Proudelitist

They are adults and can be apart for a few hours. And what of the decency of not disturbing or imposing on others for your own wants? The decent thing for two grown ups to do is take the seats they are given. The requestors don't get to decide what is an equal seat. The requestee does, and is not obligated to apologize, justify or provide reasons why they don't want to move.

ExplorerWannabe

The person being asked is under no obligation to accept, apologize, justify, or even respond to requests for seat trades but MOST of us (ascertained by rough count of the responses) disagree that it's rude to even ask. A lot of people, even in F, are not in the seat of their choice and may well consider trades for a variety of reasons. I for one will certainly consider seat trades if I'm not being seriously inconvenienced or if I think placing people next to their young children or elderly parents or somewhat-disabled companion is in the greater good. If roles were reversed, I wouldn't hesitate to ask but 1) would gladly accept a "no" answer and 2) would only offer a better or equal seat (IMO) than I was asking for (e.g., would offer an aisle E+ for a middle or E- since I would be the one asking for a favor.
The main complaints running through this thread -- aside from the small minority that think it's rude to even ask for a seat trade -- are when the someone poaches a seat before asking or when they knowingly try to scam by trading a worse seat (middle or E-) for a better seat (aisle or window or J/F).
This matter was never addressed by Emily Post but it's clear that some people wouldn't accept her answer if she had and her answer was anything but a hardline condemnation of even asking. I don't think we're changing each others opinions.

seenitall

I don't see an answer to my questions. My first example was of a seat change within E, not a downgrade from J to E. Your 1K privileges apply regardless of which E seat you occupy. My second example was if a FA told you to move out of the E cabin and into the F cabin, say to 2B. Would you say, sorry, I ain't moving until you provide me with a BP that states 2B on it? Or would you just move? And other than for forensic evaluation of a plane crash or terrorist incident, how does securing a new BP enhance safety? Or is this because you think that the FA may be trying to head-fake you out of your preferred seat by falsely claiming you have 2B, and once your seat is occupied by the new pax the FA will say, my mistake, I really meant to say that you have 32B?

Proudelitist

Documentation and having it is always a good insurance policy. You may not need it, but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. It may be that there was a rule violation, or compensation due, or a status perk you will be denied, or a reimbursement of points. A BP is a kind of receipt.

joe_miami

Aren't the seats occupied by pax with status marked on the tablets? How would the FAs know about a person's status if they move?

HoustonConsultant

A nod and a mouthed, "I'm 1K", with a nod back. Worse case, "I'm 1K, but I moved so some folks could sit together".

I'm pretty sure I could muster that without feeling overly put out.

Aussienarelle

Sometimes I move and sometimes I do not. Like many it depends on the situation - proactively for a couple of families over the Christmas period, refused when a FA assumed it would be okay to swap my seat with a child that wanted to sit by a window, agree to window for window swap (same row), refused a middle for a window on the same flight. I read these threads for thoughts and ideas, but ultimately whether I choose to swap my assigned seat should be up to me and not what others may or may not think is right/moral, etc. I do not mind if someone asks as long as they are okay with my refusal. If a FA/GA asks me to move, and it is to what I perceive is a "worse" seat I will ask for a new BP, but if in my mind it is like for like (or like for better) then I would not ask for a new BP. If another customer gets belligerent because I do not wish to move from my assigned seat then I now know to approach a FA about the situation.

Don't like snarky comments addressed to me in person or when I read them addressed to others on FT. It is good to have the viewpoints of others but if people are going to put their moral judgement on others then I will go with the camp of "I will never move".

Gig103

Back at Christmas, a couple in front of us (Group 3 so elite) have their BP beep when scanned and the GA says "You've been reassigned to accommodate a family." The man says that he wants his old seats back which are exit row / MCE and the GA says "You can talk to the family when you get down there." I can't believe the GA was so unhelpful on the matter.

When we got to the cabin, I could hear them a few rows back as the FA tries to make peace and ultimately fails. The man and wife got their exit row (which I think is good) and the FA found someone else to swap so at least Mom & kid could sit together with dad nearby. That's what I think the GA should have done to begin with, swap the kid w/ someone in a middle seat. As best I can infer, since dad stayed in the exit row he tried to displace others for his comfort -- making him as bad as the poachers mentioned in this thread! Meanwhile, I thought kids couldn't be in the exit row!

Proudelitist

That would have been my leverage too. It's illegal in the US for children to be seated in an exit row. Therefore, the switch cannot happen. And If they are NOT children, then they don't need to sit with the parents. If there is a special needs situation due to a handicap, then they shouldn't be in the exit row either. I suspect an NRSA family getting the wink wink from staff. The GA and FA know the laws. I hope this poor pax was able to point out the legal issues.

onthesam

Yeah pretty much a "would you mind switching with me so I can sit directly across from my SO instead of across from SO in the row behind?" scenario. I think many traveling companions prefer opposite aisles over aisle-middle.

Incidentally, can anyone articulate what purpose asking for a new BP to reflect a swapped seat actually serves?

codex57

I'm one of those people. That's why I'm not surprised your parents were initially refused. They're trying to "upgrade" so to speak. I like aisle for presumably the same reason they asked for an aisle-aisle. It's extra legroom without paying for E+ and easier to get out to the bathroom when needed.

onthesam

With 26D and 27C, both have aisles to start with. Scenario is one where solo traveler refuses to swap his aisle for aisle directly in front of him (or perhaps directly behind). There is no 'upgrade' here.

adambrau

My first experience with accepting a seat change happened in 1997. Flying HKG-LHR on CX in paid F Class. At checkin, agent asked me if I would move from one seat to another to accommodate a couple traveling together and I said fine. It was just after the British handover of Hong Kong to China and every cabin was full. Upon boarding the aircraft (744) the purser mentioned to me that my foot rest was inoperative and that he would do everything to make my journey comfortable. In the end they found a cardboard box as a foot rest and while I was able to sleep ok I never was able to drop the feeling that I was duped into taking a 'bad' seat. I have always been a *A flyer and held no status on CX or Oneworld (if it existed then?). But the the lack of transparency by CX about this flight 20 years + ago has kept me from flying on a CX flight since. I will never know the outcome of whether the checkin agent knew they were moving me into a 'inop' seat but I will never purchase a CX ticket unless I have to. So to get back on topic; sure, I will change seats on UA because in all my travels I was never asked to move to a broken seat and it was my pleasure to allow a couple to travel together. But screw me over and not be transparent, and I will remember you 20 years on!


Adam

Loren Pechtel

Who would have been better off if the game wasn't played?

If it wasn't played there would have been an aisle or window available and somebody would have booked it. If the game is played somebody gets the aisle or window.

While the beneficiary and the person "harmed" (by only having middles available) are most likely not the same person in the two cases the magnitude of the changes are identical. The only thing that doesn't perfectly match is that if the couple plays the game and loses someone gets a pleasant surprise.

ryman554

And not only that, if the adult in the exit row is known to have kids or family elsewhere, then they are also disallowed.

Folks in the exit row need to be focused on opening the door and getting out of the way so as to get people out. Not flowing upstream during an emergency to get to their loved ones.

The GA is absolutely wrong here. The FA is, too, if they are trying to allow it. If they are NRSA, they should be in big trouble.

By this logic, there is a safety reason to keep family in close proximity to each other. But that really should be the job of those here to ensure our safety.