How do people feel about even-trading plane seats?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Last week I flew cross country and had a middle seat. A couple came and they had the aisle and window seats on either side of me. They said they book that way in hopes the middle seat is not taken. They offered to trade me the middle for the aisle and I sure as hell took them up on the offer! But otherwise, I wouldn’t trade aisle for window, not with my bladder.

I refuse to switch with the absolute A-holes who do this. They make so much harder for people who actually want to sit together to find seats together.

F—k them. I keep my middle seat every time.

Please explain? Because the math is not mathing.

Whenever i try to book a flight lately with my family, i encounter planes for which literally the only empty seats are middle seats. Therefore it is impossible for me to find even two seats together despite a willingness to pay and what (to me) is a perfectly reasonable timeline for booking flights.

Now, i understand first-come, first served and i am not complaining. It the flight happens to have been filled by a bunch of singletons or people who otherwise don’t want to sit next to someone, fine, I’ll deal.

But it makes my blood boil when people do it deliberately in effort to game the system. I repeat, F—k them. I carefully selected my middle seat out of the dozens of middle seats and I’m keeping it.

First, "reasonable to you" means nothing, if the majority of the seats are already booked. But that's beside the point.

In the scenario you are describing, it doesn't matter *which* two seats the earlier bookers took - there still won't be any seats together for your family. Let's say that no couple traveling together did what you are complaining about, and all took either the middle and window or middle and aisle seats. It's no easier for you to find seats together, because there's still only one seats available in the row.

How is this not obvious?

Because singletons in windows/aisles could still sit next to couples in window/middle or aisle/middle you freaking dumb@$$.

How is THAT not obvious?

NP. I'm not following. Are you saying that you think couples should only ever book window+middle or aisle+aisle, never aisle+middle or aisle+window?

The person to whom you are responding is crazy unhinged.
This doesn't work like concert seating, where there are algorithms to make sure sets of two stay open.
anyone can pick any seat they want. There is no obligation to leave sets of two seats open.

I know for my family the most important thing is getting to the destination we want on a certain schedule. Making sure we're all sitting together is lower on the priority list. I think the airline knows this so there isn't much of an incentive to police the seat selection. If my family of 5 had to take 5 middle seats we would as long as we're getting the flight day, time and price we want, and it's our fault for booking so late. My youngest is 10 and I wouldn't beg anyone to trade seats with us. We'll spend time together at our destination.

God forbid anything ever happens on the plane requiring medical assistance, emergency evacuation, etc. I assume you would be unbothered not being in close proximity to your elementary schooler then. Good for you!

God forbid! I guess if we're that worried we wouldn't fly at all. I assume you drive to every destination?

This is an unbelievably stupid take. Being cognizant of safety concerns =/= one should never fly?

I’m sure the stranger will make sure your kid’s oxygen mask is well-fitted. If you can’t trust in that you should drive, amirite?!

Cool. So I assume you automatically rebook every flight that doesn't allow your entire family to sit together? I mean, they might die if they aren't right next to you.

[Anonymous]

On a related topic, it's shady when an airline sells a "window" seat that doesn't actually have a window. I was once in the last row of a plane in a 2-1 configuration. I had the window on the 2 side. A woman and her teenage daughter tried to get me to switch to the other side so they could sit together. But the seat on the other side didn't have a window so I said no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week I flew cross country and had a middle seat. A couple came and they had the aisle and window seats on either side of me. They said they book that way in hopes the middle seat is not taken. They offered to trade me the middle for the aisle and I sure as hell took them up on the offer! But otherwise, I wouldn’t trade aisle for window, not with my bladder.

I refuse to switch with the absolute A-holes who do this. They make so much harder for people who actually want to sit together to find seats together.

F—k them. I keep my middle seat every time.

Please explain? Because the math is not mathing.

Whenever i try to book a flight lately with my family, i encounter planes for which literally the only empty seats are middle seats. Therefore it is impossible for me to find even two seats together despite a willingness to pay and what (to me) is a perfectly reasonable timeline for booking flights.

Now, i understand first-come, first served and i am not complaining. It the flight happens to have been filled by a bunch of singletons or people who otherwise don’t want to sit next to someone, fine, I’ll deal.

But it makes my blood boil when people do it deliberately in effort to game the system. I repeat, F—k them. I carefully selected my middle seat out of the dozens of middle seats and I’m keeping it.

First, "reasonable to you" means nothing, if the majority of the seats are already booked. But that's beside the point.

In the scenario you are describing, it doesn't matter *which* two seats the earlier bookers took - there still won't be any seats together for your family. Let's say that no couple traveling together did what you are complaining about, and all took either the middle and window or middle and aisle seats. It's no easier for you to find seats together, because there's still only one seats available in the row.

How is this not obvious?

Because singletons in windows/aisles could still sit next to couples in window/middle or aisle/middle you freaking dumb@$$.

How is THAT not obvious?

NP. I'm not following. Are you saying that you think couples should only ever book window+middle or aisle+aisle, never aisle+middle or aisle+window?

No. But they could theoretically book aisle/middle in a row where the window seat is taken, rather than book window/aisle in an unoccupied row right behind.

Or they book window/middle in an unoccupied row, leaving the aisle seat free for a singleton.

And if they choose to book aisle/window that’s where they should stay. As we’ve learned from this thread, asking to switch seats is horribly offensive.

LOL NO. If I'm booking for me and DW, I'll grab the aisle and window in an empty row. Why on earth would I grab the middle and aisle next to a booked window seat?
The aisle and window (or two aisles) are higher currency. And fine. We're happy to stay in our seats and don't need to switch. It's just nice to have the options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week I flew cross country and had a middle seat. A couple came and they had the aisle and window seats on either side of me. They said they book that way in hopes the middle seat is not taken. They offered to trade me the middle for the aisle and I sure as hell took them up on the offer! But otherwise, I wouldn’t trade aisle for window, not with my bladder.

I refuse to switch with the absolute A-holes who do this. They make so much harder for people who actually want to sit together to find seats together.

F—k them. I keep my middle seat every time.

Please explain? Because the math is not mathing.

Whenever i try to book a flight lately with my family, i encounter planes for which literally the only empty seats are middle seats. Therefore it is impossible for me to find even two seats together despite a willingness to pay and what (to me) is a perfectly reasonable timeline for booking flights.

Now, i understand first-come, first served and i am not complaining. It the flight happens to have been filled by a bunch of singletons or people who otherwise don’t want to sit next to someone, fine, I’ll deal.

But it makes my blood boil when people do it deliberately in effort to game the system. I repeat, F—k them. I carefully selected my middle seat out of the dozens of middle seats and I’m keeping it.

First, "reasonable to you" means nothing, if the majority of the seats are already booked. But that's beside the point.

In the scenario you are describing, it doesn't matter *which* two seats the earlier bookers took - there still won't be any seats together for your family. Let's say that no couple traveling together did what you are complaining about, and all took either the middle and window or middle and aisle seats. It's no easier for you to find seats together, because there's still only one seats available in the row.

How is this not obvious?

Because singletons in windows/aisles could still sit next to couples in window/middle or aisle/middle you freaking dumb@$$.

How is THAT not obvious?

NP. I'm not following. Are you saying that you think couples should only ever book window+middle or aisle+aisle, never aisle+middle or aisle+window?

No. But they could theoretically book aisle/middle in a row where the window seat is taken, rather than book window/aisle in an unoccupied row right behind.

Or they book window/middle in an unoccupied row, leaving the aisle seat free for a singleton.

And if they choose to book aisle/window that’s where they should stay. As we’ve learned from this thread, asking to switch seats is horribly offensive.

They're leaving a middle seat open for a singleton! A late singleton booking gets a middle. Everyone knows that.

[Anonymous]

An even trade so that someone can sit close to a loved one? Of course! I'm not a monster. We're living in a society!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week I flew cross country and had a middle seat. A couple came and they had the aisle and window seats on either side of me. They said they book that way in hopes the middle seat is not taken. They offered to trade me the middle for the aisle and I sure as hell took them up on the offer! But otherwise, I wouldn’t trade aisle for window, not with my bladder.

I refuse to switch with the absolute A-holes who do this. They make so much harder for people who actually want to sit together to find seats together.

F—k them. I keep my middle seat every time.

Please explain? Because the math is not mathing.

Whenever i try to book a flight lately with my family, i encounter planes for which literally the only empty seats are middle seats. Therefore it is impossible for me to find even two seats together despite a willingness to pay and what (to me) is a perfectly reasonable timeline for booking flights.

Now, i understand first-come, first served and i am not complaining. It the flight happens to have been filled by a bunch of singletons or people who otherwise don’t want to sit next to someone, fine, I’ll deal.

But it makes my blood boil when people do it deliberately in effort to game the system. I repeat, F—k them. I carefully selected my middle seat out of the dozens of middle seats and I’m keeping it.

First, "reasonable to you" means nothing, if the majority of the seats are already booked. But that's beside the point.

In the scenario you are describing, it doesn't matter *which* two seats the earlier bookers took - there still won't be any seats together for your family. Let's say that no couple traveling together did what you are complaining about, and all took either the middle and window or middle and aisle seats. It's no easier for you to find seats together, because there's still only one seats available in the row.

How is this not obvious?

Because singletons in windows/aisles could still sit next to couples in window/middle or aisle/middle you freaking dumb@$$.

How is THAT not obvious?

NP. I'm not following. Are you saying that you think couples should only ever book window+middle or aisle+aisle, never aisle+middle or aisle+window?

The person to whom you are responding is crazy unhinged.
This doesn't work like concert seating, where there are algorithms to make sure sets of two stay open.
anyone can pick any seat they want. There is no obligation to leave sets of two seats open.

I know for my family the most important thing is getting to the destination we want on a certain schedule. Making sure we're all sitting together is lower on the priority list. I think the airline knows this so there isn't much of an incentive to police the seat selection. If my family of 5 had to take 5 middle seats we would as long as we're getting the flight day, time and price we want, and it's our fault for booking so late. My youngest is 10 and I wouldn't beg anyone to trade seats with us. We'll spend time together at our destination.

God forbid anything ever happens on the plane requiring medical assistance, emergency evacuation, etc. I assume you would be unbothered not being in close proximity to your elementary schooler then. Good for you!

NP

My kids are younger, so I have no immediate dog in this fight, but yes, I imagine when you have a 10 year old, they are often apart from you (school, friends house, playing outside, whatever) and they are able to take care of themselves. And that yes, in a rare emergency, no matter where you are (plane, school, whatever) you'll be upset that you weren't there. But also - most people are good and would help a 10 year old that happened to be near them in the case of an emergency? I mean, are you actually saying that in an emergency evacuation of a plane, if you happened to be sitting next to a 10 year old you didn't know, that you would either 1) not help them/ignore them or 2) help them while internally being mad that their parents weren't there so you had to?

I mean this sincerely: Anyone who thinks like this is what's wrong with society. Jesus Christ.

And if you're so anxious about a plane incident that happens like 1 in a million plane rides that you can be three rows behind your 10 year old? You need to see a therapist and deal with your anxiety as that is insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I would just like to remind people that there may be reasons that parents really want to sit next to their kids and tweens. My older daughter would be totally fine sitting alone since she was like 4. My younger kid has severe anxiety and has a hard time sitting with people she doesn't know. Can she do it? Yes. But she will sit there the entire time in a nervous state and have a breakdown when we arrive at our location (and yes, she sees a therapist and is on medication).

We once got our seats switched (that we booked well in advance and paid for) and I had to beg people to switch. She was 11, so I know that most people would think she should sit by herself, but it would make it even worse for her if I had to explain to people why we needed to sit together.

Lesson of the story-- you don't know what is going on with a family, so maybe just be a decent person and switch seats if asked nicely?

You all can pile on this person, but I would rather just let a parent figure out what's best for their kid. If someone nicely asked me to switch, I would say yes. I don't need an explanation.

And it’s nice of you! But the pile on she’s getting is because her main character syndrome has blinded her to the fact that every other person on the plane has their own situation. Yours is flexible it seems. Others such as mine is not. “Being a decent person” doesn’t mean agreeing to trade seats and her conviction that she and her daughter are the most deserving people on the plane is shortsighted.

It’s also fine to say no. But this thread is full of people who feel personally victimized/attacked/put-upon by someone merely ASKING.

It’s not fine to say no. The rejected passenger will get huffy and glare at you the rest of the flight. They won’t take a no well.

This is either you projecting OR it’s an observation of reasonable person’s reaction to you being a dick for no apparent reason.

What is “apparent reason”. Are you a dick if you have a UTI and don’t want to tell the 12-year-old?

What does a UTI have to do with an even trade of seats (the subject of this thread)?

Because its why I wouldn’t trade an aisle seat in row 35 for an aisle
seat in row 20. 35 is closer to the bathroom. Do I have to tell you I have a UTI in order to not be a dick?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is “apparent reason”. Are you a dick if you have a UTI and don’t want to tell the 12-year-old?

Are you drunk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week I flew cross country and had a middle seat. A couple came and they had the aisle and window seats on either side of me. They said they book that way in hopes the middle seat is not taken. They offered to trade me the middle for the aisle and I sure as hell took them up on the offer! But otherwise, I wouldn’t trade aisle for window, not with my bladder.

I refuse to switch with the absolute A-holes who do this. They make so much harder for people who actually want to sit together to find seats together.

F—k them. I keep my middle seat every time.

Please explain? Because the math is not mathing.

Whenever i try to book a flight lately with my family, i encounter planes for which literally the only empty seats are middle seats. Therefore it is impossible for me to find even two seats together despite a willingness to pay and what (to me) is a perfectly reasonable timeline for booking flights.

Now, i understand first-come, first served and i am not complaining. It the flight happens to have been filled by a bunch of singletons or people who otherwise don’t want to sit next to someone, fine, I’ll deal.

But it makes my blood boil when people do it deliberately in effort to game the system. I repeat, F—k them. I carefully selected my middle seat out of the dozens of middle seats and I’m keeping it.

First, "reasonable to you" means nothing, if the majority of the seats are already booked. But that's beside the point.

In the scenario you are describing, it doesn't matter *which* two seats the earlier bookers took - there still won't be any seats together for your family. Let's say that no couple traveling together did what you are complaining about, and all took either the middle and window or middle and aisle seats. It's no easier for you to find seats together, because there's still only one seats available in the row.

How is this not obvious?

Because singletons in windows/aisles could still sit next to couples in window/middle or aisle/middle you freaking dumb@$$.

How is THAT not obvious?

NP. I'm not following. Are you saying that you think couples should only ever book window+middle or aisle+aisle, never aisle+middle or aisle+window?

The person to whom you are responding is crazy unhinged.
This doesn't work like concert seating, where there are algorithms to make sure sets of two stay open.
anyone can pick any seat they want. There is no obligation to leave sets of two seats open.

I know for my family the most important thing is getting to the destination we want on a certain schedule. Making sure we're all sitting together is lower on the priority list. I think the airline knows this so there isn't much of an incentive to police the seat selection. If my family of 5 had to take 5 middle seats we would as long as we're getting the flight day, time and price we want, and it's our fault for booking so late. My youngest is 10 and I wouldn't beg anyone to trade seats with us. We'll spend time together at our destination.

God forbid anything ever happens on the plane requiring medical assistance, emergency evacuation, etc. I assume you would be unbothered not being in close proximity to your elementary schooler then. Good for you!

NP

My kids are younger, so I have no immediate dog in this fight, but yes, I imagine when you have a 10 year old, they are often apart from you (school, friends house, playing outside, whatever) and they are able to take care of themselves. And that yes, in a rare emergency, no matter where you are (plane, school, whatever) you'll be upset that you weren't there. But also - most people are good and would help a 10 year old that happened to be near them in the case of an emergency? I mean, are you actually saying that in an emergency evacuation of a plane, if you happened to be sitting next to a 10 year old you didn't know, that you would either 1) not help them/ignore them or 2) help them while internally being mad that their parents weren't there so you had to?

I mean this sincerely: Anyone who thinks like this is what's wrong with society. Jesus Christ.

And if you're so anxious about a plane incident that happens like 1 in a million plane rides that you can be three rows behind your 10 year old? You need to see a therapist and deal with your anxiety as that is insane.

+1

Your 10 year old is fine in the same cabin with you, seated in a mix of other adults. If not, drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would just like to remind people that there may be reasons that parents really want to sit next to their kids and tweens. My older daughter would be totally fine sitting alone since she was like 4. My younger kid has severe anxiety and has a hard time sitting with people she doesn't know. Can she do it? Yes. But she will sit there the entire time in a nervous state and have a breakdown when we arrive at our location (and yes, she sees a therapist and is on medication).

We once got our seats switched (that we booked well in advance and paid for) and I had to beg people to switch. She was 11, so I know that most people would think she should sit by herself, but it would make it even worse for her if I had to explain to people why we needed to sit together.

Lesson of the story-- you don't know what is going on with a family, so maybe just be a decent person and switch seats if asked nicely?

You all can pile on this person, but I would rather just let a parent figure out what's best for their kid. If someone nicely asked me to switch, I would say yes. I don't need an explanation.

And it’s nice of you! But the pile on she’s getting is because her main character syndrome has blinded her to the fact that every other person on the plane has their own situation. Yours is flexible it seems. Others such as mine is not. “Being a decent person” doesn’t mean agreeing to trade seats and her conviction that she and her daughter are the most deserving people on the plane is shortsighted.

It’s also fine to say no. But this thread is full of people who feel personally victimized/attacked/put-upon by someone merely ASKING.

It’s not fine to say no. The rejected passenger will get huffy and glare at you the rest of the flight. They won’t take a no well.

This is either you projecting OR it’s an observation of reasonable person’s reaction to you being a dick for no apparent reason.

What is “apparent reason”. Are you a dick if you have a UTI and don’t want to tell the 12-year-old?

What does a UTI have to do with an even trade of seats (the subject of this thread)?

Because its why I wouldn’t trade an aisle seat in row 35 for an aisle
seat in row 20. 35 is closer to the bathroom. Do I have to tell you I have a UTI in order to not be a dick?

You wouldn't have a UTI if you could take a break from whoring on your period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week I flew cross country and had a middle seat. A couple came and they had the aisle and window seats on either side of me. They said they book that way in hopes the middle seat is not taken. They offered to trade me the middle for the aisle and I sure as hell took them up on the offer! But otherwise, I wouldn’t trade aisle for window, not with my bladder.

I refuse to switch with the absolute A-holes who do this. They make so much harder for people who actually want to sit together to find seats together.

F—k them. I keep my middle seat every time.

Please explain? Because the math is not mathing.

Whenever i try to book a flight lately with my family, i encounter planes for which literally the only empty seats are middle seats. Therefore it is impossible for me to find even two seats together despite a willingness to pay and what (to me) is a perfectly reasonable timeline for booking flights.

Now, i understand first-come, first served and i am not complaining. It the flight happens to have been filled by a bunch of singletons or people who otherwise don’t want to sit next to someone, fine, I’ll deal.

But it makes my blood boil when people do it deliberately in effort to game the system. I repeat, F—k them. I carefully selected my middle seat out of the dozens of middle seats and I’m keeping it.

First, "reasonable to you" means nothing, if the majority of the seats are already booked. But that's beside the point.

In the scenario you are describing, it doesn't matter *which* two seats the earlier bookers took - there still won't be any seats together for your family. Let's say that no couple traveling together did what you are complaining about, and all took either the middle and window or middle and aisle seats. It's no easier for you to find seats together, because there's still only one seats available in the row.

How is this not obvious?

Because singletons in windows/aisles could still sit next to couples in window/middle or aisle/middle you freaking dumb@$$.

How is THAT not obvious?

NP. I'm not following. Are you saying that you think couples should only ever book window+middle or aisle+aisle, never aisle+middle or aisle+window?

The person to whom you are responding is crazy unhinged.
This doesn't work like concert seating, where there are algorithms to make sure sets of two stay open.
anyone can pick any seat they want. There is no obligation to leave sets of two seats open.

I know for my family the most important thing is getting to the destination we want on a certain schedule. Making sure we're all sitting together is lower on the priority list. I think the airline knows this so there isn't much of an incentive to police the seat selection. If my family of 5 had to take 5 middle seats we would as long as we're getting the flight day, time and price we want, and it's our fault for booking so late. My youngest is 10 and I wouldn't beg anyone to trade seats with us. We'll spend time together at our destination.

God forbid anything ever happens on the plane requiring medical assistance, emergency evacuation, etc. I assume you would be unbothered not being in close proximity to your elementary schooler then. Good for you!

God forbid! I guess if we're that worried we wouldn't fly at all. I assume you drive to every destination?

This is an unbelievably stupid take. Being cognizant of safety concerns =/= one should never fly?

I’m sure the stranger will make sure your kid’s oxygen mask is well-fitted. If you can’t trust in that you should drive, amirite?!

Cool. So I assume you automatically rebook every flight that doesn't allow your entire family to sit together? I mean, they might die if they aren't right next to you.

Nope. The entire family doesn’t need to sit together. But one parent absolutely needs to sit next to the elementary school aged child(ren).

Are you just being obstinate, or are you really this stupid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week I flew cross country and had a middle seat. A couple came and they had the aisle and window seats on either side of me. They said they book that way in hopes the middle seat is not taken. They offered to trade me the middle for the aisle and I sure as hell took them up on the offer! But otherwise, I wouldn’t trade aisle for window, not with my bladder.

I refuse to switch with the absolute A-holes who do this. They make so much harder for people who actually want to sit together to find seats together.

F—k them. I keep my middle seat every time.

Please explain? Because the math is not mathing.

Whenever i try to book a flight lately with my family, i encounter planes for which literally the only empty seats are middle seats. Therefore it is impossible for me to find even two seats together despite a willingness to pay and what (to me) is a perfectly reasonable timeline for booking flights.

Now, i understand first-come, first served and i am not complaining. It the flight happens to have been filled by a bunch of singletons or people who otherwise don’t want to sit next to someone, fine, I’ll deal.

But it makes my blood boil when people do it deliberately in effort to game the system. I repeat, F—k them. I carefully selected my middle seat out of the dozens of middle seats and I’m keeping it.

First, "reasonable to you" means nothing, if the majority of the seats are already booked. But that's beside the point.

In the scenario you are describing, it doesn't matter *which* two seats the earlier bookers took - there still won't be any seats together for your family. Let's say that no couple traveling together did what you are complaining about, and all took either the middle and window or middle and aisle seats. It's no easier for you to find seats together, because there's still only one seats available in the row.

How is this not obvious?

Because singletons in windows/aisles could still sit next to couples in window/middle or aisle/middle you freaking dumb@$$.

How is THAT not obvious?

NP. I'm not following. Are you saying that you think couples should only ever book window+middle or aisle+aisle, never aisle+middle or aisle+window?

The person to whom you are responding is crazy unhinged.
This doesn't work like concert seating, where there are algorithms to make sure sets of two stay open.
anyone can pick any seat they want. There is no obligation to leave sets of two seats open.

I know for my family the most important thing is getting to the destination we want on a certain schedule. Making sure we're all sitting together is lower on the priority list. I think the airline knows this so there isn't much of an incentive to police the seat selection. If my family of 5 had to take 5 middle seats we would as long as we're getting the flight day, time and price we want, and it's our fault for booking so late. My youngest is 10 and I wouldn't beg anyone to trade seats with us. We'll spend time together at our destination.

God forbid anything ever happens on the plane requiring medical assistance, emergency evacuation, etc. I assume you would be unbothered not being in close proximity to your elementary schooler then. Good for you!

NP

My kids are younger, so I have no immediate dog in this fight, but yes, I imagine when you have a 10 year old, they are often apart from you (school, friends house, playing outside, whatever) and they are able to take care of themselves. And that yes, in a rare emergency, no matter where you are (plane, school, whatever) you'll be upset that you weren't there. But also - most people are good and would help a 10 year old that happened to be near them in the case of an emergency? I mean, are you actually saying that in an emergency evacuation of a plane, if you happened to be sitting next to a 10 year old you didn't know, that you would either 1) not help them/ignore them or 2) help them while internally being mad that their parents weren't there so you had to?

I mean this sincerely: Anyone who thinks like this is what's wrong with society. Jesus Christ.

And if you're so anxious about a plane incident that happens like 1 in a million plane rides that you can be three rows behind your 10 year old? You need to see a therapist and deal with your anxiety as that is insane.

Holy $hit. Your entire take is what’s wrong with society. Thinking that someone who wants to sit next to their own child on a plane is a selfish monster with an anxiety disorder?

I feel sorry for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would just like to remind people that there may be reasons that parents really want to sit next to their kids and tweens. My older daughter would be totally fine sitting alone since she was like 4. My younger kid has severe anxiety and has a hard time sitting with people she doesn't know. Can she do it? Yes. But she will sit there the entire time in a nervous state and have a breakdown when we arrive at our location (and yes, she sees a therapist and is on medication).

We once got our seats switched (that we booked well in advance and paid for) and I had to beg people to switch. She was 11, so I know that most people would think she should sit by herself, but it would make it even worse for her if I had to explain to people why we needed to sit together.

Lesson of the story-- you don't know what is going on with a family, so maybe just be a decent person and switch seats if asked nicely?

You all can pile on this person, but I would rather just let a parent figure out what's best for their kid. If someone nicely asked me to switch, I would say yes. I don't need an explanation.

And it’s nice of you! But the pile on she’s getting is because her main character syndrome has blinded her to the fact that every other person on the plane has their own situation. Yours is flexible it seems. Others such as mine is not. “Being a decent person” doesn’t mean agreeing to trade seats and her conviction that she and her daughter are the most deserving people on the plane is shortsighted.

It’s also fine to say no. But this thread is full of people who feel personally victimized/attacked/put-upon by someone merely ASKING.

It’s not fine to say no. The rejected passenger will get huffy and glare at you the rest of the flight. They won’t take a no well.

This is either you projecting OR it’s an observation of reasonable person’s reaction to you being a dick for no apparent reason.

What is “apparent reason”. Are you a dick if you have a UTI and don’t want to tell the 12-year-old?

What does a UTI have to do with an even trade of seats (the subject of this thread)?

Because its why I wouldn’t trade an aisle seat in row 35 for an aisle
seat in row 20. 35 is closer to the bathroom. Do I have to tell you I have a UTI in order to not be a dick?

How long does it take you to walk 10-15 extra steps? See, this is an unreasonable excuse made by a dick.

You won’t switch because you enjoy the tiny little power trip.

[Anonymous]

In this thread, it seems the consensus is:

People who deliberately book seats apart and ask to switch to be together are smart.

People who book together and get switched by the airlines who ask to switch to be together are entitled, anxiety-riddled jerks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In this thread, it seems the consensus is:

People who deliberately book seats apart and ask to switch to be together are smart.

People who book together and get switched by the airlines who ask to switch to be together are entitled, anxiety-riddled jerks.

Bingo! Also, whoring on your period. Don't forget that salient post!
This thread is bonkers.