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

[JohnK]

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...

So she can't see the merit of having 2 of the best seats around for both of you but I am guessing she also would not want to be the one seated in the middle seat either if seated together in 80AB or 80JK?

 

[Awesom Andy]

I love it when men say this about their partners.

Some of us still value our lives.

 

[UP4014]

I prefer to sit in silence when flying, something to do with being removed from the real world I think.

Work people, I always check in separately to make sure I'm not with them or even go on a different flight.
Friends, not fussed but if Ms BAM1748 I do make the effort.

Matt

 

[pauly7]

Great thread, nice break from the whining threads

For me - personal travel I always sit next to my traveling companion.

Work travel - if I'm with my close team I don't mind sitting next to them.

If I'm with my rather intense CEO I'll actively ensure I am not sitting next to him!!

 

[Pushka]

On a trip with my mum and sister in law, mum was allocated the seat across from us on the aisle. She was sitting next to a guy in his thirties dressed for business. At one stage she reached across to us and said she was having a lovely chat with the guy next to her. SIL and I looked at each other and decided that mum needed to be relocated to one of our seats to preserve the poor guys sanity!

 

[legroom]

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...

My +1 would likely walk off the plane if I were to allow some strangers to sit next to her.

By herself, no issue but if I am there, no other option exists.

If you see someone sitting in the middle of an exit row, that is likely to be me even though it is not my 1st choice.

 

[sjd]

My +1 would likely walk off the plane if I were to allow some strangers to sit next to her.

By herself, no issue but if I am there, no other option exists.

If you see someone sitting in the middle of an exit row, that is likely to be me even though it is not my 1st choice.

The things we do for love and/or short term survival.

 

[Limewood]

Mrs Lime on some trips will go in Y me in J, she likes to spend the difference at the destination, doesn't give two hoots about who she sits next to. Only proviso is if its a long haul like SYD/LAX then we both usually go J. Last year CNS/HKG she was in Y, I looked around the cabin for some unknown reason (6th sense?) and there she was other side of J, had opup.

 

[Pinktommy]

I would want to sit with my family as if for the very unfortunate reason the plane is going too crash, we all die holding hands together...

My SIL on the other hand sits in business with her husband whilst the two kids (aged 7 and 5 mind you!) are seated by themselves in economy....on the 10 plus international trips they do a year.....

 

[blackcat20]

If I travel with my mum, I have to sit with her, as strangers probably dont appreciate nails being dug into their arms Annoying as she is an armrest hog and likes to open the paper in my face.

Otherwise, I tend to travel alone so its a non-issue.

 

[Pushka]

My SIL on the other hand sits in business with her husband whilst the two kids (aged 7 and 5 mind you!) are seated by themselves in economy....on the 10 plus international trips they do a year.....

I didn't think airlines would allow this given their age and international business has a separate cabin?

 

[Pinktommy]

They are Aussies based in Abu Dhabi and usually fly Ethiad....Believe me they are allowed and do it and it totally disgusts me!!!
Why have kids if you treat them like that!

 

[Ausbt]

Why have kids if you treat them like that!

I feel bad for the children but look assuming that if the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree, then do you really want them in J carrying on like ...well like kids?

 

[Pinktommy]

True!!! But to have such young children sitting next to potential wierdo's unsupervised is not right.....and who is there to supervise them in a emergency?? I'm sure if a flight attendant yelling out BRACE isn't going to get out of her seat to tell the kids direct......they also fly once a year in First class back home to Oz as part of the work package.....imagine the look on those other first class travelers when they see the 2 kids walk in!!!

 

[Pushka]

True!!! But to have such young children sitting next to potential wierdo's unsupervised is not right.....and who is there to supervise them in a emergency?? I'm sure if a flight attendant yelling out BRACE isn't going to get out of her seat to tell the kids direct......they also fly once a year in First class back home to Oz as part of the work package.....imagine the look on those other first class travelers when they see the 2 kids walk in!!!

I have to agree totally. And it doesn't even have to be an emergency for kids to need their mum or dad. And it isn't fair to other passengers but I'm guessing that isn't even on their radar.

 

[Awesom Andy]

I guess they are taking the term "human cargo" a little bit too literally...

 

[drron]

What annoys me is when the kids from Y come to the premium cabin and block the aisles,talk loudly when you are trying to nod off etc.

 

[dajop]

True!!! But to have such young children sitting next to potential wierdo's unsupervised is not right.....and who is there to supervise them in a emergency?? I'm sure if a flight attendant yelling out BRACE isn't going to get out of her seat to tell the kids direct......they also fly once a year in First class back home to Oz as part of the work package.....imagine the look on those other first class travelers when they see the 2 kids walk in!!!

I agree that one would expect the children would be travelling with their parents. But, if they travel 10+ times a year and are reasonably smart kids I would suspect they are probably as well (or better) prepared for an emergency than many adults I see travelling!! Often it is the children who pay attention and even seen some reminding their parents about the right thing to do. But I guess the issue is the emotional response to any emergency that would be the biggest concern, and to burden other passengers with that is just not fair.

 

[Archphoto]

For business, not so important - we live in each others pockets for weeks (and sometimes months) at a time. Sitting apart doesn't harm us - we get to do our own thing, and if we are seated together, 9/10 we are so totally exhausted, we're asleep before we even start to taxi away from the gate.

When travelling with my partner - she likes to sit with me (and who am I to complain? )

 

[Rahamat]

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.

I dis agree. I was travelling from Dubai to Sydney with my wife and was told that we could not sit together. I was lucky the officer was kind enough to call some one and then gave us seats together. I asked Qantas to explain how could they find the seats together when there were no seats together few moments before. Qantas told me that they can not answer my question. It is very important for me that I must be seated together with my companion. You will never know who you are sitting with and most people do not like to talk to strangers. I can sit alone when I am travelling alone as there is no other alternative but how can someone say that they can be seated separately even if they are travelling with their wife.