The traveler stated that they despise aisle seats due to always being bumped by trolleys and other people. Attempting to interfere with the duties of a flight crew member. Stock photo of passengers on a crowded airplane. Its happened far too many times for it to be a coincidence. Now I couldnt disclose that at the time of the request and had to decline. Obviously if the other person is way taller than you, give her the seat ;). Despite feeling inconvenienced, some people agree to switch places in exchange for another comfortable seat. The 25-year-old said a stranger had asked her to move to a middle seat - leaving her laughing over the unfair request. Watch a movie. Why are trials on "Law & Order" in the New York Supreme Court? A reader seeks reassurance after declining to move for parents flying with children. Another revealed: My parents purposely booked my whole family apart so we couldnt fight., One suggested: As a mum, I fully agree. Refuses To Switch Beginners Guide to Credit Card Points & Miles, Booking Tool for Flights, Hotels, Cruises and Cars. Obviously, there are a lot of variables involved. I really enjoy the views. Was I Wrong? The reader submitting the question wrote: I am an organized person. But being male and flying alone, it seems that the likelihood of being picked by a flight attendant to give up ones seat so a family may sit next to each other on a 30-minute flight is VERY high. He came back and asked me to switch seats. How to refuse someone who would like to borrow our baby? dear Johnny Jet, it is my understanding that for identification and tracing purposes in case like pandemics and serious aviation or other accidents/incidents, passengers are to remain in their assigned seats; in fact prior to takeoff announcements are made to take the assigned seats in my experience; quite surprisingly to me, i have not seen any reference made to this reason in the comments nor in your own remarks. I, too, book my flights way in advance and always get to the airport early. So, I politely refused. Plus, 3x points on gas and $100 annual hotel savings. She got in my face and continued her tirade at lower volume but I took then took the opportunity to say loud enough everyone could her me included 3 stewards standing frozen waiting to jumpdont threaten me again or I will scream and you wont be sitting anywhere other than the police room at the airportI got almost a 100% standing ovation from all within earshot. I politely said no, that I was comfortable where I was, but she became disrespectful and wouldnt let up even after the plane had taken off and the pilot had turned off the seatbelt sign. I recently moved from Denver to Saint Paul, Minn. A New York woman who was on a flight recently said she was asked by a young family sitting across the aisle from her if she would swap her aisle seat meaning, Unfortunately, I had to endure the smells for the rest of the trip. Its unclear whether the 25-year-old booked an aisle or a window seat - but she made it abundantly clear she wasnt going to give up her spot to be wedged between two passengers. I empathize with people traveling together who wish to sit together, including families, but every legacy carrier has a flexible seating chart that you can monitor from booking time literally until almost boarding time. Plan ahead or drive. NOW, if the airlines want to offer an upgrade OR an incentive to accommodate someone who is whining to the flight attendants, I MAY consider such an offer, but more than likely not. I am 75 and mildly handicapped (cerebral palsy mild) and mildly arthritic. It doesn't work on everyone, but it's been surprisingly effective for me. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In literally hundreds of flights, I have been asked only twice to change seats, once by the flight attendant to allow a very elderly and frail woman to sit next to a member of her family, who was seated next to me. "Turns out we were seated in front of kids that kicked the seat for the entire 8 hour flight. If someone wants to take a chunk of their life to be mad at a perfect stranger who is being polite, that's their problem, not yours. If they persist, maintaining that they are graciously offering to trade but you must decline as you're fine where you are. But I digress. A flight passenger has sparked a big debate after a man refused to swap seats with him so he could sit next to his wife on her Refuses To Switch She shut up, was taken into the kitchen area and probably got a warning. If you don't, you could actually make it the truth by applying a personal policy to book seats with a number which is suitably relevant to you, thereby maintaining a clear conscience.). refusing to switch This is a powerful position to take. For more Lifestyle related news and videos check out Lifestyle >>. On "Are You Obligated to Switch Seats on a Plane? I book my travel well in advance and select my seat at the same time. to switch But I didnt want to move! Terms apply. (Edit in response to Wildcard's comment) Be gracious in your response and the scowling and glaring is their problem, not yours. At the time, I was learning Portuguese from cds and decided to spend the rest of the flight with my ear buds and she had to listen to me speak in Portuguese responding to the Portuguese lessons and I made sure she could hear every word all the way across the United States. Its not fair for flight attendants to move or let people move to these seats when one or more paid extra to sit there.. The U.S. Transportation Department issued a notice to airlines in July urging them to do everything in their power to ensure that children who are age 13 or younger I always pick a right-side aisle seat for the ease of mobilityso I wont have to inconvenience the other 2 passengers if and when Mother Nature calls. I would also get on the plane early and ask the passenger before they got settled in. ), then I would almost always move, except to a location one poster mentioned abovenear the bathroom. Flying is already stressful, so be sympathetic not combative. It leaves the door open for them to propose something different that still satisfies my requirement; if a family is trying to do seat-Tetris to sit together, maybe that information helps them. It is crazy to expect people to give up an aisle seat for the middle seat. Some people will of course become argumentative, but I am of the opinion they would have become so regardless of what you said. Shortly before take off three flight attendants showed up, called my name and when I identified myself I was LITERALLY pulled off my seat by my arm and given a new boarding pass. refuse to switch They can even offer you a reason to switch. 'No': Internet Backs Couple Refusing to Swap Plane Seats We would just suck it up and sit apart. No Im not switching for a middle seat. Im happy to be cordial when I see her, but she isnt taking the hint when I respond to her invitations by saying Im busy. They keep coming. Of course, I said yes. That doesn't mean you need to agree to a bad trade, but don't add to the aggravation by being harsh with them. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! This puts the interaction on a positive footing. A holidaying couple has been commended for refusing to bow to pressure from another passenger who asked them to switch seats so her young daughter, who is The flight was roughly ten hours and around this time of year, it's extremely hectic. If you want to avoid having to cave to peer pressure or looking like the bad guy by not switching seats to accommodate families, then book a seat in the exit row For the world, for that matter. Replacing broken pins/legs on a DIP IC package, How to handle a hobby that makes income in US. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. I personally hate travelings so I spent a bit more money to be closer.". If it was just me and my wife traveling, we would politely ask if one of our seatmates would be kind enough to switch but if they didnt, we certainly wouldnt press them. Make it clear that you are not up for argument. Use this approach only if you're willing to move to a different aisle/window/front/whatever seat if they find you one. Talk to the flight attendant if you don't like your seat. Should you ask to switch seats? The great airplane debate. - The A few years ago the passenger next to me was overweight and had booked two seats so Im happy with the extra elbow room. Disagree, its just compassion for others. "You don't ask someone to downgrade for your convenience," said one top comment with 46,000 likes. For me its like watching the sunset, they dont get old. So, I politely refused. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. I agreed to do so, but her seat was next to the toilet. IF it was possible to have a civil discourse on the subject AND a convincing enough excuse was given (e.g., death in the family, emergency, not enough money, etc. What am I doing wrong here in the PlotLegends specification? WebAnswer (1 of 4): You are under no obligation to switch seats if asked. Typically, people are even willing to pressurize co-passengers for swapping out their aisle seat for a window or vice versa. Basic economy states exactly that issue if you want to save a few bucks and not pay for the seats. How should I respond when people question my life choices after just meeting me? Any number of passengers could have done so to accommodate those families. Drop a comment below! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The turbulence was wicked on descent and she not only held my hand but she dug her nails into my arm. Don't take it personally, just feel slightly sorry for them ( their attitude is only hurting themselves) as you pick up your book, put on your headphones or do whatever it is you like to do to get ready for a long journey. I suspect that the answer is "no". I have only added it to my answer as a non-verbal alternative to my original gambit. But in the last year as restrictions have eased, travelers have begun booking vacations and business trips again and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that U.S. airlines carried over 71.2 million scheduled service passengers in May 2022. The complimentary wine and warm nuts of business class are a balm to many wounds. But thank you for asking!" The fares were $531.00 for a Basic Economy seat and $688.00 for a Main Cabin seat a price difference of $157.00. I am 80+ years old and have a brace on my left leg. I said no and told him my switching would not solve the elderly ladys request to sit next to her husband. Either give me the money or book earlier. I am an organized person. The anonymous passenger said they had started refusing to switch seats altogether unless it was for an upgrade. Also, it doesnt matter if you paid extra or chose the most appealing freebie seat, the seat allotment printed on your boarding pass belongs only to you. I have read similar columns like this one. See how keen they are to move you after that! He shared his experience, saying: I just simply raised my hand so the child couldnt reach, so I said in a louder tone, please control your child, which made the mom grab the boy and freak out at me and her screaming at me that I shouldnt be such an [expletive] and only think about me.. I asked why and was told the elderly lady wanted to sit with her husband. I cannot help you, but perhaps one of the attendants can. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. I was very upset but it was too late to complain. I made friends with a woman whom I see at my kids play dates and in the park. Rudy Dong/Unsplash. ", With more than 9,000 upvotes and thousands of comments, the passenger explained: "I traveled home today from Greece. Im not exactly clear whether your objection to the plus one is that his sister is unmarried, her P.D.A. The lady in that seat was moved one row back. The most coveted coach seats are the exit row and bulkhead so you cant ask someone to switch rows from one that has extra space to one that doesnt. When I travel, I book my flights well in advance. But not everyone would be willing to move from their comfort zone, and one guy proved hes no exception either. Re: Seat Switch Refusal-Part 2 (or 3) I do not think anyone expects ( except the person doing the asking) someone to change an aisle sit for a middle seat! Peters did not immediately respond to a request for comment. I was placed across the aisle. But when they boarded the plane, a family of four approached the Redditor and asked if they could switch spots. You werent wrong to politely refuse a request to move. Except, of course, your actual reason for calling an attendant is because they are being insistent and you would need help to make them stop @a3nm "for you". Then came the looks. The internet has backed a Redditor who refused to give up their plane seat so a family could sit together.