When I fly and choose a seat in an exit row for the extra leg room, how is it not a disadvantage to give up that extra leg room? By subscribing to our newsletter(s) you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. So, what are the unwritten rules when it comes to asking your fellow passengers to move? Erin Florio, executive editor, I take pity on children seated separately from their parents, and even I as the youngest represented here remember and yearn for a time when seat assignments werent always made with such cruel randomness. On just about every flight there are several people looking to switch seats, to be able to sit next to travel companions. Why You Should Always Ask Your Flight Attendant Before Changing Seats I survived but I think next time I will definitely ask to see where the seat is located and take a glance to see if I want to swap seats or not rather than blindly agreeing as long as the seat is equal or better. Here's how. Your email address will not be published. Whether and how you should ask has become a hotly debated topic on social media with tales of plane seat entitlement, shoddy passenger etiquette, bare-faced lying and even seat-stealing. She has spent more than a decade living and working in Latin America and Europe and a few other far-flung places too. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. They were really annoyed when I refused, and they tried to tell me how I looked like I needed an aisle seat, but I stuck with it. I like to keep my arms crossed. When should you switch seats with others on airplanes? Apparantly this is a common thing especially on Southwest where seating is not assigned. (Let's put aside rules about emergency exit rows and other special. I'm a frequent AA flyer (plat pro) and fly with kids. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. OK, that's not quite true. Published Apr 8, 2022 + Follow When you book a flight, one of the first things you're asked to do is choose your seat. When passengers try to change seats on United, the airline's flight attendants stand on the bridge between seats declaring "none shall pass." It used to be that passengers could change to any empty seat in the cabin, but now the airline charges extra for some seats in economy and flight attendants are the airline's revenue protection force. And even when a fair trade is possible, courtesy and goodwill certainly come into play on the part of both the one asking to trade and the one considering the swap. There's always comments like "if you book ahead of time and pay you can always get your seats together" but as I mentioned in another post that is total BS. GTFO. This site is for entertainment purpose only. After takeoff, the flight attendant facilitated the seating of two older talking siblings in my row, including the middle seat. Heck, just a nice "please" might do it. TPGs monthly valuations, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "There are also seating restrictions based on safety for minors, persons with reduced mobility, and passengers traveling with infants," notes KLM's van Aken. 26 pounds, including a carry-on . When passengers spend time moving about the aircraft, especially switching seats in the premium cabins, it can be disruptive to those nearby. Once on board the plane, which was a packed flight, I was approached by a crew member stating they had a couple who wanted to sit together and asked if I would give up my seat for them, I refused telling her I was handicapped and I chose my seat based on the closeness of the bathroom which was still a short walk. This is especially true on overnight flights. AA reduced flights that day and scattered our seats when they consolidated. Just ask the airline service person at the check-in counter for a different seat. Carry-on Luggage Sizes by Airline (2023) - U.S. News Travel Even diligently tracking the seat map through check in there are times the best I can do is within an aisle of each other. 13 years ago Save I'm curious if this may be an issue. The weekly lottery (which runs until April 2023) gives middle-seat passengers (who pick the seat or draw the short straw) the golden opportunity to win such prizes as Velocity Platinum status, a Virgin cruise or a helicopter bar crawl. is a travel editor, guidebook writer and digital content producer. Personally, I'd be put off if someone went "over my head" to a flight attendant rather than just asked me politely. As long as you get all the details first, you can make a call based on the new seat. Can you change seats once checked in? I admit that I'm pretty hard about these things now. RSS. You forgot the most important part: whip out the BENJAMINS! ), and hear them inevitably make their case (were they separated from a family member who had never flown alone, maybe?). I don't even remember which airline, but the cabin was a 3-5-3 (or maybe 2) configuration. I would have though the passenger has entitlement issues and was trying to get the airline to agree with their entitlement to my seat. Switching seats once on plane - Air Travel Forum - Tripadvisor On bookings with more than one passenger, allocated seats must be selected for all passengers on the booking otherwise we cannot allow any . Except I ended up in the middle seat and the two on either side of me talked the entire time over my head and passed things to each other. Try to find a middle seat between a window and aisle already reserved. There is no difference. Required fields are marked *. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Ad Choices. I chose the seat because there was no one else in the row of three. Same-same, right? American flight attendants are Switzerland. Especially on long haul flightswhen seat choices matter the mostI like to think of it as: Were all in this less-than-ideal situation together, so lets see if we can think as a team! All rights reserved. We have so many feels about this, we decided to circle back for another debate. Seats Help | Delta Air Lines I was in the five section with an aisle seat - I'm on the tall side so like the leg room, and I have to go to the bathroom a lot. 26 pounds, including a personal item. Is the concern that something will go badly if you are not in a seat that matches your ticket? And don't lie. Yes, you can change your seats anytime you want, but the later you leave it the higher the chance that someone else will take the seats you want. During a Southwest layover where there is no plane change, I believe you're able to change seats after all the deplaning of all the people that are not continuing on to the second destination. So here's a situation I've been in traveling with a child. Have any of your own crazy seat swap stories or tips? I understand your frustration but seat assignment changes can happen at any time. Why You Can't Get Up to Go to the Bathroom Before Takeoff. You're telling me you could plan your international wedding, but you didn't have the foresight to book your seats so you could sit together? So I guess it all depends on the crew on board. If it had been paid for or assigned by the airline, Id have no issue. It comes back to one simple rule: Unless you can say, objectively and unequivocally, that you are offering this stranger an upgrade (and of course, assuming it isn't a necessary request, i.e., you and your small child would be separated otherwise), you cant ask to swap seats. RINKSIDE LIVE Australian Open - Day 10, Session 1 - Men's Pairs (R128) Nathan Pedersen & Nathan Black (SA) v Rod Peterson & Jarryd Evans Results. When I have swapped, I've been pleasantly surprised that not only are the other passengers usually very gracious about it, but flight attendants have also thanked me (sometimes with free glasses of wine). Plus, your own feed of TPG content. Stopped by flight attendant who apologised saying she was instructed to not allow inflight upgrades. United, American, and Southwest take very different approaches to passengers changing seats. These seats are spread over two levels, or to put it simply: bunk seats. It might depend. Comments made in response to posts are not provided or commissioned nor have they been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any bank. Accepted but I was almost going to tell nevermind. When somebody ask you to change seats? : r/Flights - Reddit Even if just a few passengers do it, they could throw the plane off balance! Sometimes there may be a special reason why someone may be placed in your seat by the staff on board. Find the right card for you. Empty seats are fair game (after you've checked with the flight attendant), but asking a fellow passenger to swap seats can be trickier. American Airlines leaves it up to flight attendants whether or not to say something when a passenger changes to an empty seat. One flight attendant said to another, When I go to the car lot to buy and buy a Honda I dont drive off in a Mercedes just because it was there. She congratulated herself to her colleague on the analogy, although she may have been the first person ever to compare United Economy Plus to a Mercedes. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. Save. Safety and security demands aside, it's also worth noting that KLM is very propassenger choice, even opening up the seat assignment process to social media with the "Meet and Seat" program, where you can "view other passengers' Facebook or LinkedIn profile details and see where they'll be sitting" and join them. - The Points Guy - The Points Guy Advertiser disclosure Guide Should you ask to switch seats on a plane? For the latest travel news, deals and points and miles tips please subscribe to The Points Guy daily email newsletter. Couple of things: If the fare code allows seat selection, either included or with a fee, then yes, 90% of the time, you can use the Reservation Number/Record Locator to look up the reservation on the airline's web site and also add it to you profile. The bride starts crying -- literally crying -- and started screaming "I just want to sit with my husband!" I monitored/trolled the seat map each day leading up through check in (including calling/complaining to AA about it) and the best I could do was same row with a window seat on one side and an aisle seat on the other. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. Carry-on luggage weight limit. My husband was now behind me and my daughter on the side aisle, so I said I wanted to sit nearby them. Are You Obligated to Switch Seats on a Plane? - JohnnyJet.com He basically had to fold himself in half to sit in his assigned seat. But the good feeling for doing that was worth 10x more than a free vodka/tonic on a flight to Atlanta. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Know your rights: When an airline can move your seat - CNN Business As the flying experience has become more fraught and uncomfortable (the pitch of airplane seats has shrunk some 4 inches in the last decade) while prices have skyrocketed, it's no wonder travelers have become hyper-sensitive to encroachments on their personal space from not only the airlines but also demanding fellow passengers. United, for example, allows you to choose and pay for a seat assignment at the time of booking right up to check-in. I've been victim to frequent airline swaps that scatter seats when traveling with kids - it's brutal. To make it worse, she and her husband were from Rio, so that view that was a one-time-only for me didnt even register with her. Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. While we do not permit customers to switch seats between classes, due to the fairness and safety for other customers, we do recognize that unique situations arise and we encourage any customer needing special assistance to speak with a flight attendant. He ended up sitting next to me and the lady moved to the very center seat. Upon discovering that their assigned seat was a middle, I did not meekly accept the twist but demanded my original seat returned to me. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Once a child passes the age of 2 years old (after which they can no longer be a lap infant and need their own seat), airlines can technically seat them anywhere on the plane. I'm thinking of doing the same thing on my 17 hour flight from LAX - BKK on Thai Air. However, there's always the person that will decline out of principle. Find the right card for you. I was automatically rebooked on the next flight (which had already boarded) and the only remaining two seats on the plane were middle seats 10 rows apart. Airplane Seat Change Etiquette & Tips - One Mile at a Time Cond Nast Traveler may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. I recently had a chance to travel with Qatar Airlines, I had a business class seat, but because of the lenght of the flight or time of the year, my flight was pretty much empty. Can You Switch Seats on a Flight? | SmarterTravel Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The woman on the other center aisle seat asked me to change rows. Then its no longer your problem the burden is now with 3A lol, My wife tells a story where the elderly gentleman in the seat next to her said "shortly a flight attendant will come up to you and ask you if you would change seats.. its for my wife. please say no". I said sorry, no. Some passengers save seats for others who are boarding later. airlines - Seat selection when using online booking sites - Travel Life is too short to be self-righteous and selfish. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. The only circumstance under which I will agree to change seats is if I am seated next to someone else's minor child. When fares are cheap especially basic economy fares the better investment is buying a second seat in the cabin which airlines will keep empty next to you. Even if I hadnt paid for my seat, I still think its bad form to move to an empty middle seat. I was in the five section with an aisle seat - I'm on the tall side so like the leg room, and I have to go to the bathroom a lot. Some people are just effing a-holes. Same-day flight change allows you to confirm a seat on a different flight on your day of departure on any American Airlines and/or American Eagle flight where eligible seats are available. (This was out of Spokane WA). You can do this by retrieving your booking through Manage Booking or the Qantas App up to 3 hours prior to your scheduled departure. Flying Delta One back from CDG several years ago, and a flight attendant asked me if I were willing to give up my prime window seat for a bulkhead middle aisle seat so a newlywed could sit together. If a seat swap request looks too good to be true, then it probably is. It takes confidence not to acquiesce, but know that you do not owe an explanation for wanting to sit in your assigned seat, unless you're asked for one by cabin crew. How to Change Seat on American Airlines - LinkedIn There was a long pause before a passenger several rows ahead offered his aisle seat to them and kindly offered to take my middle seat. I Tried Emirates' Glamorous Lounge in DubaiHere's Why It's Worth Paying For, How to Get Through Long Lines at Airport Security as Smoothly as Possible This Summer, Tested and Reviewed: 6 Luggage Scales for Chronic Overpackers, How to Get Over Jet Lag, According to Our Editors, Women Who Travel Podcast: Gabrielle Union Celebrated Turning 50 By Visiting Ghana, Zanzibar, Namibia, and More, checking one's work email while on vacation, the presence of toddlers in business class.