Seat Allocation Etiquette

[coyote25]

So boarding a flight today and I found a pax sitting in my seat exit row 13F. I politely said, excuse me I think that is my seat.

Turns out they are allocated 12F so honest mistake at this point (I'm assuming). However at that point she said it doesn't matter I'm staying here you take 12F.

I however insisted saying I pre selected this seat and there was a difference in the allocations from normal seat and exit row. A bit of back and forth and eventually pax moved but made a very big deal about how unreasonable I was being.

Whinged about it for a long while. It's worth noting I was probably in the first 20 people boarding the plane so her moving wasn't an issue for people having to get up in row 12 at that point. She must have been first person to board given already reading a book when I approached.

So was I in the wrong and being a pain in the cough for insisting on my allocated exit row seat. I thought I was being polite in my advance, even when insisting I sit in my allocated seat.

Interested in how forum members would deal with this matter including the later whinging during the flight.

 

[bam71]

Not wrong at all..... I would have done the same thing.

 

[Pushka]

The crew usually ask (tell) everyone to take their designated seat on departure. I can imagine the confusion where special meals are ordered and I think they want their manifest to be in order. It would be chaotic if everyone decided to sit where they fancied and not the correct seat.

I had one woman whinge for a 13 hour flight for exactly this reason. I thought it was rather funny. I got the crew to sort out their error and they were happy to oblige. I would put headphones in and close my eyes if they continued to whinge at me.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Same has happened to me before. I think you were more polite than I was.

 

[deejo77]

You did what i would have done......my assigned seat

 

[mannej]

Row 12 is garbage on a QF738, the seat poacher can go take her allocated seat.

 

[Snoopydoo]

For most of my friends (and I suspect the average Joe), a plane ride is merely a means to get you from point A to B so they don't care where they sit. For me personally, I spend a lot of time researching for the best available seat so yes it is a big deal. And if pax continues whinging well that's what headphones are for.

 

[Hvr]

She either has status or knows how to game the system to get early boarding therefore she knows about how to get the exit row seat.

The whinging about her allocated seat means she knew yours was better and wanted to take it from you.

You did the right thing and have made life a little easier for other people who encounter her selfish attitude.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

The pax in your seat was definitely the one being unreasonable. You have every right to request her to take her assigned seat.
I take absolutely no cough onboard but found I have less to deal with the higher the status. I always choose the first few rows and never risk being toward the exit rows as its a risky game the further you venture into NB and non-status pax land.

 

[mel-world]

The pax in your seat was definitely the one being unreasonable. You have every right to request her to take her assigned seat.

I agree with all of you.

 

[Spurs10]

Slightly OT, but last month when coming back from LAX where I had picked 13K on the A380 ..A couple who had been split 13J and 11K asked if I minded moving to 11K... Not a huge deal from my perspective, although I always find row 11 to be a little restrictive when trying to get past. Never the less, agreed to move and then later the FA came up to me and thanked me for moving and said as I was a WP1 it was their policy to never even ask WP1's to move seats which I thought was interesting.. I personally don't have a problem with being asked...you can always say no!

 

[Buzzard]

It's your assigned seat coyote25 and you should be able to sit in it.
Seems to me as though somebody was trying it on knowing they were getting a better seat.

 

[leadman]

What I find hard, its the person in right is the one to feel bad, hence the question! Someone has taken your seat, in the exit row, and then you have to be kind and ask them to move to their proper seating. And often you feel bad about asking, then its the all fuss they put on after they are asked to move, other pax looking, etc, etc,. It doesn't make you feel good.


I saw a very recent case in J on TG; a religious "scholar" (no name no pack drill) was sitting in the aisle and his wife behind him. Effectively he "stared down" the window seat passenger, asking things like "do you really want to sit there?" Lets say after reshuffling the section with about 5 people he got his own way. Very uncomfortable journey and I was not involved, so would hate to think what/how the window pax felt.

 

[gaz0303]

I think it's a fair expectation that when you book a couple/family/small group on the same booking, your seats will be adjacent, without having to subsequently manage your booking and pick appropriate seats. The issue should be picked up by staff and fixed proactively.

Fixing on the plane...do some irregular flyers not compute till on the plane that seats might not be adjacent? On booking, why are adjacent seats not blocked, and can dynamically move if one of these are selected - a combination of seat combos must always be available.

 

[dajop]

.. I personally don't have a problem with being asked...you can always say no!

The trouble is if you do say no it makes thing all rather unpleasant. I went through this earlier this year , there's a thread on this somewhere.

Better policy, where it involves seats that are clearly superior (eg bulkheads) is to only ask the person sitting next to the half of the separated couple sitting in the inferior seat (i.e so it would benefit not disadvantage the person being moved to accommodate them). Usually it's the other way around.

 

[leadman]

I think it's a fair expectation that when you book a couple/family/small group on the same booking, your seats will be adjacent, without having to subsequently manage your booking and pick appropriate seats. The issue should be picked up by staff and fixed proactively.

Fixing on the plane...do some irregular flyers not compute till on the plane that seats might not be adjacent? On booking, why are adjacent seats not blocked, and can dynamically move if one of these are selected - a combination of seat combos must always be available.

You just never know the situation. In my case the flight was full; so they might have booked late, or seats were allocated, or everyone were very freq flyers or, or, or, who knows?

But in every instance do you have to sit together? A number of times my wife and I have not changed seating, maybe a break for both of us!!!! With kids its another matter of course. And you're in your allocated seat.......

 

[drron]

You did the right thing.Dont worry about.she probably isn't.

 

[samh004]

I've had a similar issue on QFLink many moons ago. At the time I was travelling on a comfort seat, so I had 2 seats and their presence in one of my seats was annoying. I'm not one for confrontation though, so politely told the cabin crew, who ultimately moved me... the other pax must have been CL or VVIP?

 

[Quickstatus]

I would be a very cynical. Early boarding and just so happens to "erroneously" sit in an exit row. Me thinks it's deliberate especially when she makes a big fuss over it. If it's easy for you to move to 12 so it is also easy for her to do the same.
Failing that I would inform Cabin crew who should ask erroneous passenger to move.
If the cabin crew do not help then there is nothing you can do.
Regarding her prolonged inflight complain - happy for her to. I'll just listen to my music.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

She knew exactly what she was doing. She's probably done it before which is why she thinks she can get away with it.
Many people will back down in a situation like that which only encourages further entitled, uncivil behaviour. Good on you for sending her on her way.