NYTs Etiquette - "I Refused to Switch Seats on a Plane. Twice. Was I Wrong?"

[Anonymous]

I just tell them I'll move to first class cabin but not another seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just tell them I'll move to first class cabin but not another seat.

I like that response.

[Anonymous]

Put on the noise canceling headphones and ignore. I would not move from a premium seat that I paid extra for. I don't care what your circumstances are. Ask someone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s behind a paywall so I can’t read the article and comment. Please remember not everyone has a subscription to NYT. These posts with links that people can’t see are annoying.

If you're already hitting the paywall, it means you've read your articles for the month.

Subscribe you cheap f#ck. Good journalism isn't free.

No, just clean your cache. Or use a different browser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't read the article but I have seen the issue come up on various boards. In my opinion, being a family or traveling with kids doesn't entitle you to special treatment. When I travel with my family I pay to pick seats, early check-in, extra space - whatever I think we might need. If you're not willing to pay for that then you can't afford the trip. Other travelers have also paid for those services and they don't owe you anything.

Same. I'm sympathetic to the kids but their parents did them a disservice by not planning ahead better. I would not ever take the risks that these parents took. I understand that they'll claim financial hardship but, honestly, the extra cost is nothing compared to what has already been spent. If they want the upgraded seating preferences then they need to pay for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We could fix this if Congress just passed a law that required airlines to provide pre-booking of seats to families with a child under the age of 13 at no-cost. There should not be a fee for a family to select their seats in economy class so that they can ensure they sit together.

Of course, Congress wouldn't need to resort to this if airlines just had a modicum of responsibility toward their customers. If it's not explicitly legislated, they will degrade service and quality in the pursuit of another buck.

As long as this doesn't give families the first shot at aisle seats. Families should be able to choose window and middles together.

Why shouldn't they get to choose aisles?

Because most people want aisles and they don’t get to gobble them all up because they’re not special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve booked seats together that have gotten changed right before flight…. And then had to pay a premium to fix it. This is why I always check in early too. To know as soon as possible if it’s gotten bungled by the airline. It really does happen.

Sorry this lived experience doesn’t fit the gripe fest manifest….,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve booked seats together that have gotten changed right before flight…. And then had to pay a premium to fix it. This is why I always check in early too. To know as soon as possible if it’s gotten bungled by the airline. It really does happen.

Sorry this lived experience doesn’t fit the gripe fest manifest….,

Don’t care. Still not switching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve booked seats together that have gotten changed right before flight…. And then had to pay a premium to fix it. This is why I always check in early too. To know as soon as possible if it’s gotten bungled by the airline. It really does happen.

Sorry this lived experience doesn’t fit the gripe fest manifest….,

Don’t care. Still not switching.

We don’t need you too, little one. No need to pour. There, there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve booked seats together that have gotten changed right before flight…. And then had to pay a premium to fix it. This is why I always check in early too. To know as soon as possible if it’s gotten bungled by the airline. It really does happen.

Sorry this lived experience doesn’t fit the gripe fest manifest….,

Don’t care. Still not switching.

We don’t need you too, little one. No need to pour. There, there.

Wow. Literate much?

Enjoy sitting in your middle seat away from your kids if you’re too cheap to buy the correct tickets. There, there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve booked seats together that have gotten changed right before flight…. And then had to pay a premium to fix it. This is why I always check in early too. To know as soon as possible if it’s gotten bungled by the airline. It really does happen.

Sorry this lived experience doesn’t fit the gripe fest manifest….,

Don’t care. Still not switching.

We don’t need you too, little one. No need to pour. There, there.

Whose pouting? Oh, right the person unhappy with their seat.

[Anonymous]

Frequent flyer here: you should always cheerfully move if asked if it is to an equal or better seat. It’s wrong even to ask people to downgrade and no one who flies a lot would bat an eye at anyone who says “no” to moving to a materially worse seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't read the article but I have seen the issue come up on various boards. In my opinion, being a family or traveling with kids doesn't entitle you to special treatment. When I travel with my family I pay to pick seats, early check-in, extra space - whatever I think we might need. If you're not willing to pay for that then you can't afford the trip. Other travelers have also paid for those services and they don't owe you anything.

I would like to live in a society that gives a little more grace and has a little more patience for society’s very young and very old (and their caretakers). Kindness is a value I love to see in companies and individuals alike.

Why are families the only ones deserving of kindness? Look at it this way--you have your loving family. Someone flying alone may be single and desperately lonely and sad about it. Who deserves the grace and compassion? It's this kind of myopia that makes parents of young children so repugnant at times.

Disclaimer: there's nothing intrinsically wrong with being single and many single people are happy and content.

Holy projection. Nowhere did I malign single people nor suggest they also aren’t deserving of grace and kindness. We all are. I believe American society suffers from a deep deficit of both. The several nasty responses to my quite benevolent post is proof of that.

I wonder where we’re headed from here.

The PP has a point. Solo travelers (not necessarily single as in marital status) are often targets for the "would you consider moving" pitch. It has happened to me many times. I feel the airline staff single us out, make the request with the parent/child standing there looking at us and then we are expected to smile graciously and give up our seats.

I did it for awhile and usually wound up in some horrid situation where I got a seat that didn't recline or next to an annoying person. I reminded myself that No good deed goes unpunished.
So I stopped.

Last time it was a very entitled, abrasive woman who wanted to shift around 3 people so she could get herself and her kids all seated together. She had gone up and down asking people (holding up boarding BTW) and had figured out a hopscotch pattern of moving other passengers simply to accommodate HER desires.

The kids were in their early teens! I just said "No. Sorry." and went back to reading my book.

To be more accurate, solo FEMALE travelers (especially over a certain age) are the first targets. Watch the next time it happens -- the flight attendants NEVER ask men to move.

My DW takes advantage of this on Southwest and eagerly volunteers to move -- last time she did that, she got $840 in vouchers.

I've never seen anyone offered vouchers once they are boarded on the plane. The issue arises because they are asking people to move out of the goodness of their hearts, to take pity on the poor family who absolutely most sit all next to each other. No compensation is offered, just some puppy dog eyes and pleading for you to do the right thing when put on the spot. Even though you will now be in the back of the plane/middle seat/less leg room. It's always a downgrade.

You must not fly Southwest. They throw vouchers around like candy. We currently have four of them taped to the fridge -- two for moving seats, and two for giving up a seat on a two-leg flight (and then getting booked on a later but direct flight at no additional charge).

DP here. My family flies Southwest all the time and they don’t bump people because they don’t ever oversell their flights as other airlines do. They also do family boarding so that families are already all sitting together.

Yes they oversell and it can be an issue if the flight is full and it’s a layover. I almost got separated from my kid and asked to wait for the next flight as kid was little and we were flying to a medical appointment, not fun. They made it work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't read the article but I have seen the issue come up on various boards. In my opinion, being a family or traveling with kids doesn't entitle you to special treatment. When I travel with my family I pay to pick seats, early check-in, extra space - whatever I think we might need. If you're not willing to pay for that then you can't afford the trip. Other travelers have also paid for those services and they don't owe you anything.

I would like to live in a society that gives a little more grace and has a little more patience for society’s very young and very old (and their caretakers). Kindness is a value I love to see in companies and individuals alike.

Why are families the only ones deserving of kindness? Look at it this way--you have your loving family. Someone flying alone may be single and desperately lonely and sad about it. Who deserves the grace and compassion? It's this kind of myopia that makes parents of young children so repugnant at times.

Disclaimer: there's nothing intrinsically wrong with being single and many single people are happy and content.

Holy projection. Nowhere did I malign single people nor suggest they also aren’t deserving of grace and kindness. We all are. I believe American society suffers from a deep deficit of both. The several nasty responses to my quite benevolent post is proof of that.

I wonder where we’re headed from here.

The PP has a point. Solo travelers (not necessarily single as in marital status) are often targets for the "would you consider moving" pitch. It has happened to me many times. I feel the airline staff single us out, make the request with the parent/child standing there looking at us and then we are expected to smile graciously and give up our seats.

I did it for awhile and usually wound up in some horrid situation where I got a seat that didn't recline or next to an annoying person. I reminded myself that No good deed goes unpunished.
So I stopped.

Last time it was a very entitled, abrasive woman who wanted to shift around 3 people so she could get herself and her kids all seated together. She had gone up and down asking people (holding up boarding BTW) and had figured out a hopscotch pattern of moving other passengers simply to accommodate HER desires.

The kids were in their early teens! I just said "No. Sorry." and went back to reading my book.

To be more accurate, solo FEMALE travelers (especially over a certain age) are the first targets. Watch the next time it happens -- the flight attendants NEVER ask men to move.

My DW takes advantage of this on Southwest and eagerly volunteers to move -- last time she did that, she got $840 in vouchers.

I’ve taken vouchers to wait an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't read the article but I have seen the issue come up on various boards. In my opinion, being a family or traveling with kids doesn't entitle you to special treatment. When I travel with my family I pay to pick seats, early check-in, extra space - whatever I think we might need. If you're not willing to pay for that then you can't afford the trip. Other travelers have also paid for those services and they don't owe you anything.

I would like to live in a society that gives a little more grace and has a little more patience for society’s very young and very old (and their caretakers). Kindness is a value I love to see in companies and individuals alike.

Why are families the only ones deserving of kindness? Look at it this way--you have your loving family. Someone flying alone may be single and desperately lonely and sad about it. Who deserves the grace and compassion? It's this kind of myopia that makes parents of young children so repugnant at times.

Disclaimer: there's nothing intrinsically wrong with being single and many single people are happy and content.

Holy projection. Nowhere did I malign single people nor suggest they also aren’t deserving of grace and kindness. We all are. I believe American society suffers from a deep deficit of both. The several nasty responses to my quite benevolent post is proof of that.

I wonder where we’re headed from here.

The PP has a point. Solo travelers (not necessarily single as in marital status) are often targets for the "would you consider moving" pitch. It has happened to me many times. I feel the airline staff single us out, make the request with the parent/child standing there looking at us and then we are expected to smile graciously and give up our seats.

I did it for awhile and usually wound up in some horrid situation where I got a seat that didn't recline or next to an annoying person. I reminded myself that No good deed goes unpunished.
So I stopped.

Last time it was a very entitled, abrasive woman who wanted to shift around 3 people so she could get herself and her kids all seated together. She had gone up and down asking people (holding up boarding BTW) and had figured out a hopscotch pattern of moving other passengers simply to accommodate HER desires.

The kids were in their early teens! I just said "No. Sorry." and went back to reading my book.

To be more accurate, solo FEMALE travelers (especially over a certain age) are the first targets. Watch the next time it happens -- the flight attendants NEVER ask men to move.

My DW takes advantage of this on Southwest and eagerly volunteers to move -- last time she did that, she got $840 in vouchers.

I’ve taken vouchers to wait an hour.

I did this once and the hour delay turned into a few hours as the next plane had "mechanical issues". So, won't make that mistake again.