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Old Feb 16, 2019, 8:33 pm
  #16  
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Originally Posted by eng3
What did the MSRH look like? Was it a beautiful woman? Perhaps she was interested in getting to know you better. It was almost Valentines day after all.
Did she have a napkin in her hand?
with the plane change to Polaris configuration, I’ll never find out. I’m wishing I understood the napkin reference but I humbly ask for explanation.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 9:09 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by tryathlete
I never thought about the middle seat booking conundrum for google flight or Expedia or even UA for BE purchases. This makes a lot more sense than whomever booked this middle seat actually choosing it for some tactical reason.
could also be budget. For non-status holders the E+ buy up can be significantly less $$ for a middle than an aisle or window. If one were budget limited but wanted the extra leg room then picking a middle next to at least an empty aisle could be considered a positive gamble.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 9:21 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by tryathlete


with the plane change to Polaris configuration, I’ll never find out. I’m wishing I understood the napkin reference but I humbly ask for explanation.
Search for a tread with the terms "stalker napkins" in the DL forum.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 11:25 pm
  #19  
 
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I had this on AC once (YYC-FRA on a 3-3-3 config 77L). I had a center aisle and the middle next to me was taken. So I moved one row back and an hour later the middle next to me was occupied. Then the penny dropped. AC was auto-blocking that middle next to me (*G) in case the flight wasn’t full. Could it possibly be that UA is doing the same for its elites?
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 11:35 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by tryathlete


THIS could be a factor. Why on earth with 20-30 empty rows would someone plop themselves down in a middle seat next to me towards the rear of the Y+ cabin.
Maybe that was their assigned seat, the one on their boarding pass?

Many passengers don't choose seats, they just check in and the airline assigns the seat. And some airlines like to keep blocks of seats open for couples/families/groups so they will slot someone in next to you, rather than spread all the passengers out and create a lot of empty middle seats that will piss off couples and families who want to sit together.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 8:53 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by tryathlete


with the plane change to Polaris configuration, I’ll never find out. I’m wishing I understood the napkin reference but I humbly ask for explanation.
That's why I put a link on the word napkin. Seeing the photo of it explains it far better than I could
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 8:58 am
  #22  
 
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What is MSRH? Google result is Miniature Schnauzer Rescue of Houston, but I have a feeling you guys mean something else ; )
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 9:21 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by chavala
What is MSRH? Google result is Miniature Schnauzer Rescue of Houston, but I have a feeling you guys mean something else ; )
Miniature Schnauzer Rescue of Houston is exactly what we have been talking about

It is spelled out in the thread title
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 9:26 am
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Kacee
It's stuff like this why I stopped flying WN. Where, with no assigned seating, there's no doubt when someone pulls this kind of thing it's a deliberate strategy.
What sneaky strategy can one person play on Southwest? Two passengers can take an aisle and window in the hope of ending up with an empty middle, but that’s about it. One person should just grab the best available aisle or window, with the rear of the plane giving the best odds of an empty middle.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 9:28 am
  #25  
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Originally Posted by chavala
What is MSRH? Google result is Miniature Schnauzer Rescue of Houston, but I have a feeling you guys mean something else ; )
Great charity. We plan on leaving our entire estate to it. Hope our kids understand.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 9:34 am
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by dhuey


What sneaky strategy can one person play on Southwest? Two passengers can take an aisle and window in the hope of ending up with an empty middle, but that’s about it. One person should just grab the best available aisle or window, with the rear of the plane giving the best odds of an empty middle.
It's been years since I've flown WN so maybe things have changed.
I recall:
1. Pax takes window or aisle, when you try to sit down, they tell you they are holding the other seat(s) for someone else
2. Pax takes middle hoping you move on and look for something better and he ends up with his own row or at least he an move to a window/aisle if someone wants one of the seats in the row. Perhaps a higher chance of any empty middle assuming he is one of the last to be picked.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 10:10 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by eng3
It's been years since I've flown WN so maybe things have changed.
One thing that I suspect has changed since your last WN flight is higher passenger loads. There are seldom many empty seats, so there isn't much point of saying that you're holding a middle seat for someone.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 10:23 am
  #28  
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Originally Posted by eng3
That's why I put a link on the word napkin. Seeing the photo of it explains it far better than I could
Aha! The link did not work the first time I tried it. Now—yes. Very cute and timely!
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 11:01 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by dhuey
One thing that I suspect has changed since your last WN flight is higher passenger loads. There are seldom many empty seats, so there isn't much point of saying that you're holding a middle seat for someone.
Well that case would still be applicable if you have more than one in your party and you want to sit together and you have a higher boarding priority. One would board early and save the seat(s) for their companion/group in a lower boarding priority.

I agree just sitting in the middle and hoping no one else sits there doesnt sound like it would work very well. However, if people tend to move on and try to find another seat, that person's row may be one of the last to fill so maybe.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 11:32 am
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by eng3
I agree just sitting in the middle and hoping no one else sits there doesnt sound like it would work very well. However, if people tend to move on and try to find another seat, that person's row may be one of the last to fill so maybe.
I have successfully used that trick more than once when boarding on a flight where E+ was very light but E was full. I was in the window, and the seat map showed 2 empty seats beside me. I knew that odds were someone would consider that too good a temptation and take the aisle seat, thus losing my hobo business class, so I plant myself in the middle seat instead. Works every time...

(Note that this is just while boarding - I'd never try it pre-boarding as there's just too big a chance someone will take the other seats and I'd get stuck in the middle)
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