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

[totd]

I deliberately aim for seats as far apart as possible. I'm sure it's an old work habit, but even when travelling with friends I like my own space. I guess that's the benefit of being the one who always books everything.

Good grief, I'm not even WP and I'm already fiercely defending my shadow... Something is very, very wrong with this picture.

 

[k_sheep]

I find it's easier when the person next to you is a good friend or family member - you can share the armrest more easily, none of the awkward contorting shoulders away from each other etc.

Mr k_sheep and I both prefer windows, but as I travel far more than he, I generously give it up most of the time when we're together. Mind you, don't try the aisle + window on a 3-across with Jetstar ... despite paying for it, more often than not they move one of us to the middle anyway! Grr!

 

[Awesom Andy]

My other half would go berserk if we are not seated together, and in which case, if in Y, the armrest won't even be there except for the taxi, take-off and landing. Although if I have my way, I would probably aim for a different corner of the cabin...

 

[TheEmu]

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....

Not fun for the nervous flyers.
Good luck with the remaining leg/s - hope it all works out ok for you (both).

 

[robd]

When my youngest (19) flies, she likes to sit right beside whoever she is travelling with. On a flight to Bali a couple of years ago, 3 of us were all seated together. After takeoff, my oldest moved to an empty row adjacent to us, but my youngest wouldn't move, even to the end of the row which would have put an empty seat between us. So annoying. She does it on the couch too. We call it being Jibbed (her nickname is Jibby) or if you do it to someone else, you're jibbing them.

 

[Mardi]

We don't mind sitting apart if it means we are in F I wouldn't be that bothered about sitting apart as long as it means the seat next to each of us is empty. If not I'd rather the seat was filled with my husband than a stranger!

 

[ashleyn]

When you travel, you share the experience.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Just out of interest, for those of you who likes to sit next to your companion(s)... if you received an op-up from Y to Y+, but have to seat apart with strangers sitting next to you instead, would you take the op-up or insist on having your Y seats back if everyone can be seated together again?

Obviously, we aren't considering op-ups to J/F here...

 

[Katie]

Happy to travel apart when it's just Mr Katie and me. Most of the time we have Little Miss with us, so in Y I typically have the three of us in three seats together, Little Miss at the window.

 

[flyingfan]

It is important to me on the occasions I travel with others (for leisure, not work) that we sit together. Fortunately this has been the case for my recent flights.

When you travel, you share the experience.

I tried to think of some way to explain why but this says it really well.

Just out of interest, for those of you who likes to sit next to your companion(s)... if you received an op-up from Y to Y+, but have to seat apart with strangers sitting next to you instead, would you take the op-up or insist on having your Y seats back if everyone can be seated together again?

In this case I would happily ask that the op-up be given to someone else, and sit back with my companions in Y.

 

[ash.1111]

I'd rather sit next to my partner if I can help it, but if the flight's not too long, it's not a big deal. Obviously not sitting next to each other for long haul is annoying.

Being on staff travel, it's not exactly a rarity, either.

 

[sjd]

It is very important to me that my WP shadow is always seated beside me.

 

[harvyk]

Given these days, all my flights are either solo, or with at least 1 child in tow, sitting together is pretty important.
Even if it is just Mrs harvyk and myself, it's pretty important to sit together.

I'm not going to cry over been split up over say a CBR-MEL flight, that said I'm not going to be happy about it either.

Of course sometimes it's nice to be split up, a few years ago Mrs Harvyk's family and us traveled together, and whilst I did my best to keep each couple together, it was sort of nice that the rest of the family was scattered around the plane... (3 couples + an infant)


Given that every time I've flown with work colleagues, they have also been friends of mine which I would catch up with over weekends and drink beer with, so basically sitting next to them when travelling for work was no different that catching up with them over the weekend, except we where at 35,000ft. I've only traveled with true work colleagues which I wouldn't see over weekends a couple of times, and in each case we drove, so no getting away from them anyway.

 

[Edge]

Apparently it's very important to my wife. I was smashed for merely pointing out the benefits of selecting seat 80A & 80K instead of 80AB/80JK or 71DE...

 

[arbo]

Most of my travel is done with the boss, so I prefer to be seated alone so I can be left in peace. He prefers us to sit together so we can discuss business and he can give me 20 questions!

 

[Pushka]

Thought about this some more. We received last minute j upgrades a few months ago through redemption. But we weren't sitting together. I was ok with that but MrP asked at the Business Lounge if it was possible to change. Some other nice J passenger agreed. So I guess MrP was into the shared experience. Or maybe an overflow of niceness for getting the upgrade.

 

[ellen10]

Short haul would not bother me to be not sitting together.
But long haul definitely would rather be seated together. Much easier for sharing the armrest, space etc. i once sat next to a very large guy that fell into a deep sleep and kept sliding my way for a very loong flight.
Oh course if it meant we both had a spare seat beside us it would be different exception.
We once had the option of choosing 80A&80K but hubby was happy to take 80B to sit together.

 

[drron]

It is important to mrsdrron so it is imp[ortant to me.Flying Y which is generally MCY-SYD or reverse we generally both have aisle seats in the same row.OS flights-definitely together.But on one occasion when I got upgraded to F on BA she graciously let me do it.

 

[11sjw]

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.

Have to agree with the Princess again. Business colleagues they can sit in the loo as far as I'm concerned.

Mrs and Jnr 11sjw & I like to be together. In saying that Jnr likes the window and we're on a 2-4-2 later this year so I'll stick them in first row Y and me behind them hoping the WP shadow works. This will allow jnr to lie down and sleep if necessary. Best laid plans, we'll see how it pans out.

 

[Pushka]

It is important to mrsdrron so it is important to me..

I love it when men say this about their partners.