How important is it to sit next to your travelling companion when flying?

[BindiBratz]

I see many posts complaining at being separated (for various reasons) from your travelling companion during flights . . . in many instances that is of course understandable . . . (and of course not acceptable for reasons when caregiving is required)

But is anyone else like me..??? in that I am more than happy to sit separately, if maybe we both want window seats, or aisle seats or not being the person in the middle seat (perhaps the most important reason of all..!!!).

How important is it to sit next to the person that you see all the time? the person whom you are going to spend the next x number of days/weeks/months travelling with . . .

I don't feel the need to chatter all the way through the flight, no matter what the length of flight . . . am happy to amuse myself or snooze . . .

From many posts it seems I am a rarity..???

 

[Princess Fiona]

I see many posts complaining at being separated (for various reasons) from your travelling companion during flights . . . in many instances that is of course understandable . . . (and of course not acceptable for reasons when caregiving is required)

But is anyone else like me..??? in that I am more than happy to sit separately, if maybe we both want window seats, or aisle seats or not being the person in the middle seat (perhaps the most important reason of all..!!!).

How important is it to sit next to the person that you see all the time? the person whom you are going to spend the next x number of days/weeks/months travelling with . . .

I don't feel the need to chatter all the way through the flight, no matter what the length of flight . . . am happy to amuse myself or snooze . . .

From many posts it seems I am a rarity..???

Nope, I feel exactly the same way. Both of us are happy to do so.
Bring the ankle biters into the equation and its an entirely different matter of course.

 

[Hvr]

Given I'm a single bloke, totally unimportant. If I'm travelling with a friend who happens to get a nearby seat well fine, otherwise I'll cope. Oh and they had better not take my WP shadow.

When I was working I was always happy to have my colleagues up the back of the plane whilst I was up near the front.

 

[tuapekastar]

Generally speaking I do not find it important to do so. If the flight is equipped with AVOD then that is likely what will be taking my attention. Whilst recognising that everyone is different, I do wonder when I read reports of people who simply cannot take a relatively short plane flight not seated next to each other (kiddies etc. excepted)

 

[Natalie_B]

Agree with everything that has already been said. On long flights, if there are spare seats, I will move to allow Mr Natalie and I to have more space. Makes both of us happier at the other end if we've been more comfortable

 

[The Rok]

Depends on the duration of the flight?

It's also less a case of wanting to sit next to your loved ones and more a case of not wanting to sit next to a stranger.

Better the devil you know...

 

[Skyring]

It depends. My daughter and I did a OW RTW Y award without sitting next to each other. We both love window seats, so we either sat on opposite ends of the same row or one behind the other.

OTOH, my wife and I generally sit together. She prefers the aisle, so I book the two ends of a row of three and hope that we get an empty middle seat. If we do, which we will if the flight is less than full, that's sweet. We haven't yet flown together in Y on a flight which is so empty that we could each get a row of three - or more - to ourselves, but I think we'd still sit together. It's probably a moot point anyway. --~~~~

 

[boomy]

My missus prefers window and I prefer aisle so it's easy for us but it also depends on the type of plane (when flying Y).
On smaller 3-3 planes we choose window & aisle, counting on my shadow to work and leave the middle seat empty.
When we don't fly QF we choose both aisles on the same row to avoid the terrible middle seat and still be close enough to be able to talk.
On bigger planes we try to secure 2 seats together in exit row.

But generally speaking, it depends who are you traveling with. When I fly with some business partners I'm more then happy to sit on my own and relax rather then talk about work the whole flight.

 

[Tristanm]

If travelling for work I actually prefer to be separated. With a friend I'm not terribly concerned. If with my partner, I'd rather be sitting next to her.

 

[JohnK]

But is anyone else like me..??? in that I am more than happy to sit separately, if maybe we both want window seats, or aisle seats or not being the person in the middle seat (perhaps the most important reason of all..!!!).

I travel alone most times but if I do happen to be going somewhere with a friend we do not need to sit together.

As a general rule I do not do middle seats. If we are going to sit together then 2 aisles next to each other is good enough. Plus I do not want to be talking for the entire length of the flight. I want to watch a movie, sleep, get up and go walkabout etc.

 

[BoyZeus]

I see many posts complaining at being separated (for various reasons) from your travelling companion during flights . . . in many instances that is of course understandable . . . (and of course not acceptable for reasons when caregiving is required)

But is anyone else like me..??? in that I am more than happy to sit separately, if maybe we both want window seats, or aisle seats or not being the person in the middle seat (perhaps the most important reason of all..!!!).

How important is it to sit next to the person that you see all the time? the person whom you are going to spend the next x number of days/weeks/months travelling with . . .

I don't feel the need to chatter all the way through the flight, no matter what the length of flight . . . am happy to amuse myself or snooze . . .

From many posts it seems I am a rarity..???

We separate as soon as we see empty seats after the doors close and like to visit each other during the flight.

 

[bass_ke]

Together, especially now that we are flying with a bub.

We've been lucky lately and managed to get entire rows for the most part

 

[RooFlyer]

Seated separately, but within reasonable proximity is quite OK.

 

[HarryB]

I travel alone most times but if I do happen to be going somewhere with a friend we do not need to sit together.

As a general rule I do not do middle seats. If we are going to sit together then 2 aisles next to each other is good enough. Plus I do not want to be talking for the entire length of the flight. I want to watch a movie, sleep, get up and go walkabout etc.

Similar for me, two aisle seats are good as I don't travel with anyone who is happy enough with a middle seat. If I am traveling with family then of course it's different and we sit together.

 

[medhead]

Just found out it is very important on my ADL-MEL. SWMBO got the full on fears shortly after takeoff. Was blaming the lack of IFE on VA. Started saying words like, I'll just get the train from MEL to SYD and stuff like that. Lucky I was next to her to talk her down. MEL-SYD flight to go. Will be interesting....

 

[blu]

Domestic - she wants window, but I much prefer aisle, so one of us end up in the middle for one sector, but always in exit row.

 

[vertisol]

With the family, always together. For work, as far away as possible... no one need to see me opt for a second glass of wine..

 

[Pushka]

It's also less a case of wanting to sit next to your loved ones and more a case of not wanting to sit next to a stranger.

This is it exactly.

 

[dajop]

Not that important for me, particularly if there are empty seats around. In fact (for various reasons) we even fly around on different planes, often one following the other a few mins apart.

It must be important for lots of people though. Last Xmas did JQ from SIN to MEL and there were 3 empty seats beside me (I was in centre aisle). There were only about 7-8 empty seats on the whole plane, therefore I was fully expecting the other aisle seat to be taken, but about 2 hrs into the flight, no-one had still moved there so I just lay down across the 4 seats There is no way, travelling with my partner, a relative or a friend or colleague that I would miss out the opportunity for both of us to have an empty seat beside us, so would have definitely moved.

 

[OATEK]

On short haul not an issue, although it has only happened once. But on long haul, the other half says she prefers the company of someone she knows (me. Again, never had to split on a long haul.