But the one thing thats really upsetting is the sense of entitlement by the folks who have literally demanded or told me that I needed to move to accommodate them with me as a single traveler. I said, 'respectfully ma'am, your travel issues are not my problem. It turned out that the gentlemen beside me now was her husband. After all, maybe youd paid extra for this particular seat or chose it after careful research. You may be going on vacation with your band, but that one person maybe going to a dreaded funeral or a new job theyre already stressed about without you adding to their stress level because you need your emotional support humans next to you. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. There have been times when our flight was cancelled or missed a connection and there werent seats together. While some said they had previously felt disappointment when other passengers turned down their requests to move seats, others said that as parents, they felt it's solely their responsibility to ensure they booked seats together with their children. Of course, I said yes. Can airtags be tracked from an iMac desktop, with no iPhone? A PASSENGER refused to swap seats so a husband could sit with his wife and child on a plane. Smile and be polite yet firm. But you may be able to short-circuit these annoying conversations. I fully agree with your stance., One added: Its not my fault you guys didnt plan it better., Another added: If youre asking to switch seats my new seat has to be equal or better than where I am now. Well the young woman thru a fit, called me a bitch, etc. A man who was unable to book two airline seats next to each other, so he could sit next to his wife became frustrated after a fellow passenger refused to swap One positive story and one crazy one. Was I wrong to hold my ground?, The New York Times expert replied with: Generally, you are entitled to sit in the seat that you paid for the one that is printed on your boarding pass. That should be the end of it.". Euler: A baby on his lap, a cat on his back thats how he wrote his immortal works (origin? The other time, a woman in her twenties, some 30 years younger than I, travelling alone, asked me to change my aisle seat for her center seat "because it will be easier for me to work on my computer." I chose an aisle seat in both directions as close to the bathroom as I could get which cost me $81.00 each. Assume the best about those making the request. A reader seeks reassurance after declining to move for parents flying with children. Its happened far too many times for it to be a coincidence. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Don't take it personally, just feel slightly sorry for them ( their attitude is only hurting themselves) as you pick up your book, put on your headphones or do whatever it is you like to do to get ready for a long journey. Make it clear that you are not up for argument. (They could have booked in advance, too.) I think it's safer to phrase this as "Have you tried asking a flight attendant whether they can accommodate your needs?" If you are a tall person you may use this explanation: I'm sorry but I chosen the aisle seat because I'm too tall to seat comfortably in the other seats. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? Ideally, the passenger with a pressing, real need (not just a want) for a seat For the world, for that matter. I Refused to Switch Seats on a Plane. (Lets put aside rules about emergency exit rows and other If the airline assigned the seats and the parent is separated from the child, and asks someone to switch so they can sit next to their child, and the person wont Be better., One suggested: To be honest - this mindset p***es me off., While another added: God forbid we be expected to make anyones life easier!. Was I wrong to hold my ground? How to refuse someone asking for additional help "while you're at it"? Its not your job to placate anyone though I recognize that women often feel pressured to. Sorry. A cabin crew member explained her thoughts on this, saying: Most airlines make people pay upwards of 50 extra bucks to sit in those seats and charge them when they book the ticket. Johnny Jet does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace. No Im not switching for a middle seat. When I meet new people, they often apologize on behalf of Minnesota (Sorry about the winters! as if I didnt know it was cold here before I came) or express shock that I chose to move (I would love to live in Denver!). That doesn't obligate me to sit in a less-comfortable seat by other criteria. For me, it probably wouldnt be worth the emotional energy (and possible fallout at future play dates) to stage a formal breakup with a casual acquaintance. UPDATED: Heres some good insight from a reader, which will make you think twice about giving anyone attitude for saying no. I am not moving. Sign up for notifications from Insider! And since you are asking people to fly across the country to spend several days celebrating your wedding, he may want to offer his sister the courtesy of a companion. I have long legs, and those seats tend to provide more legroom not that I have to justify myself. One of the suggested responses is perfect: I paid extra for this seat because (insert reason here). It has been a turbulent few years for the aviation industry, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic putting a halt to worldwide travel. If they wanted that seat, they could have done the same thing. (Lets put aside rules about emergency exit rows and other special circumstances.) And like her, I am NOT your sweet old aunt or grandmother. Well, it sounds nice. Peters did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As you feel using "sorry" carries the wrong connotation, how would you succinctly express sympathy for someone's situation, without taking responsibility for it? While the base action is the same as other suggestions - saying no and calling the attendant if pressured - the wording is designed to give them no way to argue with you, and immediately tells them what will happen if they continue to pressure you. Would I move to the bulkhead aisle with a screaming baby next to me. I had to lean into the aisle the entire flight. Shortly before take off three flight attendants showed up, called my name and when I identified myself I was LITERALLY pulled off my seat by my arm and given a new boarding pass. I am 80+ years old and have a brace on my left leg. Because of this, not many passengers would be willing to swap seats even if the request is being made from parents who badly want to sit with their kids. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. My total ticket, including seats, fees, and taxes, was $972.85. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Never again. Are you willing to pay me X dollars for me to give up a seat I paid extra for? (Added note: X dollars can be more than you paid, if you want to do so.). Was I Wrong? The reader submitting the question wrote: I am an organized person. as in, "this can be their problem, not mine". "Can I call the flight attendant? I recently moved from Denver to Saint Paul, Minn. She threw a fit when I refused to give up the window seat next to my husband so she could lean against the wall and sleep. "Turns out we were seated in front of kids that kicked the seat for the entire 8 hour flight. I had settled into my aisle seat. My husband and I sit aisles with me in front of him as I dont recline my seat but one notch. TikToks about whether adults should make sacrifices for children they encounter often spark debate, especially in the context of flight etiquette and whether it's fair to be asked to swap seats on planes so families can sit together. Is it okay to ask someone to swap seats on a plane? Another option is to say, "Thank you for asking! Disagreeing with an answer is not a reason to comment. The same happened to the lady beside me. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Eventually the passenger in the window seat next to Mr Kloss offered to swap with Zoe meaning the couple did sit next to each other. Audrey Peters, a content creator from the US, said a stranger had asked her to move to a middle seat - leaving her laughing over the unfair request. TikTok user Surya Garg shared a story about being asked to switch seats on a plane. Another overweight passenger had booked two seats BUT when he got on the plane, only middle seats were left. I was a little shook up but my response made my daytill she accosted me again when getting my luggage so I notified the police in the area at LaGuardia and they walked her to their office. Stewardess and elderly lady went to front of plane, knocked on pilots door and got what I assume was the assistant pilot. But cmon, I have kids but have always paid extra to be together. Book the right seat first.' At the last second, two young women came on board and were frustrated that they had middle seats and not together, so the one next to me said Why dont you go back there and take her seat so she and I can sit together? as if it was expected that I would just jump up and do that. Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been, Perhaps rather than "thank-you, for asking." As a non family-attached member of society, who travels a lot and was faced with this more than once, it really bugs me when families put single travelers in this situation. I really enjoy the views. News.com.au ran a poll asking whether the passenger whom Aussie man Jay Kloss asked to switch seats with should have given it up and a massive 83 percent of Just let it be part of your calculation. This is what the family of the elderly lady (see below) probably did. Talk to the flight attendant if you don't like your seat. If they persist, maintaining that they are graciously offering to trade but you must decline as you're fine where you are. Book the right seat first.' The U.S. Transportation Department issued a notice to airlines in July urging them to do everything in their power to ensure that children who are age 13 or younger Friedman later said another reason she did not want to move seats was that she had a disability, which led more commenters to take her side in the debate on flight etiquette that her video created. "You don't ask someone to downgrade for your convenience," said one top comment with 46,000 likes. Airlines oversell their scheduled flights to a certain extent in order to compensate for no-shows.. If you want to avoid having to cave to peer pressure or looking like the bad guy by not switching seats to accommodate families, then book a seat in the exit row Well, wouldnt you know it for my good deed, a few minutes later, a Hawaiian Tropics model who was terrified of flying, sat in the seat next to me. Not the first person to refuse to swap seats on a flight, a couple earlier this year was praised for refusing to swap seats with a frightened girl, and another woman was cheered after she didn't give up her seat for a "rude" mom and child. Her seat was an aisle seat two rows behind my husband. If I'm dead-set on not moving, I'd say "Thank you for offering, but I'll keep my seat" which implies they were trying to do you a favor and you've (politely) declined, while asserting your claim to the seat in question. The debate around airplane etiquette has reached fever pitch in recent months - but it has been reignited once again by an influencer who refused to switch seats. ALWAYS ask for your money back if you dont get the seat you PAID for. Across TikTok, the audio in the video has been used by many to discuss the experience of being asked to look after or pander to the needs of another person's kids. He ignored her and looked at the guy at the window in the same row. Several passengers made nasty comments. When it comes to small children, the rules do get thrown out because you cant expect little kids to sit alone. How to tactfully refuse to provide academic help? These sorts of comments inevitably lead to arguments. However, there are many reasons why people who want to benefit out of extra legroom refuse to trade their seats. Usually, 1 would move and it didnt matter whether I had the window or aisle seat. I am sorry but I am just as important as you are. This puts the interaction on a positive footing. When Garg refused to switch seats, her seatmate began 'muttering profanities' about her for the duration of the flight.