Poohgirl

I agree with ellenem, lexma, and the others. If I was in a particularly bad mood, since they actually commandeered your seat I would not change unless my seat was better.

travel2live2

This happened to me. My husband and I had assigned seats on a long flight and were told there was some sort of weird mix-up with the computer booking system. We were given seats on totally different parts of the plane on a 9-hour flight. We were upset because we had pre-assigned seats that we paid for. I really wanted to sit next to my husband! The seat configuration was 2-5-2 and we love to sit alone. When the flight attendant told us she found someone to switch we were so very grateful.

We received a letter in the mail from Air Canada with a voucher towards our next flight.

ira

>And of course they asked "would you mind?"...

To which you reply, "Yes, very much".

>One time I held my ground and I wound up leaving my ipod on the plane.<

I doubt that the two incidents are connected.

>Last time I switched and wound up feeling resentful for 11 hours.<

Those two incidents are related.

LoveItaly

Hello fairoaksjm, I would not give up my aisle seat that I had reserved unless I could get another aisle seat (and not one by the bathrooms). I do not consider myself selfish but there is no way I would take a long flight in the middle seat.

bookchick

I don't move. A mom who asked me once looked and sounded absolutely stunned when I refused. I said "I booked on (whatever date it was) and I selected my seat at that time. When I made my selection, the airline reserved this particular seat for me. I don't plan to change the arrangement the airline and I have made for this seat, and I don't plan on letting anyone else change it for me, either." She shut up, sat down, and looked sullen the whole way across the Atlantic, while I enjoyed my book and a nap. Such is life, and I agree with Ira's observations.

BC

orangetravelcat

I would not change my seat. I would say, "sorry, but no" and offer no further explanation. I have no obligation to explain to anyone why I do not want to change seats.

sundown

I'd be a whole lot more likely to switch if they waited until I was seated before asking, rather than occupying the seat first then asking if it was okay. That's the crux of the problem. There's no harm in asking politely. But to plop down like it's a foregone conclusion they're going to get it is rude.

Christina

I've only been asked to do this once recently, and the guy asking to switch had business class, and I had coach, so I definitely did not mind. It might have happened in the past, but I would only switch if I really didn't mind. If I did, I'd just say, sorry, I mind, I booked in advance, etc to get this seat. I don't feel guilty about it, why should I. I don't really care about people wanting to sit together because they are a family, frankly. I can understand if it were some young child and mother or something like that, but not just adults who want to sit next to each other. Don't care, they can watch the movie or read a book just like me. YOu are just too wimpy.

It really takes a lot of nerve to ask someone to do that when trading a very bad seat for a good one. I sure wouldn't do that as I hate flying as it is, and pay a lot for my seats. Let someone with a free seat trade, that's my attitude. I agree with let the flight attendant handle it. There are people on flights often with free seats -- relatives of employees, for example.

In fact, I don't think this is that allowable any more. There are usually announcements that people aren't allowed to trade seats without official approval. Something to do with security perhaps.

I also agree with sundown, et al. To sit in someone's seat first is really really rude, and I wouldn't do it at all probably if they did that. If they ask politely after you're seated, I would be more likely to. But not if it was a really bad seat (and a long flight, of course, but if it's a short flight, it shouldn't matter to them, either).

LoveItaly

Hi Christina, I was wondering with all the "security" now if one is allowed to change seats without the FA approval and knowledge.

My husband and I would sometimes have flights where we didn't sit together. We managed to survive.

amp322

Many people think that once they have found the row that they are assigned, the exact seat within the row is up for grabs! I always choose my seat way in advance - and carefully pick an aisle seat. Once I had an attendant speak to a man who was in my seat and claimed that it was the "best seat" for him!!! She pointed out that he was supposed to be in the middle, and he looked uncomfortable the entire time. (Not my problem!!!)

connecticutyankee

Despite having reserved seats from London to the continent a couple times, I've found my seat occupied. Since these were short flights, I just found another one and let it slide.

However, if we're talking going overseas on 10-12 hour flights, NO, I would not give up my seat for something less than I reserved. Certainly, if someone was cheeky enough to plop themselves in my reserved seat, I'd speak my mind and/or let the FA handle it.

I'm generally willing to accomodate many requests on short (under 3 hour) flights and have sat in the middle the last two times despite having an aisle. But overseas, that's non-negotiable.

CY

Carrybean

For sure I wouldn't do it if they were in my seat already. I did switch once to allow a teenage brother & sister to sit next to each other. Never again. They didn't even talk or look at each other on the whole flight.

I repeat - never again. I was raised as a child to always give up my seat for any adult, pregnant women, etc. on any form of transportation. Now I'm no child so I don't have to.

CRAZY4TRAVEL

Several years back I did an organized tour of Southern Italy and Sicily as I was traveling on my own. It turns out our flight was delayed 7 hours on the way back home...plus I developed a cold the night before leaving. Needless to say I was a mess.

When I got on the plane, some people who had been on my tour were sitting in my seat. They said "I'm so glad it's you because we hate to ask a stranger to switch". I gave my apologies but told them that I couldn't sit by the window. They seems very put out but like others have said...it's very rude to occupy someones seat and make them feel guilty for not wanting to switch.

suze

I will switch IF there is another aisle seat available. No way no how am I giving up an aisle seat for a middle seat. I would say, "I'm very sorry but yes I do mind" & not have felt bad about it. If families are going to travel with kids, they should plan ahead to make sure they have seats together.

fairoaksjim

Thanks for all the comments. I will have the power to say <b>NO!</b> next time.

nytraveler

If I were stuck in coach there is no way I would switch an aisle seat for a window seat - unless there were a legitimate reason (ie someone with a handicap or similar).

If families want to sit together they should get tickets earlier. And what do they think will happen if they have to sit separately? One will be stolen by gypsies?

I have been asked a couple of times and always refuse. Why should I be uncomfortable so other people can try to sleep sitting next to each other?

travelgirl2

If it was a family with kids, I would probably switch. We have been booked a few times as a family with seats together, but our seats were changed for some reason at the airport and we were told to board and try to switch. So, all the planning ahead in the world didn't help in that situation.

On a recent flight, the configuration was 3-3. I booked 3 seats plus the adjoining aisle seat for the 4 of us. Well, 2 ladies came aboard who were assigned the window and middle seat in our row, next to my husband's aisle seat. They looked at my husband like he was an ax-murderer and said they were SUPPOSED to have the window and aisle seats. My husband checked his ticket and showed them he was assigned the aisle. They asked him to move to another row at the front of the plane, so they could have ALL 3 seats to themselves (for 2 people). He told them he was going to sit there so he could be near his family. They huffed and puffed and were quite nasty to him. One lady actually said, out loud, &quot;well, it WOULD have been nice if he moved...&quot;

I couldn't believe the nerve of these ladies, basically telling my husband and expecting him to move out of his assigned seats and away from his family, so they could have 3 seats, one of them an empty seat. Very nervy. By the way, the plane was full, with only 2 empty seats on the entire plane.

travelgirl2

I am sympathetic to families with kids sitting together because, as a mother, I always think that if the plane was going down, I'd want to be sitting next to my kid. Or, if there was an emergency evacuation, I'd want to be next to my kid. Or, if my kid's ears hurt on the descent, I'd want to be next to him.

I don't think it is selfish for parents to want to sit with their kids. I wish the airlines would be able to accommodate this 100% of the time. There should be way to do this without last-minute changing of someone else's seat assignment to a less desirable seat.

maitaitom

I would definitely say NO.

hopscotch

I didn't say no and I didn't say yes.

I was flying first class from Dhahran via Jeddah to London on Saudia Airlines. A shiek and his entourage of 8 or so got on in Jeddah, hours after the plane was scheduled to depart. I had never, and have never since, seen such a filthy toilet as at that airport and we were on the ground for an unscheduled four hours.

By and by the steward came by and asked me if I would sit in the next row back so the governess could sit next to the child. I looked back and saw the only other American passenger comfortably snoozing (4 am) in his window seat as I had finally been doing a minute earlier. I told the steward &quot;I am comfortable here.&quot; I went back to sleep.

End of story.

Moral of story: If you have a seat, sit.