for second exit row E+ window. That was easy, on the old A320 config, since there was a ton of knee room in the last exit row and you could get in and out of the window seat without the other two passengers in your row having to move.

Another legit reason to move for someone is if the passenger has a young kid and wants a window seat so the kid can look out and hopefully be quiet.

I just don't see the point in playing musical chairs just so you can sit by someone you're traveling with. However, the are legit reasons to try and swap - with the expectation being that you ask once and if there are no takers, you stay put in your assigned seat. Consider it a bonus if people move around for you.

jp12687

ha! I can see that I’m fairly young and on 16hr flights fly on gym shorts and shirt so I’m comfortable.

PTravel

Maybe it's a legit reason for you to move. It's definitely not a reason, legit or otherwise, that I would move.

NH_Clark

Depends on situation... I have been asked a few times to move further back.. and have always promptly suggested that the person seating next to them can switch with my seatmate further upfront ..so that the inquirer can seat next to their flying mate further in the back. Funny enough, they never seem to like that suggestion.

kirkwoodj

Right up there with offering them a middle seat

catocony

I put a big premium on not having a kid screaming, crying and make a constant fuss on a plane. I wouldn't move from the window to a middle seat, but from a window to an aisle should be doable.

Sometimes a move can make your trip better for yourself. If it doesn't, then don't make the move. I'm not about to give up what little comfort I have to make someone else's life easier. There are win-win scenarios though, or at least don't lose - don't lose.

PaulInTheSky

Perfect story. That's a great feeling after all.

Good strategy, I do that sometimes too.

This is the prime example of not giving up the seat no matter what. I hate people when they take everything for granted, and the other lady had to cheat her way to make the swap request succeeded.

PTravel

I also put a premium on kids not screaming, crying and making a fuss. However, the responsibility for that happening resides solely and exclusively with the parents. Maybe, in the future, they'll learn to be more proactive about seat selection, or even reconsider whether flying with their kid is something they ought to be doing. I don't like aisles for a variety of reasons, and I'm not trading down to accommodate some parent who doesn't care about how much of a nuisance they've caused.

Exactly. When I fly, I put on my Bose headphones and listen to music from the moment I sit down to the moment I get up. That screens out most cabin noise, including, all but the most basso profundo screaming kids. As for fussing, if that includes intrusion into my space, I'll call over the FA and insist something be done, just as I would with any other pax (and something can include upgrading me or, at least, moving me to a seat that I like as well, or moving the parent and kid to wherever).

dmurphynj

... and there we are. The message you replied to is exactly what I was talking about yesterday. Getting THE LOOK from someone who ASSumes my son will be an irritant. I’ll proactively ask someone to swap with me if I’m in such a situation - not to save them from sitting next to my little guy, but because I don’t want him to be stuck next to someone who’ll resent him being there.

I agree with you wholeheartedly; the entire responsibility for a child’s behavior lies with the parent. But that cuts both ways; as much as I take responsibility for his actions, I also take pride in him being a great seat mate.

Even the pilots think he’s pretty awesome to fly with!

PTravel

I wasn't talking about your son or, for that matter, anyone else's. The question was, "what happens if a kid screams, cries or fusses." My reply was, it's the parent's responsibility to see that they don't, not mine by switching seats so the kid is amused by looking out the window.

Does your kid scream, cry or fuss? If not, then why attitude? If he does, however, then you ought to think twice about flying with him.

I don't resent anyone sitting next to me, as long as they leave me alone. The post to which I was responding addressed being asked to switch seats from a window to a middle so a kid could look out the window as a "legitimate reason" for switching. I don't consider it a legitimate reason for switching.

That's fine. I assure you, I have no interest in your kid, or anyone else who winds up sitting next to me on a plane. As I said, when I sit down, the headphones go on, the music player comes out, and I do my best to think myself somewhere else for the duration of the flight. I'll only notice a seatmate if they invade my space or, in some other way, interfere with me.

eng3

I don't get asked often. If the seat is an equal change, 7A to 7F, 21A to 21F, then I dont care. 7F to 28B, then I don't feel bad refusing.

I had a mom get upset and threaten to call the FA if I wouldn't switch because the mom couldnt bear to be apart from her teenage son for a 2hr flight. I told her to go ahead.

The last time time, I was in 7F. Two kids (maybe 8yrs old) in 7DE). Dad in 8A and asked me to switch. I was going to refuse because I like the bulkhead but I reluctantly agreed. I think he saw I didn't look very happy and said something like "it's the same" as I sat down. That didn't make me any happier. Why not offer 8BC, 7DE instead? then they get a bulkhead seat with more legroom.

One other time I refused, it sort of backfired. I was in 7A. A lady with a giant service dog boarded for 10D but the dog wouldnt fit. The FA came to our row asking if anyone wanted to switch. The girl (who was very attractive ) next to me took the deal, for her it was a middle to aisle upgrade and I endured the flight next to the dog. The dog was big enough that its head went under the bulkhead and its tail went under the seat. Basically blocking my egress in an emergency. The lady had to straddle the dog.
Ironically the FA was asking the person in 7C to push her bag further under the bulkhead. I guess dogs trump safety. Anyways, in that situation, had I switched, I'd still have a non-middle seat and wouldn't have had a dog next to me for 4 hours.

I had a colleague who had a window seat and the middle person next to him asked to switch. He ofcourse refused. Later in the flight when he got up to use the lav, the middle seat guy switched to his seat anyways. It was almost time to land so he didn't make a fuss about it. I wonder if he felt like a jerk

radiowell

This is wrong, period.

Everyone should have stood ground.

eng3

ha, and the end of the flight, the lady made some comment like "thanks, it takes a village...". My thought was "yeah, we all had to suffer for your own convenience". But that is really the crux of it for many people who ask to change seats. They want to inconvenience you to make them more comfortable.

Aussienarelle

Interestingly enough when I called (IT support) earlier this week due to a problem with the on-line UG and they had to redo the whole reservation, the phone agent asked me which seats I was in for the return leg (no UG) and I said 7F (bulkhead first row of Y). She informed me she had got that seat for me and then told me she was obliged to inform me that there was no guarantee for the seat in the event there was a need to seat a disabled person in the seat. I didn't really say anything as I was not aware of this rule. Certainly never experienced that in all my 1MM miles of flying UA.

Certainly when I book the seat on-line I do not get any warning about needing to give the seat up for a disabled person.

So it sounds like the FA was correct to make this request if there truly were a service dog with the passenger.

(BTW - I personally would have moved since I have an allergy to dog dander but been upset about the middle seat swap.)

halls120

Your colleague should have found a FA and informed him/her of the situation and request that they order the seatmate to get back in his own seat.
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