rocket2247

My wife and I are on a flight tomorrow, both in FC(2d and 4d). Is it inappropriate to ask once on the plane if someone would switch so that we can sit next to each other? I'd like to ask, but if its frowned upon, I won't do it. I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks.

clemsonfn

Not inappropriate at all IMO. I've seen it done all the time.

I actually saw a married couple ask to sit apart last year.

longnguk

I do not believe that is anything inappropriate in asking nicely. I've asked and been asked many times and mostly the outcomes have been satisfactory for all involved.

If anything you may want to be aware off: 2D and 4D (A321?) are both aisle seats and 2D are typically more 'desirable'! 4D can potentially be a good/bad seat if one's particular about one's meal's choice in that one could have a choice or the 'leftover' (assuming that there's such a thing on your flight).

gottigotti

so long as you don't make it imposing on someone no big deal. Just don't be upset if someone says no, and don't give them the sad face if they do say no.

rocket2247

Thanks for the advice. A friend of mine told me to ask the gate agent and they could maybe ask for me prior to boarding. Not sure if I should go this route or not.

sjpmurph01

+1 that it's not inappropriate to at least ask nicely. Personally, as long as I'm in FC I don't really care where I sit (except row 1). I've traded seats on more than one occasion when couples get separated.

My only suggestion would be to try to board early, start settling into your assigned seat, wait til the person you want to move is done putting their overhead luggage away and then ask. Don't just sit in the seat you want and ask once the person questions why your in their seat.

shaddie

Really? That is funny.

OP, as all have said ask nicely.

I saw a couple on my mon flight where she was on my row window and I asked if he wantedto switch even though he had a window on a 3 hour flight. They didnt ask but it was no problem. Still got my meal choice.

GalleyWench

If you ask nicely you might get lucky
Just don't assume they'll switch and set up house in their seat before they've even boarded.

Michael El

That's what a couple did on my flight last week. I asked if they wanted to trade seats with me. My new seat was actually a better choice for me so I didn't mind them being presumptuous.

redtop43

I wouldn't worry about it at all, especially since there is really not that much difference among FC seats.

Wife and I had to do this on Amtrak a couple weeks ago (no assigned seats, but by the time we found seats there were not two together) but we had no problem.

Just ask politely. Odds that the seatmate of at least one of you will agree to change are extremely high.

bkafrick

I'm going to take the other side of this debate.

I think its annoying when people ask me to switch seats. Its a total guilt trip. "Would you minddddd if we swapped seats so I could sit next to my wife/girlfriend/cousin/dog/tuba?"

Its a short flight. You can't sit apart for a few hours?

I'd rather not be the d-bag who says "no" - cause honestly, I like my seat, and I picked my seat purposely. But I really dont want to change.

Anyway... thats my two cents.

zerodegre

I disagree... I do not see anything wrong with it... But if you sense an reluctance just back off... Play it by ear. Ask the passengers who seem more jolly than the miserable business travelers

AZ Travels the World

I choose my first class seats purposely, too. And I used to really care.

Then, I took my 80-year-old Grandmother on a First Class trip to Asia. Her first trip out of the US. I had all the seats worked out except the initial connection to the real flights.

One hour flight. I asked the man as he approached the seat, "Sir, I'm traveling with my Grandmother and we were not able to reserve seats together. Would you mind switching seats with me?"

My story was true. She was sitting right there. Who could possibly say no?

He stopped me before I could even tell him it was an aisle-for-an-aisle, one row forward. "No, I chose the seat I like," he said, and sat down in it.

Since that moment, I just don't blink an eye. I choose my seats purposefully. But if someone asks if I wouldn't mind changing with them, I smile and say, "Sure, happy to, where are you sitting?"

ibrandsguest

I also pick seats purposefully but so often my FC seat is just assigned to me when I get upgraded, so where I sit isn't really my choice. Either way, I don't mind switching in FC. Coach could be another story, though.

tacostuff

I see no problem asking, just don't act like a spoiled child if the person says no. I was on a 2 hour flight recently where a grown man asked to switch so he could sit next to his wife and was politely told no. He continued to ask the guy to switch every 3 minutes during the boarding process until he finally said yes.

For what it is worth, I WILL say no to someone if there is a reason I chose my seat. For example, I will never switch from an aisle to a window, nor will I switch from a bulkhead to a non-bulkhead (I like bulkheads).