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Would you switch seats? (Read 354 times)

Mysecondnewname


    This situation thankfully did NOT happen to me as I was flying today.  However, I thought it might make an interesting poll question for those of you who travel.

     

    Imaginary Scenario:

     

    You are flying alone on Southwest airlines and you paid the extra $12.50 to board early.  You are able to get your desired aisle seat and room for your bag overhead.  The flight attendant makes the announcement that it's a very full flight.

     

    Just as you are settling in before takeoff, the flight attendant approaches you.  She asks you if you would be willing to switch seats so a late boarding husband and wife can sit together.

     

    You follow her gaze towards the seat she wants you to switch to: it's a middle seat between two rather large gentleman, whose shoulders and ample girths encroach significantly upon the middle seat space.  The seat is also several rows forward of where you are currently seated, with no room for your overhead bag.

     

    You want to be nice (and you believe in wedded bliss), yet you paid to board first and you hate middle seats...

     

    Would you switch seats?

      No. Easy call. Why would it be so critical the husband & wife sit together? Different situation if it is something like a mother & young child, but even then I would be grumbling about it. People who need to sit together on a plane need to plan ahead accordingly.

      Dave

      TeaOlive


      old woman w/hobby

        This situation thankfully did NOT happen to me as I was flying today.  However, I thought it might make an interesting poll question for those of you who travel.

         

        Imaginary Scenario:

         

        You are flying alone on Southwest airlines and you paid the extra $10 to board early.  You are able to get your desired aisle seat and room for your bag overhead.  The flight attendant makes the announcement that it's a very full flight.

         

        Just as you are settling in before takeoff, the flight attendant approaches you.  She asks you if you would be willing to switch seats so a late boarding husband and wife can sit together.

         

        You follow her gaze towards the seat she wants you to switch to: it's a middle seat between two rather large gentleman, whose shoulders and ample girths encroach significantly upon the middle seat space.  The seat is also several rows forward of where you are currently seated, with no room for your overhead bag.

         

        You want to be nice (and you believe in wedded bliss), yet you paid to board first and you hate middle seats...

         

        Would you switch seats?

         

        I see no reason to switch.

        steph  

         

         


        Feeling the growl again

          Didn't they have the same option of paying extra so they could board early and get seats together, and did not?

           

          No, I wouldn't.  But yes, if it was a family with young children I probably would despite the $10 I paid.

          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

           

          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

           

          GC100k


             People who need to sit together on a plane need to plan ahead accordingly.

             

            I don't fit in a regular airline seat.  I have to sit on an angle or pull my knees to my chest.  It's a big deal.  My upper left leg is still numb from a flight a couple years ago, and the outer front quarter of my right foot is still numb from a flight two months ago.  My work accounts don't allow me to pay for upgrades (I could spend $3000 on a coach ticket from one airline that is available for $1000 on another airline or itinerary, but I can't spend $1000 for the ticket and then a few hundred for an upgrade), and I don't have the money to do it from personal funds.

             

            Usually they'll see me and allow me to go to an exit row or bukhead without paying, but if it's full and seats are already assigned, there's nothing they can do.  And some flights, like the Japan Airlines flight that left me numb a couple months ago, they don't assign seats until you get to the gate and if your connecting flight is late, like the JAL flight and the story I'm about to tell, you get whatever is left even if it separates a mom and kid.

             

            A couple years ago on a flight from the US to Dubai, it was a 3-5-3 configuration and I was on the outside aisle with a guy at the window and a little kid in between us.  His mom was in the middle of the 5 seat row.  No one around her would switch to allow the kid there.  She asked to switch with the window guy, but he refused.  Then we thought the guy across the aisle could switch, but he refused.  So I offered to switch with her.  I made a couple comical attempts to shoehorn my body into her seat, but it wasn't working.  Then an average-sized young guy on the aisle a couple rows back offered to take the middle seat so I could have his aisle seat.

             

            By the way, on the way back to the US on JAL a few weeks ago, they upgraded me to business class.  That's the way to go, it's not just a little better, it's many times better.  Some guys I know get free upgrades all the time, but it has rarely happened to me.

             

            Back to the original topic, I don't know why a husband and wife would need to sit together, but a mom and a kid is different.

            ymmv


               I don't know why a husband and wife would need to sit together

               

              Perhaps they need to continue an argument they are having about why they never get to the airport on time.

              xhristopher


                Parent and kid yes. Spouse? They better pay me back my 10$.

                 

                I voted no.

                  They would have to refund my 10 dollar fee as well as giving me some kind of comp for doing it.  It is first come first serve, who gives a flicker if they are married, they will see enough of each other the next 50 years.

                    5k  = 19.48 10/1/13

                  10k  = 45.28 4/16/13

                  Half Marathon = 1:38.53  Summer Sizzle 7/13/14

                  Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/12  4:39.11

                  Solo O Marathon 06/02/13  3:52:10

                  Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/13 3:40.34

                    I voted no. My response would be that I'd be willing to relocate to another aisle seat if they could make that work. Whether they could do that or not would be their problem.

                    A list of my PRs in a misguided attempt to impress people that do not care.

                    TJoseph


                      I probably wouldn't unless it was to an equal or better seat (aisle for an aisle).  I am normal height, but I prefer an aisle seat on longer flights so I can get up and go to the bathroom without climbing over someone.  I have asked people to make such a trade to sit next to a co-worker.  As others have said, a mother and child would be a different story, but that also depends on the age of the child.

                      MJ5


                      Chief Unicorn Officer

                        Nope! If it was a child, I would. I don't need to rearrange myself to make everyone else happy, so in this scenario I would not. Maybe they would think I'm selfish, but I'll never see them again, so I don't care.

                        Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54


                        Menace to Sobriety

                          Not just no, but hell no!

                          Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.


                          Feeling the growl again

                             but I'll never see them again, so I don't care.

                             

                            Would you apply this same logic in all situations, like a parent and young child separated by the airline and not their choice?  I'm nice to a lot of people I will never see again.

                             

                            Last fall on a 3.5 hour flight the airline ignored our seat reservations and split me, my wife, and three children under 6 all across the plane.  I'd booked those seats 5 months in advance but they did it anyways and refused to fix it before we got on the plane.

                            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                             

                            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                             

                            MJ5


                            Chief Unicorn Officer

                               

                              Would you apply this same logic in all situations, like a parent and young child separated by the airline and not their choice?  I'm nice to a lot of people I will never see again.

                               

                              Last fall on a 3.5 hour flight the airline ignored our seat reservations and split me, my wife, and three children under 6 all across the plane.  I'd booked those seats 5 months in advance but they did it anyways and refused to fix it before we got on the plane.

                               

                              Uh, did you read the part where I said if I was a kid I would have switched?...

                              Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54


                              Not dead. Yet.

                                I would probably do it.  But not if I knew that I was going to be sitting between two fat bastards.  I have that thing where I try to be nice and accommodating for anyone and everyone.  

                                 

                                In the end, it's all about our own enjoyment/feelings.  If I give up my seat, it makes me feel good because I helped somebody else.

                                 

                                But if the downside is sitting next to a couple of fat bastards (and I knew it), that would be factored in to my decision.  Being uncomfortable and having fat slabs slapping on me during a long flight is not worth the good feeling I get for giving up my seat.

                                 

                                So I vote, "It depends"

                                How can we know our limits if we don't test them?

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