How do you handle a seat change request? {Archive}
#436
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Absolutely! Not even a close call. I'd make sure he weren't flying on my flight.
#437
Join Date: Jan 2009
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#438
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
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Posts: 4,043
Only had this situation come up twice. Once I did and once I refused. Lady tried trading my E+ seat for the 2nd to the last row in E-. Crazy......
#439
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
This thread reminds me of a few experiences I have had with this situation both good and bad.
Bad: Only happened once thankfully, a few years ago. SFO-LHR, in business class, 772, with a rear facing window seat with a great view of engine and wing. I purposely picked this seat because I wanted to experience it. Towards the end of boarding a man comes to me from near the end of business class, aisle seat, forward facing. He was sitting next to me but his wife was sitting in the aisle sea, and he asked if I would switch with his wife. I politely said no and explained why and he was instantly angered saying I was an Ahole and that he was “going to make the flight miserable for me” because I didn’t switch. I didn’t care about the threats but was absolutely shocked at the nerve of some people. He eventually convinced the passenger sitting next to his wife to swap with him so he ended up in the back with his wife. But I was surprised.
I have no problem saying no and could care less what people think, and have done it politely many times. However I have also switched depending on the circumstances. It’s a multifactorial situation but one that I don’t feel bad about all things considered.
Bad: Only happened once thankfully, a few years ago. SFO-LHR, in business class, 772, with a rear facing window seat with a great view of engine and wing. I purposely picked this seat because I wanted to experience it. Towards the end of boarding a man comes to me from near the end of business class, aisle seat, forward facing. He was sitting next to me but his wife was sitting in the aisle sea, and he asked if I would switch with his wife. I politely said no and explained why and he was instantly angered saying I was an Ahole and that he was “going to make the flight miserable for me” because I didn’t switch. I didn’t care about the threats but was absolutely shocked at the nerve of some people. He eventually convinced the passenger sitting next to his wife to swap with him so he ended up in the back with his wife. But I was surprised.
I have no problem saying no and could care less what people think, and have done it politely many times. However I have also switched depending on the circumstances. It’s a multifactorial situation but one that I don’t feel bad about all things considered.
Rather than hitting the button though, I would get up and quietly advise the crew. No doubt he would poach the seat in the interim..but that's just another mark against him when they confront him.
#440
It was the wheelchair guy yesterday. Sitting in 7C and the wheelchair guy comes on with a very frail looking, elderly lady. He scoops her out of the wheelchair and stands next to me holding her in his arms and asks if I'd mind taking the window seat. I don't know if this behaviour is taught in their training sessions but no way was I going to turn that one down.
The moment someone uses profanity, I consider them a potentially unruly pax and I am obligated, for the security of the flight, to advise the crew. Adding threats on top of that and all bets are off.
Rather than hitting the button though, I would get up and quietly advise the crew. No doubt he would poach the seat in the interim..but that's just another mark against him when they confront him.
Rather than hitting the button though, I would get up and quietly advise the crew. No doubt he would poach the seat in the interim..but that's just another mark against him when they confront him.
It's not fun for crew, but it beats having to deal with it mid flight.
#441
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YOW
Programs: TK*S, SPG Gold
Posts: 714
One thing I sometimes see is people who want to switch with someone board earlier and just set themselves up in the desired seat with the plan of informally asking after the fact if it's "alright." Very, very rude..
One thing they need to fix though, if they haven't already, is separating young children from their parents.
One thing they need to fix though, if they haven't already, is separating young children from their parents.
#442
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
One thing I sometimes see is people who want to switch with someone board earlier and just set themselves up in the desired seat with the plan of informally asking after the fact if it's "alright." Very, very rude..
One thing they need to fix though, if they haven't already, is separating young children from their parents.
One thing they need to fix though, if they haven't already, is separating young children from their parents.
That's called "Poaching" and is the single worst seat swapping sin. Some people..even people here on FT attempt to justify it as easier than holding up boarding..but that's a red herring. They can wait until boarding is done and then approach someone to panhandle the seat. The notion of asking for forgiveness rather than permission is self-serving and arrogant.
Poachers get an INSTANT "no", without explanation, and if they refuse to leave or continue to try and make their case, I am getting the cabin crew to remove them.
As to airlines splitting up children and parents. Yes. But that's not MY problem. That's on the airline and the parents to sort out. It shouldn't be foisted upon another passenger.
#443
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: IAH
Programs: UA
Posts: 602
As mentioned by others in this thread, I can't understand that sitting next to a significant other is worth such a confrontation, especially for a 2 hour flight. I fly without my wife a lot. My wife flies without me. We have flown together seated to each other. We have flown together seated apart. We have flown to the same destination on different flights. Somehow, our marriage has survived. The only effort I dedicate to sitting together is some mouse clicks for seat selection at booking or checkin. Anything else, not worth the bother.
#444
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: USA
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,189
FWIW, I am so offended by poaching that I am much less likely to agree to a seat swap if the would-be swapper has assumed permission and poached my seat ahead of time than if they approach me reasonably and ask for a favor. I have even taken middle seats in the back to place parents with their kids but I just hate it when someone assumes it's okay just because it's more convenient or comfortable for them.
#445
Join Date: Nov 2012
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And it seems that, lately, other passengers can see that I would not be the good person to ask for a seat switch. The weirdest experience we had is when we were flying ORD to HKG last year on a 772. I was seated in 6J, my wife in 6H. My neighbor in 6K had her husband in 7K. From the beginning, my neighbor was giving us dirty looks but never said a word, not even "hello". About 10 hours into the flight when I was waiting near the galley to use the restroom, I heard the flight attendant telling my neighbor: "Sorry, I could not ask because they are traveling together". So, obviously, she had asked for help from the FA to switch seats.
#446
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YOW
Programs: TK*S, SPG Gold
Posts: 714
That's called "Poaching" and is the single worst seat swapping sin. Some people..even people here on FT attempt to justify it as easier than holding up boarding..but that's a red herring. They can wait until boarding is done and then approach someone to panhandle the seat. The notion of asking for forgiveness rather than permission is self-serving and arrogant.
Poachers get an INSTANT "no", without explanation, and if they refuse to leave or continue to try and make their case, I am getting the cabin crew to remove them.
As to airlines splitting up children and parents. Yes. But that's not MY problem. That's on the airline and the parents to sort out. It shouldn't be foisted upon another passenger.
Poachers get an INSTANT "no", without explanation, and if they refuse to leave or continue to try and make their case, I am getting the cabin crew to remove them.
As to airlines splitting up children and parents. Yes. But that's not MY problem. That's on the airline and the parents to sort out. It shouldn't be foisted upon another passenger.
#447
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 1,578
As someone who does attempt to swap seats some times, let me ask a question, please. Which do you think is a better seat, middle E+ or aisle toward the front of E-? I would not like to ask someone if they were willing to take an inferior seat, or if they did, at least offer to buy them a drink or two. (Assume an ordinary E+, not ps where there might be a hot meal involved).
#448
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: USA
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,189
@MojaveFlyer, I will take an aisle at the front of E- over a middle E+ but others may disagree.
#449
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Join Date: Sep 2002
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I am suspecting this was a scam because the GA seemed to feel something wasn't right and ordered these two to the back of the plane. Had 10F and 10E which was my "extraseat". Two younger people come on, big mouthed girl stops at my row and says "I have 10F" - I replied "no you don't". I started suspecting maybe my upgrade cleared, so I hit the call button - FA appears and says F is full so it can't be that. Big mouth girl points to 10E and says "well, I'll just sit THERE!" - I said "no you won't, that's also my seat and I paid for it". FA runs to get GA who comes back, remembers me from boarding with my two boarding passes, announces both seats are mine and demands to see big mouth's boarding pass before promptly sending her and her companion to the back of the plane.
My guess is she tried this before, had some unprepared person stand up in the aisle to 'sort it out', then she grabbed the E+ seat and refused to move, while the UA crew did the usual "just take any open seat, we need to leave" routine to the hapless fool who got out of their seat.
My guess is she tried this before, had some unprepared person stand up in the aisle to 'sort it out', then she grabbed the E+ seat and refused to move, while the UA crew did the usual "just take any open seat, we need to leave" routine to the hapless fool who got out of their seat.
#450
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 957
I was in the bulkhead CHS-EWR a few weeks back on ERJ-175. Older couple boards and is sitting near the back of the plane. The FA comes up to us and asks both sides if two of us would be interested in switching. The older woman could use some extra space. One woman said "well, they should have thought of that earlier" and put her head phones on. The rest of us were fine with the idea. I ended up switching along with one of the men, and the older gentleman shook our hands and seemed genuinely appreciative. Anyway, the FA comes up to us mid-flight with a business card with a note scribbled on the back. He was the owner of a well known NYC restaurant, and we now each had a free meal. Basically, another passenger provided $200 or so compensation to downgrade E+ to E- for a 1.5 hr flight on a comfortable Y product!