Why do so many idiots ask to switch seats on planes these days?

[Anonymous]

I once booked an aisle and window for me and my then-4 year old, figuring I could switch with anyone who was assigned a middle seat and they would be happy get an aisle seat. It ended up being an air marshal and he was not supposed to switch from his assigned seat. We had a great conversation the whole flight but I have learned not to do that again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I need someones seat, I offer them money.

Offering to compensate someone for something you need is the decent thing to do.

I've offered money and was turned down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. I will not change my seat because you want to sit next your spouse or kids. It isn't my problem you can't sit together.

I also booked special meals I picked or the flight, so get it through your stupidly thick skulls that even if we switched seats, it causes even more problems when people have pre-specified meal picks. And no, I'd never, ever in a million years give up my aisle or window seat for a worse middle seat.

Why do so many morons insist with sitting next to family members if they can't book next to each other? It's a flight. They're not going anywhere and you'll be fine for a few hours. Requesters for switching seats cause so many stupidly awkward situations and can cause even more problems when other passengers may have specific meals or bought items on shops they have to locate your seat in order to deliver to you. Just sit in your own damn seat people and shut up.

You need to calm down. In decades of traveling I’ve never been asked to change seats. Maybe because I’m usually traveling with my family. Maybe get your own family and this won’t happen to you so often. This doesn’t seem like a real problem.

[Anonymous]

I would switch if I was traveling alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why so angry? Just say 'no thanks' people can ask and you can decline.

I have responded I say no. I'm not angry but it's at best an awkward moment when people handle the no gracefully and some people are dicks about it. I still say no but it would be amazing if you didn't ask.

People separated from small children are an exception (to me). Depending on circumstances, I'm going to seriously entertain the request.

It’s adorable that you think you get to control the words that strangers speak to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people aren't willing to pay the extra fees when they book to choose their seats. Families mistakenly believe the airline will seat them together. I am a parent; if I can't afford to pay the fees to select my seat so my child sits next to me, I'm not going. I don't understand why your lack of planning should become my issue. Yes, I get the argument to have a little compassion, but I have seen too many parents get upset when they didn't pay to pick seats and the airline split them up from their children.

+1

[Anonymous]

Every time I have needed to ask a stranger to switch seats so I can sit next to my kids, it has 100% been because the airline switched our seats (I'm looking at Delta, who has done this 3 times over the last 10 years, I always pay to pick my seats). This has even happened when we flew business class.

Now my kids are old enough that if we got reassigned we would just roll with it, but once it was when my son was 18 months old. It was insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why so angry? Just say 'no thanks' people can ask and you can decline.

+1. It's OK to ask for things. It's OK for people to say no. Neither side needs to feel attacked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why so angry? Just say 'no thanks' people can ask and you can decline.

+1. It's OK to ask for things. It's OK for people to say no. Neither side needs to feel attacked.

Agreed. The last time I did it was so two 20ish women friends could sit together. I gave up a window for an aisle but I actually don't like aisles because of waiting people, people brushing past, the carts, etc.

My condition was that they relocate my carryon to the bin above the asker's seat. I already boarded early and got my luggage situated. I'm short so luggage stowing is often the worst part of my flight. They got my luggage moved, so I did them a favor.

Money wouldn't motivate me to move unless it was $100 or more. I wouldn't want to encourage that tendency for someone to think it takes a taxi type tip to get what you want. An airplane is not a trading pit.

[Anonymous]

I was on a flight a few weeks ago.... 2 Seater rows, aisle window seats only in first class. I had the window with a man next to me in the aisle seat..

Directly in front of me in the window seat was HIS wife and directly in front of my neighbor was MY husband in the aisle. (I don't know if any of that made sense )

I had to reach over the seat a couple times to get something for my husband. No big deal and I never asked to move. Been traveling long enough I don't need to.

But it was weird but no one asked to switch seats to sit next to their spouse I mean window to window or aisle to aisle it really would have made no difference.

I know we talk about people being ballsy to ask but I think it's more common that people don't.

But who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. I will not change my seat because you want to sit next your spouse or kids. It isn't my problem you can't sit together.

I also booked special meals I picked or the flight, so get it through your stupidly thick skulls that even if we switched seats, it causes even more problems when people have pre-specified meal picks. And no, I'd never, ever in a million years give up my aisle or window seat for a worse middle seat.

Why do so many morons insist with sitting next to family members if they can't book next to each other? It's a flight. They're not going anywhere and you'll be fine for a few hours. Requesters for switching seats cause so many stupidly awkward situations and can cause even more problems when other passengers may have specific meals or bought items on shops they have to locate your seat in order to deliver to you. Just sit in your own damn seat people and shut up.

You sound awful. What’s wrong with you???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. The last time I did it was so two 20ish women friends could sit together. I gave up a window for an aisle but I actually don't like aisles because of waiting people, people brushing past, the carts, etc.

My condition was that they relocate my carryon to the bin above the asker's seat. I already boarded early and got my luggage situated. I'm short so luggage stowing is often the worst part of my flight. They got my luggage moved, so I did them a favor.

Money wouldn't motivate me to move unless it was $100 or more. I wouldn't want to encourage that tendency for someone to think it takes a taxi type tip to get what you want. An airplane is not a trading pit.

You literally just said you'd consider moving for $100+ By you own admission, you will accept a tip to give someone what they want.

Anonymous wrote:An airplane is not a trading pit.

It's not, unless I give you enough money ($100+). So, consistent with your inconsistent statements, it is a trading pit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I will not change my seat because you want to sit next your spouse or kids. It isn't my problem you can't sit together.

I also booked special meals I picked or the flight, so get it through your stupidly thick skulls that even if we switched seats, it causes even more problems when people have pre-specified meal picks. And no, I'd never, ever in a million years give up my aisle or window seat for a worse middle seat.

Why do so many morons insist with sitting next to family members if they can't book next to each other? It's a flight. They're not going anywhere and you'll be fine for a few hours. Requesters for switching seats cause so many stupidly awkward situations and can cause even more problems when other passengers may have specific meals or bought items on shops they have to locate your seat in order to deliver to you. Just sit in your own damn seat people and shut up.

You need to calm down. In decades of traveling I’ve never been asked to change seats. Maybe because I’m usually traveling with my family. Maybe get your own family and this won’t happen to you so often. This doesn’t seem like a real problem.

I suspect the “get your own family” part is in fact a real problem for this person…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I need someones seat, I offer them money.

Offering to compensate someone for something you need is the decent thing to do.

I've offered money and was turned down

Offering money is "decent". It's not a guarantee the person will accept.

[Anonymous]

We flew yesterday for a relatively last minute trip. The return leg didn’t have anything left together, and it was the only flight of the day. I put us with one parent/one kid in one part of the plane and one parent/other kid in the back. It was a plane with rows of 3. I wanted us with two rows together ideally so my toddler was in front of my baby in case he went crazy (which he did).

At the gate, I simply asked the agents if they could offer the same middle/window we had in the front of the plane to the rows in front or behind us in the back, and they swapped people around. I was happy it worked out because at booking it wasn’t available! I have the highest status so I wouldn’t have to pay anything to select seats anyway, but I surely would have if it was an option.