Giving up Seat on a Flight

Rizzy on 23/04/2017 - 18:17

Ozbargainers,

I was flying to Melbourne for a little holiday today and there was a kid sitting in the window seat in one of the aisles. The bloke who bought/reserved that seat came and made the kid's mum move him so he could sit in his seat.

I used my VFF points once to fly business in the window seat (1A) and the guy next to me (1B) asked if I would swap with his partner in (1C). I like window seats and I always make an effort to reserve window seats. Anyways I told the guy, I'd swap after take off - which I did. No biggy. I let him hold his partners hand throughout the whole flight. Not all heroes wear capes :P

My question is, what would you do if someone asked you if you could change/swap seats and if anyone has a smart/not too rude reply to say no I like my seat - bugger off.

Travel

Comments

    • djones145 on 27/04/2017 - 09:45

      prolly lucky u swapped, two obese buys on one side of the plane will send it in a infinite spin and crash!

  • outlander on 26/04/2017 - 16:29

    I used to do stuff like this. I thought even though it caused me a slight inconvience, but made someone else really happy, that it was a worthwhile trade and I was making the world just a little bit better for everyone.

    LOL What a joke. I can only look back at that mindset and laugh now.

    "YOU WANT MY WINDOW SEAT? YOU CAN PRY IT FROM MY COLD DEAD BUTTOCKS!"

  • TheGoodNamesWereUsed on 26/04/2017 - 16:46
    +1

    That's weird, Virgin don't allow men sit next to Minors:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_seating_sex_discrimina…

    • Love a bargain on 26/04/2017 - 17:05

      Pretty sure Virgin is not the only one with this rule

      • HangryCakeStore on 26/04/2017 - 22:53

        Still it's sexist, but kids are annoying as f@#$@#% anyways, need my peace, lol.

  • drprox on 26/04/2017 - 19:23
    +2

    Got a kid to move from my wife's window seat recently on a flight. He was hanging out there whilst everyone was boarding. He proceeded to cry for about 30 mins post takeoff about it. Made me a little uncomfortable but the reality is his parents need to manage the tears and his expectations better!

    • xoom on 27/04/2017 - 00:08
      +1

      this is sadly becoming a trend now. parents too afraid say no to their kid because they seem to think this will scar them for life. and when said kid grows up hearing the word no from other people they sulk because mummmy and daddy never say that to them.

    • try2bhelpful on 28/04/2017 - 18:03

      What was the mother doing about all this? I would think you are owed an apology for the kid taking your seat. Probably didn't happen though.

  • SpaceNinja on 26/04/2017 - 22:40
    +1

    Give them the finger.
    Pro mode: Look them in the eye while you do it.

    • serpserpserp on 28/04/2017 - 22:03

      I laughed too hard at Pro mode.

  • tmg316 on 26/04/2017 - 23:45
    -2

    Just swap your seat, it means those who know each other can sit together and it really doesn't hurt you to switch. You'd want someone to do it if the roles were reversed - more people need to start 'doing unto others as you would have them do unto you'. Seriously we're becoming a society of w*nkers.

    • xoom on 27/04/2017 - 00:04
      +4

      if people paid extra for their seat it hurts their hip pocket. i wouldnt sit on someones paid seat therefore i expect others to do the same.

    • THICKnSLOW on 27/04/2017 - 11:32

      Wouldn't hurt to say thanks to the passenger AFTER THE FLIGHT LANDS to show some gratitude.

  • THICKnSLOW on 27/04/2017 - 11:26

    I've learnt from prior experience, unless I am compensated fairly for the change of seat, I will remain in the seat I was allocated (by choice or by system).

    So that means, upgrade me to Business/First Class, or buy me expensive liquour.

  • stonkered on 27/04/2017 - 16:34
    -1

    I say yeah i just shat my pants and a bit seeped on the seat so no worries where is my new seat?

  • altomic on 27/04/2017 - 19:15

    well, if it is a United Flight then it depends on who is asking

    • Love a bargain on 27/04/2017 - 19:19

      Or depends if other people are recording (for your evidence if you later get hurt & decided to sue UA)

  • altomic on 27/04/2017 - 19:22
    +1

    Not all heroes wear capes :P

    if you had a cape then you could just fly…..

  • zuuutoootuuu on 27/04/2017 - 19:54

    This thread reminded me of the time I was flying with Ryan Air, a women was sitting in my reserved seat. I informed her nicely, she said that someone else is sitting in her seat and she wouldn't move out of it mine. I asked the flight attendant to move her out but the flight attendant told me to sit elsewhere until I told her that I had paid extra for that window seat.

  • parismeow on 28/04/2017 - 09:40
    +2

    ugh this pisses me off so much!!
    i specifically pay extra for a window seat and expect that this is where i will be sitting. I have no problem telling someone to move out of my seat. My biggest concern is the amount of people who were told by flight attendants to go sit elsewhere. where is the customer service here!!!

    I was flying home from Hawaii on Jetstar and they issued me the wrong seat on my flight. as it was an early flight i had to wait for someone to come to the desk to get it changed… They were reluctant but i had evidence that i had booked and paid for that seat. They had to give it to me. I always print and take evidence of what i have paid for in case this happens.

    TBH i dont care who you are or what the reason is. everyone gets the option to book a seat, and if you didnt do that then that is no ones fault but yourself. They should know better, or have the opportunity to learn for next time.

  • everypenny on 28/04/2017 - 10:38

    Interesting Discussion - Do you think anyone offered their seat during the United Airlines incident in US where a chinese doctor got injured?

    It didnt look like from the Video. I would be the 1st person to get up offer a seat

  • tomokaicho on 28/04/2017 - 10:47

    Don't do it!!!

    I take around 25 international flights a year, and I often get asked to change seats. After many years of permitting it, I now categorically say no.

    A lot of times these people don't have good intentions, no matter what they give you as the reason. One time for example I was asked to change seats, and ended up next to a person with severe halitosis, for example. There were other bad situations that I just want to forget, so I won't relate them here. NEVER GIVE UP YOUR ASSIGNED SEAT!

  • skyva on 28/04/2017 - 11:46
    +1

    I used to be pretty flexible but I had a bad experience. I was flying on business by myself from Syd to Melb, already seated and comfy when the cabin crew asked me to swap seats with a lady. The lady was seated next to 2 men who, from their outfits, were very religious. The men had requested that the lady did not sit next to them on religious grounds. I have no idea about religion and didn't care. So I swapped out of pity of the lady, not the religious men.

    Worst mistake. It was a warm Sydney day and these guys stank. Most likely due to wearing long black synthetic robes and hats on a hot day. And, for the whole flight they sat and fervently prayed, reading their religious texts, mostly keeping their eyes tightly closed between glimpses of their books, and nodding their heads into the seats in front as they prayed. I am not a nervous flyer but it really makes you wonder what they know that I didn't that made them think they better pray hard the whole time and not make eye contact with anyone.

    My view is that if you cannot sit next to a woman for religious reasons, either book the seat next to you or confirm with the airline that you have issues before you fly. Getting other people to move just puts the problem caused by these extreme beliefs onto more tolerant members of society.

    Oh and I was thanked by the lady and cabin crew, but not the men for helping them out.

    Anyway, I am glad I helped the lady out but I would seriously question whether I would do it again, it was a terrible experience and segregated seating needs to be addressed by the airlines.

    • Love a bargain on 28/04/2017 - 12:07

      Agree. People are free to practice whatever religious beliefs they want but they should not be free to impose that onto other people.

      Ie. If they are not allowed to sit next to someone of the opposite sex, the should be the one who have to move (& to the back of economy if it means so much to them & no one in business class wanna swap with them), not the poor lady.

    • serpserpserp on 28/04/2017 - 22:11

      Sounds like they were praying for you to deliver them some deodorant. But the Gods can be cruel even to the most faithful followers….

  • Itch3m on 28/04/2017 - 12:02

    Just play a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors over it.

  • fullmetal on 28/04/2017 - 13:24

    I had a bad experience on my first alone flight in my life, I was asked to swap seat for a family. Worst decision ever, the kid ends up kicking my chair for the entire flight and the person in front of me refuse to incline her seat during meal time. I have to get the stewardess to go over and ask her.

  • [Deactivated] on 28/04/2017 - 14:19

    Sorry I don't want to move? Repeats till he gets it

  • try2bhelpful on 28/04/2017 - 18:06

    Personally I would swap, unless the seat was a particularly good one. I tend to grab the aisle seat otherwise I have to crawl over someone else when I need to go to the toilet. I would point out that I have a weak bladder and they will have to put up with me doing this, if they want my seat. However, I don't usually fly without my other half so this issue is unlikely to come up.

  • tiara on 28/04/2017 - 19:20

    You let him holding his partner's hand through out the flight, weren't they next to each other ?.

  • serpserpserp on 28/04/2017 - 22:07
    -1

    OP: Why did the business class guy want you to move? Shouldn't he have asked if the person in 1D wants to move to his seat so he could sit next to his wife?

    Otherwise just use old faithful "Sorry if I move from this seat it will trigger my bomb vest and I want to wait until we are cruising at altitude before it goes off."

  • easternculture on 28/04/2017 - 22:13
    +2

    I was asked a few times to change seats. I simply replied sure but it will cost you $100. Surprisingly in 2 instances the person was happy to pay

  • khell on 28/04/2017 - 23:29

    I have never been asked to change seats… and I flew every week to New Zealand and back for the better half of a year.

    The suggestion of asking them to pay for my seat sounds good. Otherwise if it's just to move from one aisle seat to another then that's fine… anything else, especially a middle seat would be no chance. If sitting together was so important to them then there is such a thing as reserving seats.

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