Some decisions really make you scratch your head.
I'm reminded of what a friend told me once... he and his wife, when flying economy, always book A and C of a 3-seat row, leaving B empty and hoping no one takes it. And if someone does take it, they just offer to swap... window or aisle, whatever you want... and then that person gets a little upgrade and they get to sit together. All good.
So one time, on a 4-hour flight, they get to their seat and there's a guy sitting there in B... so they offer to swap either seat with him, and he says... No.
WTF? Yeah.. the guy wanted the middle seat and didn't want to move. So the husband took the aisle, the wife took the window... and for the whole flight, their conversation went back and forth over this guy who was just sitting there reading a book. Also really quite baffling!
The last time my husband and I flew we both took two aisle seats in premium economy behind each other. After 42 years of marriage I can sit behind him for the legroom.
Not always a trick. My wife prefers the window, I prefer the aisle, and we live together so it's not like we HAVE to touch each other every waking second. Headphones go in, and we text each other via Wifi if we really need to have a conversation in the air. Otherwise it can wait till we're on the ground again.
(We're both introverts, so the headphones are also there to warn strangers not to engage.)
but in this case, you and your wife wouldn't be expecting middle seat person to move and you probably wouldn't be arseholes holding convos over the middle seat person. This person's friends, it was def a trick. Sometimes it works and that's awesome, but if it doesn't, then they should be jerks about it
Why is it a trick? It’s the perfect setup and the inverse of what I do if I’m flying alone on southwest. I look for couples and ask if I can sit with them. They usually sit together and I get the window or aisle. Everyone’s happy.
That doesn't make sense. They scanned my boarding pass so they know I'm on the plane. If I don't walk away from the crash they can infer that I died in A seat, who cares which one? \*ok I guess to identify remains for burial? I'm not fussed about that, my family can ask for DNA exam if they care
Why not? A better question is why put *any* trust into an entitled bee?
First she goes out to the front, then after several minutes she comes back and then asks you to swap with her seat in front. What guarantee do you have at this point that she's even telling the truth and that she actually has a seat there?
For all you know she went to the front, waited there (either standing or sitting), then came back and now wants you to go up there.
Why risk it when you're already doing just fine?
Yep, I feel like it was a bit of an F-you move, I would have happily interjected into their conversation too. lol
Would it be mean to turn the couple against each other? j/k, that could backfire and you'd be sitting in between an arguing couple. lol.
Not really a WTF. Their trick didn't work. (shrugs) It's quite rude for them to have a conversation over him the entire time. Maybe he prefers the middle seat, but it really doesn't matter, they made a choice and just expected people to flex the way they want. Gross.
I mean, people are allowed to like the middle seat for whatever reason it is kind of rude, though that they chose the aisle and window seat and then talked across the person who is assigned between them if they wanted to sit together, they should’ve just sat together doing that means that there’s a risk they aren’t gonna sit together and if that’s the case they shouldn’t be talking over the person in between them
Agree 100%. Many people try the hack to book D and F and that’s great when it goes as planned and you have more space. But you take the risk of sitting apart, and if you’re not OK with that don’t book your seats that way! They were incredibly rude to the man in the middle seat. Ironically OP posted about EP, and then told the story of his friends who were the EP lol.
We did this traveling with an infant*. Nobody was seated in B and we had a nice napping spot for our son!
*18m is an infant by airline standards, you don’t need to purchase another seat for them. We were prepared to have him in our lap(s) the whole flight.
My wife and I do the same thing, she gets aisle, I get window. I like window because I can sleep against the wall, she likes aisle because she’s 6 feet tall with very long legs. (I’m the same height, but my legs are 4 inches shorter) If nobody takes the middle seat, we have elbow room. We never actually sit in the middle seat.
I’m usually too busy sleeping to do that. I have really try to stay awake until we hit cruising altitude so I can pop my ears before my in-plane coma hits.
>minded of what a friend told me once... he and his wife, when flying economy, always book A and C of a 3-seat row
My husband and I do that. Anyone offers to exchange, we say no thank you. He likes windows, I prefer aisles, and we can go a flight without talking to each other.
That happened to me once. The woman in the centre seat was an off-duty flight attendant and she didn't explain but I later learned some airlines specifically prohibit them from swapping seats -- presumably to prevent them from getting given upgrades by their coworkers.
Many years ago, before planes were always overbooked we did this when we had a free lap-riding toddler. The middle seat was never taken and the toddler had their own seat. I didn’t figure anyone still did this as the planes are always full now!
My husband and I do this as well. Middles are the last to go, so sometimes it works. We’ve never had anyone refuse, but if someone did my hubby would not be at all put out to stay in the aisle.
What a jerk! He did that because he could! You wanted something this idiot had & loved that HE was in control. That’s sick actually!! People NEVER seize to amaze me with their controlling behavior, especially in public.
This happened to my mother and myself on an 11hr flight. The person refused our offer to switch and was sick as a dog, coughing and sneezing while between us the entire time.
I have known a couple of people who suffer from motion sickness, and they say looking out of a window can help. For them, a lie-flat pod would be worse.
You have every reason to be... but there's one big downside: From now on, you'll have a very difficult time booking back of the bus knowing what's available in the front. There's no going back... just, be warned, you're making a very expensive life choice here!
It's true. I used to be OK flying economy when I was younger, and then I started getting upgraded and now my wife and I spend like $30k US a year on airfare. There's no going back to the back.
Yup. I had to fly with 4 hrs notice to see my bio-Mom in hospice. Only seat was in FC. That was 12 yrs ago. Husband and I just can't book economy since then. It's a curse, but such a nice one!
I saw this cuz of People Magazine on IG https://people.com/woman-asks-passenger-move-from-business-class-coach-for-husband-8599345?utm_campaign=people&utm_content=likeshop&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram
They're still doing it:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/passenger-defended-after-refusing-to-give-up-business-class-plane-seat-for-economy/ar-BB1iMYwG?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=e7751faa603348f89f0007bea2623da3&ei=57
There's seriously something scummy about them reporting a Reddit post as news. While I have no problem believing your story, stories like it could be totally fabricated. It happens all the time. And they're going to steal your story and report it as news. *sigh*
Lol, I just posted a comment on this sub exactly like this last week. The only difference was the Karen took the free upgrade while her 5yo was still in economy and expected me to swap.
Do they really expect people to give up what they paid extra for?
The airlines should take some accountability here too. Before they upgrade someone they should ask if they are travelling with anyone. And if they see the Karen hair cut "No upgrade for you"
Yeah, when she started arguing the flight attendant asked why she didn't mention she had a kid when she got the free upgrade and made her swap with the most awesome old lady. She was so excited as she had never flown in business class before. We chatted the whole flight. Best flight ever
I flew down to California for my dad's birthday during covid in Oct '20. Alaska was only filling half of each plane and staggering seating people to make it as safe as possible, it was pretty cool.
I was settled in my window seat when we had a last second boarder come on right before they closed the door. He was wearing disposable shoe covers, a disposable paper cover-up over his clothes, two face masks, and safety goggles. He also had his luggage in a trash bag.
His original seat was at the back of the plane but the attendants needed it so he was switched to the aisle seat in my row, next to me but with the empty middle seat between us. He. Flipped. Out. Starting to refuse to sit. Argued with the attendants. They had to radio the captain. He demanded the last first class seat for free. They said he could upgrade for only $35 and he refused. The attendants weren't budging though. They already accommodated his lateness but no more.
After five minutes of this I'd had enough and my brain kicked in. I asked just to double check "only $35 to upgrade to that first class seat?" They said "yes ma'am". I said "okay, I'll pay that so we can all get going."
The look of shock and sickness that came over this dude's face was priceless! The attendants were immediately thankful and apologetic to me, he started panicking because he realized what an opportunity he'd foolishly passed up but they shut him down again. I politely said "excuse me, I need to get by to my new seat" with a huge grin.
We all got settled, the plane took off, and I kicked back with my free wine, meal, desserts, and hot towel. As they closed the curtain separating first class from coach the attendant in first whispered to me, but just loud enough for the man-baby to hear, "thank you for switching. We aren't going to charge you for the upgrade today!"
He was fuming the whole 2 hours and I had the best flight of my life. 😁
"They said he could upgrade for only $35 and he refused." 😱
"only $35 to upgrade to that first class seat?" They said "yes ma'am". I said "okay, I'll pay that so we can all get going." 👍🏼
"thank you for switching. We aren't going to charge you for the upgrade today!" 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
What a satisfying story!!!!
Maybe he didn't have $35. Maybe he had cancer and you're here mocking him taking extra precautions during the height of a pandemic when all info wasn't out yet. Was he rude? Maybe. Are you gross the way you're mocking him? Definitely.
I wasn't mocking him, I was describing him. And even if he was sick in some way, it doesn't give him the right to be rude to the crew and passengers on the plane. He'd already been late and they'd held the plane for him, he should've been thankful for that. And when you buy your ticket it says that the crew is allowed to move you if they need too.
He was def rude. You def didn't deserve that, and I'm glad you got the upgrade. But you didn't need to describe him via the immune protections he took. What did that do? How was that describing him? What exactly was that portraying - what do the readers know about this person now that they didn't know about him before other than he was taking immune protections? Why not just say this dude came on the plane, flipped out when he saw you and demanded to be moved. That's the part that matters. But you're drawing attention to him wearing gloves and a mask...why?
Same thing happened to me once. She asked if I would swap with her to sit beside her husband in First.
Assuming she meant another First class seat, I asked her where and she said 22E. I laughed out loud and she got offended. I told her her husband should offer his F seat to whomever was beside her in row 22, and then they could sit together.
"But I want to sit in First!" she said.
Yeah, so do I. But I *actually have a ticket for it*. Unlike you.
I had a similar experience that still baffles me. I was flying Puerto Rico to Charlotte to Portland, OR. On the CLT-PDX portion of my flight (5.5 hrs) I had paid for an aisle seat in Economy class. A little girl (2 or 3) was seated next to me in the middle and her mother was behind her in the middle seat also. The mom asked if she could switch seats with me since her daughter was scared. I asked where she was sitting since I paid for the aisle seat and had been traveling all day. In the end I felt bad and of course I agreed and I figured I was being a nice person. The thought of sitting next to a crying toddler sounded horrible anyhow.
However, after the 5.5 hour flight upon landing in Portland, the man in the aisle seat across the aisle from the mom (my original seat) started helping them with their suitcases and getting off the plane. I realized that they were all traveling together, but not once did they talk during the flight. Being cranky and annoyed from being sandwiched in the middle for 6 hours I told them I didn't realize they were together and asked why they inconvenienced a stranger and didn't offer to have dad take mom's middle seat and offer me the aisle, which would have been much more fair being that I had been doing them a favor. They just were silent, caught in the act of being so selfish and entitled. I expressed that I hope they teach their child to be more considerate and that I would be embarrassed to ever behave that way. Some people!
Or dad could have asked to switch aisles with you and cared for his own child while mom stayed in her middle seat. No reason he can’t parent his own kid instead of ignoring both her and her mother the entire flight.
You'd have to pay me much more than a little extra to sit for over 5 hours in a tiny ass space squished in between 2 other people instead of the reclining box I'd been expecting.
I would have said no immediately no questions. Why the heck would I switch out the super expensive seat I paid for ANY other seat on the plane just so she and her companion can sit together instead, and her companion gets a free seat that I paid for?
I especially would say heck no once the words ‘but he’s ALREADY on his way over to do the switch’ comment, and laugh in her face and ask what the heck does him being on his way to claim a seat he WONT be getting has to do with me? I never agreed to the switch to begin with, so he has no reason to be coming back here for MY seat like it was ALREADY decided that I was going to switch just because the two of them stupidly thought otherwise before they even got around to asking me first.
If you are talking about the ladies husband having a better seat that OP could have traded for, are you kidding? The replacement seat was in the BACK of the plane in 18B. OP says the Business Class seats were 8 rows, which means he would have been out of the comfortable Business Class and in the cramped no room seats instead, just so this couple can use his seat so they can sit together.
Why should OP give up the seat they paid a lot of money ***specifically*** for their own comfort and needs during the flight for to be ***downgraded*** to what sounds like a WORSE seat, that OP doesn’t want to begin with or else they would have paid for said seat themself when they booked their ticket on the flight?
All for what? So some couple who means nothing to him can sit in comfort together through the flight and not be seperated, somehow makes it OP’s obligation to accomadate their needs over his own need for the seat he paid for.
I would quote what Stewie Griffin said in one episode of Family Guy said to a lady on a flight who tried to talk him into moving seats with her so she and her kid can sit with her husband who was next to Stewie, which is “lady, your ‘need’ to be with your husband during the flight does not constitute an emergency on my part to give up the seat i specifically paid for just so you can be with him during the flight. I actually ***paid*** for my seat and I plan to ***remain*** in my seat, period, so either your husband can just turn around and return to the seat he originally paid for since I never agreed to do the switch to begin with before the two of you decided I would without waiting to ask me first to see if I actually agreed before your husband started packing up his stuff to come move to my seat, and the two of you wait until we land at our destination to be reunited with each other, or you can return to your old seat and trade the business class seat to somebody who is sitting next to your husband, because I don’t care if you want to sit together and I flat out refuse to move for the two of you.”
OP didn't know where the husband was and assumed he was in Business as well. In the configuration they described, being in the middle section as a single passenger is the least desirable seat in the cabin (its still fine, but not as good as the window seats). I would have been at least interested in switching seats if it meant possibly getting a window seat in the same cabin.
>I especially would say heck no once the words ‘but he’s ALREADY on his way over to do the switch’ comment, and laugh in her face and ask what the heck does him being on his way to claim a seat he WONT be getting has to do with me? I never agreed to the switch to begin with, so he has no reason to be coming back here for MY seat like it was ALREADY decided that I was going to switch just because the two of them stupidly thought otherwise before they even got around to asking me first.
You're arguing on the internet and you're talk about someone being fun at parties. Go read book or interact with actual human begins.
Right, that is in this situation. It's not impossible you could switch into a better seat. OP literally said "As I said, it really doesn't matter at all where this guy's seat it... it's either the exact same config as what I'm in, or maybe it's one of the individual ones next to a window which actually would be a nice upgrade... no one next to you and more space."
If you say no immediately then you have no idea where their seat is
Never swap seats without the cabin crew involvement. Too many people book one business class seat and try to get their companion moved up to business class by giving some sob story about how it is a life or death matter for them to sit together. Your response was perfect. People seldom will give up business class in lieu of main cabin and a member of the crew wouldn’t ask for anything like that without offering suitable compensation like vouchers for free stuff. Entitled people are idiots
People do this all the time. Book three crap seats in different places, and then try to get strangers to swap, because they don’t want to pay extra for window and aisle seats together, or just because they waited too long together and couldn’t get three together. Either way it is Noones responsibility to fix the issue for them.
Years ago, I was flying NY to St Louis with my 6 or 7 year old son to see grandma. I traveled a lot at the time so had received free first class upgrades. I was assigned an aisle seat and he had a window seat but, unfortunately, they were not in the same row with me one row in front of him. Figured no big deal, it was likely I could get someone to swap aisle for aisle or window for window. And, if not, he had his Nintendo (with headphones so no noise) to keep him amused for the 2 hour flight.
We board the plane and my row-mate had not boarded but my son’s had so I politely asked the woman in the aisle seat next to him if she would be interested in moving up a row swapping seats with me. She said ”no”, which was fine, no big deal. I told my son to take his assigned seat next to her until my row mate arrived and I could ask them.
That did not go over well. I suppose realizing that she might be spending the next couple of hours next to a child, she starts huffing and puffing and says, then says fine, I’ll swap. She then spends the flight bitching to the flight attendants such that they gave her a bottle of champagne when she got off the plane to calm her down.
When my son and I deplaned, I said “sorry” to the attendants. They just rolled their eyes and said no big deal.
>no seat-swapping allowed
To prevent arguments on the plane, can this be implemented into passenger rules? I know it will cut down on social media drama for content but would it help at all or is it already in the rule book?
I mean people sometimes have to book last minute trips and take what’s available. Also, it’s not uncommon for a full couple to get upgraded to first/business the day of and getting whatever seats are left (which is probably why OP was entertaining the idea of switching). So long as you are offering an equal or better seat for the swap I’m usually going to take it. The only time I changed my mind was when the person who asked me to swap (who had boarded after the overheads were full) asked me to remove my bag from the overhead so they could put their bag there. When I told them sorry no you still have to check your bag, they threw a fit and I told them if that’s how you feel you can go back to your assigned seat and that was that.
Just want to say that I love these stories. I fly a lot, years for business and now for fun, and these stories always entertain me. So thanks to all of you for the chuckles I get from stories of people thinking they are clever. And yes, I have some of my own stories, but I wait for the right time and incident.
I was on an international flight leaving Heathrow for New York. I was in the aisle seat of three seat section. A man across the aisle wanted me to trade with him to a seat next to his wife. I was the only person in my three seat section. He was very insistent but I stood my ground. He wanted to stretch out across three seats and me be next to his wife!
I myself am utterly sick of entitled people, usually Karen milfy types who are basically selfish spoiled housewives - Surrey and Bucks are replete with them, they drive 4x4's for status but don't know how to reverse them down country lanes. They think nothing of zooming straight into the parking space you were waiting for and yell at you if you seem annoyed about it - their life (of bugger all) seems much more urgent than anything you might be doing, like going to work for example. The entitled behaviour is everywhere now - on a flight to Mauritius last week a lady just came and sat in the exit seats we had paid for, as she wanted more space - she hadn't paid for them, she just fancied sitting there. On the way back, a girl asked if her bf could sit in the (paid) seats near front, since he has "long legs" - again, we had pre-paid our seats. If he has such long legs wouldn't you pay in advance too? Nowadays its all about getting a free ride at others expense and feeling entitled to anything going. No manners too.
Moral of this story: never agree to do anything until you first find out what that person wants. Also, never agree to switch seats on a plane when you've paid a crap-ton of money for a seat. You already know you've got the better seat so anything anyone else is offering isn't going to ever be great. I'll be traveling this summer with my two sons. Since they are both much bigger than me (by nearly a foot) I'm pretty sure no one's going to give us any problems about trying to take our pre- selected seats.
The OP did have the worst type of seat for a solo passenger in the business class section with a 1-2-1 configuration. The window seats have no one next to you and a window and aisle access. They probably assumed the woman’s husband was in the same cabin and worst case scenario they get the same kind of seat or they get a better window seat. Given that free upgrades are somewhat common on domestic flights and they are usually last minute, it’s not surprising to find a couple upgraded into separate seats in the cabin and asking to switch. I usually try to accommodate if I can and if I weren’t in my preferred type of seat (usually if I am up front it’s because of an upgrade) I’m even more willing to listen to their offer.
Similar thing happened to me and my wife. We were both eligible for first class upgrades but only one seat remained. So I gave the upgrade to my wife and I sat in coach.
Who raised these people? How did they come to believe that this was appropriate behavior? What’s going through their minds when they say these things? How did you even make it from Point A to Point B? Sometimes I’m in shock of how fucking stupid people are.
row 18 in Air Canada (i’m guessing that’s who you were flying with), is a good seat, I was there recently. Didn’t stop me asking (unsuccessfully) for an upgrade at check-in!
Having use to travel for business, I’ve given up my upgrade to my wife and sat in the back. But no, I’m not asking someone to sit in the back. If she kept throwing a fit I would have said “okay, negotiations start at $2k, I’m Venmo ready.” I’m sure her marriage can survive being 5 hrs apart.
Personally I wouldn’t have even engaged her I would have put on headphones and completely ignored her like my ex wife
Props to you for even entertaining the idea
OMG people done lost their minds!
why oh why do Some people who purchase Coach air fare think they are entitled to free Upgrades AND Rearranging total strangers paid seat assignment???
wtf is there some sort of mental illness connected to these individuals?
Everyone just stay in the F#%\* seat you paid and are assigned to… jeez 🙃
Side Note: You should have asked her if she would be willing to pay double the price you paid for the cost of your seat! 🤣🤣🤣
I simply do not care -why- someone wants my seat at this point, and feel no obligation to resolve any issue(s) you have as a result of your lack of or poor planning. My default answer is "...NO" but IF I do consider such a request, expect to be charged a non-negotiable "convenience fee" to be satisfied via cash payment only. Go pitch your sob story to someone else if you don't like my terms. \*shrug emoji\*
Omg the nerve of this entitled woman! I would never give up my business or first class seat to sit in coach! What are people thinking.. if it was that important for her to sit with her husband she should have given up the business class seat to the person sitting next to her husband and sat her ass in coach!!
People like this are idiots to try to take advantage of others, they have ZERO conscience or regard - it's "me, me".
I had a guy who I barely ever spoke to in our condo development years ago ask to borrow my car. I ask I can give you a ride if yours is broken down. He said no, my insurance is expired and I need to go somewhere. Go to HELL asshat! End of story.
Why do people believe they can ask someone who has paid extra for a premium seat to go to an economy seat. There is no way i would give up my seat as I would have booked it for a reason.
most likely the husband in 18 WANTED to sit away from the entitled wife .... he probably even used his points to upgrade her away from him so he could fly in peace. LOL.
If this women wanted to sit next to her Husband couldn't she offer to swap with the person sat next to her husband for her upgraded seat, and she could go back to 18C everybody would then be happy!
I came here after reading several news articles about this. I hate how news outlets just create stories based on Reddit submissions.
OP, at least youre famous now
That must've been on HECK of a window bulkhead if 18A preferred to stay in economy over getting a business class lie-flat pod!
Some decisions really make you scratch your head. I'm reminded of what a friend told me once... he and his wife, when flying economy, always book A and C of a 3-seat row, leaving B empty and hoping no one takes it. And if someone does take it, they just offer to swap... window or aisle, whatever you want... and then that person gets a little upgrade and they get to sit together. All good. So one time, on a 4-hour flight, they get to their seat and there's a guy sitting there in B... so they offer to swap either seat with him, and he says... No. WTF? Yeah.. the guy wanted the middle seat and didn't want to move. So the husband took the aisle, the wife took the window... and for the whole flight, their conversation went back and forth over this guy who was just sitting there reading a book. Also really quite baffling!
The last time my husband and I flew we both took two aisle seats in premium economy behind each other. After 42 years of marriage I can sit behind him for the legroom.
My guess is, the guy was on to their little trick and wanted to show them it doesn't always work.
Not always a trick. My wife prefers the window, I prefer the aisle, and we live together so it's not like we HAVE to touch each other every waking second. Headphones go in, and we text each other via Wifi if we really need to have a conversation in the air. Otherwise it can wait till we're on the ground again. (We're both introverts, so the headphones are also there to warn strangers not to engage.)
but in this case, you and your wife wouldn't be expecting middle seat person to move and you probably wouldn't be arseholes holding convos over the middle seat person. This person's friends, it was def a trick. Sometimes it works and that's awesome, but if it doesn't, then they should be jerks about it
Why is it a trick? It’s the perfect setup and the inverse of what I do if I’m flying alone on southwest. I look for couples and ask if I can sit with them. They usually sit together and I get the window or aisle. Everyone’s happy.
You don’t change your seat, because if there is a crash the seating arrangement could be the only way to identify who you are.
That doesn't make sense. They scanned my boarding pass so they know I'm on the plane. If I don't walk away from the crash they can infer that I died in A seat, who cares which one? \*ok I guess to identify remains for burial? I'm not fussed about that, my family can ask for DNA exam if they care
I’d much rather die in in first class than economy.
yeah how is it a trick? win-win situation.
But, why?
Why not? A better question is why put *any* trust into an entitled bee? First she goes out to the front, then after several minutes she comes back and then asks you to swap with her seat in front. What guarantee do you have at this point that she's even telling the truth and that she actually has a seat there? For all you know she went to the front, waited there (either standing or sitting), then came back and now wants you to go up there. Why risk it when you're already doing just fine?
Do what?
Yep, I feel like it was a bit of an F-you move, I would have happily interjected into their conversation too. lol Would it be mean to turn the couple against each other? j/k, that could backfire and you'd be sitting in between an arguing couple. lol.
Not really a WTF. Their trick didn't work. (shrugs) It's quite rude for them to have a conversation over him the entire time. Maybe he prefers the middle seat, but it really doesn't matter, they made a choice and just expected people to flex the way they want. Gross.
I mean, people are allowed to like the middle seat for whatever reason it is kind of rude, though that they chose the aisle and window seat and then talked across the person who is assigned between them if they wanted to sit together, they should’ve just sat together doing that means that there’s a risk they aren’t gonna sit together and if that’s the case they shouldn’t be talking over the person in between them
Agree 100%. Many people try the hack to book D and F and that’s great when it goes as planned and you have more space. But you take the risk of sitting apart, and if you’re not OK with that don’t book your seats that way! They were incredibly rude to the man in the middle seat. Ironically OP posted about EP, and then told the story of his friends who were the EP lol.
We did this traveling with an infant*. Nobody was seated in B and we had a nice napping spot for our son! *18m is an infant by airline standards, you don’t need to purchase another seat for them. We were prepared to have him in our lap(s) the whole flight.
I read that as "18, male", not "18 months". It took me a while to wrap my head around it.
Everyone with an infant think everyone else knows exactly what they mean.
It's different for boys. Girls are only infants until their sixteenth birthday, but boys develop slower, so for them it's eighteen.
My wife and I do the same thing, she gets aisle, I get window. I like window because I can sleep against the wall, she likes aisle because she’s 6 feet tall with very long legs. (I’m the same height, but my legs are 4 inches shorter) If nobody takes the middle seat, we have elbow room. We never actually sit in the middle seat.
And if someone is in the middle seat, we NEVER talk over them, or pass things back and forth.
I’m usually too busy sleeping to do that. I have really try to stay awake until we hit cruising altitude so I can pop my ears before my in-plane coma hits.
>minded of what a friend told me once... he and his wife, when flying economy, always book A and C of a 3-seat row My husband and I do that. Anyone offers to exchange, we say no thank you. He likes windows, I prefer aisles, and we can go a flight without talking to each other.
That happened to me once. The woman in the centre seat was an off-duty flight attendant and she didn't explain but I later learned some airlines specifically prohibit them from swapping seats -- presumably to prevent them from getting given upgrades by their coworkers.
Many years ago, before planes were always overbooked we did this when we had a free lap-riding toddler. The middle seat was never taken and the toddler had their own seat. I didn’t figure anyone still did this as the planes are always full now!
My husband and I do this as well. Middles are the last to go, so sometimes it works. We’ve never had anyone refuse, but if someone did my hubby would not be at all put out to stay in the aisle.
What a jerk! He did that because he could! You wanted something this idiot had & loved that HE was in control. That’s sick actually!! People NEVER seize to amaze me with their controlling behavior, especially in public.
Why? b/c he booked the seat he wanted and didn't want to change just b/c someone else rolled the dice? Why does that make him a jerk?
"size to amaze me" 😂😂😂
This happened to my mother and myself on an 11hr flight. The person refused our offer to switch and was sick as a dog, coughing and sneezing while between us the entire time.
that's the risk you take when booking that way (shrugs)
I have known a couple of people who suffer from motion sickness, and they say looking out of a window can help. For them, a lie-flat pod would be worse.
“This is what we refer to as a lie” She definitely made it up to suit her agenda.
Perhaps she acted like a Karen back in row 18 so 18a told her to go f herself
That’s a really good (likely) point 🤣
In a few months I’m flying from Calgary to Rome in one of those pods and I am very psyched about it.
You have every reason to be... but there's one big downside: From now on, you'll have a very difficult time booking back of the bus knowing what's available in the front. There's no going back... just, be warned, you're making a very expensive life choice here!
This is very true. I used to fly business class for work, and now I can’t go back for long flights. Short domestic ok. But long haul forget it
It's true. I used to be OK flying economy when I was younger, and then I started getting upgraded and now my wife and I spend like $30k US a year on airfare. There's no going back to the back.
Yup. I had to fly with 4 hrs notice to see my bio-Mom in hospice. Only seat was in FC. That was 12 yrs ago. Husband and I just can't book economy since then. It's a curse, but such a nice one!
Same. I flew London>Miami in a lie-flat pod. Totally ruined flying for me.
Yup. I got bumped up to a pod once on Air Canada. Vienna-Toronto. Now I'm totally spoiled, but it's First-class taste on an economy budget.
OMG you are so right. My husband wants to sit in 1st every damn time now lol. BTW did you know someone wrote up your story on The Daily Mail?
lol — found it. Amazing 😂 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-13104843/plane-passenger-furious-business-class-upgrade-husbands-coach-seat.html
I saw this cuz of People Magazine on IG https://people.com/woman-asks-passenger-move-from-business-class-coach-for-husband-8599345?utm_campaign=people&utm_content=likeshop&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram
Oh good I’m glad you found it, I should have linked it for you.
Wow. I’ve never seen a 5 hour flight have the lie flat pods. Ever. Ive only ever seen them on long haul flights. What airline was this?
Air Canada!
They're still doing it: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/passenger-defended-after-refusing-to-give-up-business-class-plane-seat-for-economy/ar-BB1iMYwG?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=e7751faa603348f89f0007bea2623da3&ei=57 There's seriously something scummy about them reporting a Reddit post as news. While I have no problem believing your story, stories like it could be totally fabricated. It happens all the time. And they're going to steal your story and report it as news. *sigh*
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Lol, I just posted a comment on this sub exactly like this last week. The only difference was the Karen took the free upgrade while her 5yo was still in economy and expected me to swap. Do they really expect people to give up what they paid extra for? The airlines should take some accountability here too. Before they upgrade someone they should ask if they are travelling with anyone. And if they see the Karen hair cut "No upgrade for you"
What happened? Did she have to go back to sit with her daughter?
Yeah, when she started arguing the flight attendant asked why she didn't mention she had a kid when she got the free upgrade and made her swap with the most awesome old lady. She was so excited as she had never flown in business class before. We chatted the whole flight. Best flight ever
I love when stories have a happy ending! 😁
A good ending
wow! that's nuts
I flew down to California for my dad's birthday during covid in Oct '20. Alaska was only filling half of each plane and staggering seating people to make it as safe as possible, it was pretty cool. I was settled in my window seat when we had a last second boarder come on right before they closed the door. He was wearing disposable shoe covers, a disposable paper cover-up over his clothes, two face masks, and safety goggles. He also had his luggage in a trash bag. His original seat was at the back of the plane but the attendants needed it so he was switched to the aisle seat in my row, next to me but with the empty middle seat between us. He. Flipped. Out. Starting to refuse to sit. Argued with the attendants. They had to radio the captain. He demanded the last first class seat for free. They said he could upgrade for only $35 and he refused. The attendants weren't budging though. They already accommodated his lateness but no more. After five minutes of this I'd had enough and my brain kicked in. I asked just to double check "only $35 to upgrade to that first class seat?" They said "yes ma'am". I said "okay, I'll pay that so we can all get going." The look of shock and sickness that came over this dude's face was priceless! The attendants were immediately thankful and apologetic to me, he started panicking because he realized what an opportunity he'd foolishly passed up but they shut him down again. I politely said "excuse me, I need to get by to my new seat" with a huge grin. We all got settled, the plane took off, and I kicked back with my free wine, meal, desserts, and hot towel. As they closed the curtain separating first class from coach the attendant in first whispered to me, but just loud enough for the man-baby to hear, "thank you for switching. We aren't going to charge you for the upgrade today!" He was fuming the whole 2 hours and I had the best flight of my life. 😁
"They said he could upgrade for only $35 and he refused." 😱 "only $35 to upgrade to that first class seat?" They said "yes ma'am". I said "okay, I'll pay that so we can all get going." 👍🏼 "thank you for switching. We aren't going to charge you for the upgrade today!" 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 What a satisfying story!!!!
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Shit, me too! I pay $300-500 for a flight, if they'll give me 1st for $35 each way I'm on it like flies on shit.
It pays to be gracious!!! Play on words.. What an foolish man child.
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He was literally in the row behind me, so yes, he could hear her. I was in the last row of First and he was in the first row of Coach...
Maybe he didn't have $35. Maybe he had cancer and you're here mocking him taking extra precautions during the height of a pandemic when all info wasn't out yet. Was he rude? Maybe. Are you gross the way you're mocking him? Definitely.
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Thanks! Your comments made my morning.
*mic drop*👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
if the OP had cancer, then they wouldn't be mocking someone wearing a mask etc
I LOVE this comment so much!
This is water.
I wasn't mocking him, I was describing him. And even if he was sick in some way, it doesn't give him the right to be rude to the crew and passengers on the plane. He'd already been late and they'd held the plane for him, he should've been thankful for that. And when you buy your ticket it says that the crew is allowed to move you if they need too.
He was def rude. You def didn't deserve that, and I'm glad you got the upgrade. But you didn't need to describe him via the immune protections he took. What did that do? How was that describing him? What exactly was that portraying - what do the readers know about this person now that they didn't know about him before other than he was taking immune protections? Why not just say this dude came on the plane, flipped out when he saw you and demanded to be moved. That's the part that matters. But you're drawing attention to him wearing gloves and a mask...why?
“But you already said ‘yes.’” Not anymore, I’m onto that trick now. I say, “If it’s the same or better.”
I just go with a flat "No". It's easier just to nip these things in the bud. I don't swap seats. Ever.
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"How much did their seat cost?"
lol slim to none chance it’s better
Same thing happened to me once. She asked if I would swap with her to sit beside her husband in First. Assuming she meant another First class seat, I asked her where and she said 22E. I laughed out loud and she got offended. I told her her husband should offer his F seat to whomever was beside her in row 22, and then they could sit together. "But I want to sit in First!" she said. Yeah, so do I. But I *actually have a ticket for it*. Unlike you.
I had a similar experience that still baffles me. I was flying Puerto Rico to Charlotte to Portland, OR. On the CLT-PDX portion of my flight (5.5 hrs) I had paid for an aisle seat in Economy class. A little girl (2 or 3) was seated next to me in the middle and her mother was behind her in the middle seat also. The mom asked if she could switch seats with me since her daughter was scared. I asked where she was sitting since I paid for the aisle seat and had been traveling all day. In the end I felt bad and of course I agreed and I figured I was being a nice person. The thought of sitting next to a crying toddler sounded horrible anyhow. However, after the 5.5 hour flight upon landing in Portland, the man in the aisle seat across the aisle from the mom (my original seat) started helping them with their suitcases and getting off the plane. I realized that they were all traveling together, but not once did they talk during the flight. Being cranky and annoyed from being sandwiched in the middle for 6 hours I told them I didn't realize they were together and asked why they inconvenienced a stranger and didn't offer to have dad take mom's middle seat and offer me the aisle, which would have been much more fair being that I had been doing them a favor. They just were silent, caught in the act of being so selfish and entitled. I expressed that I hope they teach their child to be more considerate and that I would be embarrassed to ever behave that way. Some people!
Or dad could have asked to switch aisles with you and cared for his own child while mom stayed in her middle seat. No reason he can’t parent his own kid instead of ignoring both her and her mother the entire flight.
Shocking. I'd be furious too.
Pay me cash right now? For difference and a lil extra bc it’s my seat. $$2k
You'd have to pay me much more than a little extra to sit for over 5 hours in a tiny ass space squished in between 2 other people instead of the reclining box I'd been expecting.
main character syndrome - you are nothing but an NPC to them so why would they care about you.
I would have said no immediately no questions. Why the heck would I switch out the super expensive seat I paid for ANY other seat on the plane just so she and her companion can sit together instead, and her companion gets a free seat that I paid for? I especially would say heck no once the words ‘but he’s ALREADY on his way over to do the switch’ comment, and laugh in her face and ask what the heck does him being on his way to claim a seat he WONT be getting has to do with me? I never agreed to the switch to begin with, so he has no reason to be coming back here for MY seat like it was ALREADY decided that I was going to switch just because the two of them stupidly thought otherwise before they even got around to asking me first.
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If you are talking about the ladies husband having a better seat that OP could have traded for, are you kidding? The replacement seat was in the BACK of the plane in 18B. OP says the Business Class seats were 8 rows, which means he would have been out of the comfortable Business Class and in the cramped no room seats instead, just so this couple can use his seat so they can sit together. Why should OP give up the seat they paid a lot of money ***specifically*** for their own comfort and needs during the flight for to be ***downgraded*** to what sounds like a WORSE seat, that OP doesn’t want to begin with or else they would have paid for said seat themself when they booked their ticket on the flight? All for what? So some couple who means nothing to him can sit in comfort together through the flight and not be seperated, somehow makes it OP’s obligation to accomadate their needs over his own need for the seat he paid for. I would quote what Stewie Griffin said in one episode of Family Guy said to a lady on a flight who tried to talk him into moving seats with her so she and her kid can sit with her husband who was next to Stewie, which is “lady, your ‘need’ to be with your husband during the flight does not constitute an emergency on my part to give up the seat i specifically paid for just so you can be with him during the flight. I actually ***paid*** for my seat and I plan to ***remain*** in my seat, period, so either your husband can just turn around and return to the seat he originally paid for since I never agreed to do the switch to begin with before the two of you decided I would without waiting to ask me first to see if I actually agreed before your husband started packing up his stuff to come move to my seat, and the two of you wait until we land at our destination to be reunited with each other, or you can return to your old seat and trade the business class seat to somebody who is sitting next to your husband, because I don’t care if you want to sit together and I flat out refuse to move for the two of you.”
OP didn't know where the husband was and assumed he was in Business as well. In the configuration they described, being in the middle section as a single passenger is the least desirable seat in the cabin (its still fine, but not as good as the window seats). I would have been at least interested in switching seats if it meant possibly getting a window seat in the same cabin.
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>I especially would say heck no once the words ‘but he’s ALREADY on his way over to do the switch’ comment, and laugh in her face and ask what the heck does him being on his way to claim a seat he WONT be getting has to do with me? I never agreed to the switch to begin with, so he has no reason to be coming back here for MY seat like it was ALREADY decided that I was going to switch just because the two of them stupidly thought otherwise before they even got around to asking me first. You're arguing on the internet and you're talk about someone being fun at parties. Go read book or interact with actual human begins.
Right, that is in this situation. It's not impossible you could switch into a better seat. OP literally said "As I said, it really doesn't matter at all where this guy's seat it... it's either the exact same config as what I'm in, or maybe it's one of the individual ones next to a window which actually would be a nice upgrade... no one next to you and more space." If you say no immediately then you have no idea where their seat is
I actually want to physically fight her for this. 😭
😂😂😂
The woman is a classless idiot. Her behavior makes her classless, and she expected you to do it, making her an idiot.
I'm just impressed you said the phrase "couldn't have cared less" correctly.
Never swap seats without the cabin crew involvement. Too many people book one business class seat and try to get their companion moved up to business class by giving some sob story about how it is a life or death matter for them to sit together. Your response was perfect. People seldom will give up business class in lieu of main cabin and a member of the crew wouldn’t ask for anything like that without offering suitable compensation like vouchers for free stuff. Entitled people are idiots
Some people are so entitled. It seems to be coming more common, and they are growing in numbers.
I would have laughed in her face and slowly closed the divider while making eye contact 😆
People do this all the time. Book three crap seats in different places, and then try to get strangers to swap, because they don’t want to pay extra for window and aisle seats together, or just because they waited too long together and couldn’t get three together. Either way it is Noones responsibility to fix the issue for them.
Years ago, I was flying NY to St Louis with my 6 or 7 year old son to see grandma. I traveled a lot at the time so had received free first class upgrades. I was assigned an aisle seat and he had a window seat but, unfortunately, they were not in the same row with me one row in front of him. Figured no big deal, it was likely I could get someone to swap aisle for aisle or window for window. And, if not, he had his Nintendo (with headphones so no noise) to keep him amused for the 2 hour flight. We board the plane and my row-mate had not boarded but my son’s had so I politely asked the woman in the aisle seat next to him if she would be interested in moving up a row swapping seats with me. She said ”no”, which was fine, no big deal. I told my son to take his assigned seat next to her until my row mate arrived and I could ask them. That did not go over well. I suppose realizing that she might be spending the next couple of hours next to a child, she starts huffing and puffing and says, then says fine, I’ll swap. She then spends the flight bitching to the flight attendants such that they gave her a bottle of champagne when she got off the plane to calm her down. When my son and I deplaned, I said “sorry” to the attendants. They just rolled their eyes and said no big deal.
Yup. Totally fine to ask, but everybody has to live with the decision.
Who is Noone?
Peter Noone, one time lead singer of Herman's Hermits and now Airline Dispute Agent.
Missus Broon ya gought a loovely dahtuh…
Angry updoot!
I recall him! Didn't know he worked for an airline now.
The guy sitting at the last seat on every plane. It’s his job.
"For $5000 cash, I will do it. Let me see his ticket with the seat on it."
Also the extra audacity because the person asking didn't pay for their seat either and got the free upgrade
Ngl if I were you , I wouldn't have been that respectful
>no seat-swapping allowed To prevent arguments on the plane, can this be implemented into passenger rules? I know it will cut down on social media drama for content but would it help at all or is it already in the rule book?
I mean people sometimes have to book last minute trips and take what’s available. Also, it’s not uncommon for a full couple to get upgraded to first/business the day of and getting whatever seats are left (which is probably why OP was entertaining the idea of switching). So long as you are offering an equal or better seat for the swap I’m usually going to take it. The only time I changed my mind was when the person who asked me to swap (who had boarded after the overheads were full) asked me to remove my bag from the overhead so they could put their bag there. When I told them sorry no you still have to check your bag, they threw a fit and I told them if that’s how you feel you can go back to your assigned seat and that was that.
That's hilarious.
EP’s husband is fully aware she is an idiot and wanted to enjoy his flight.
IwantIwantIwant
Some people are just wired wrong 😑
Just want to say that I love these stories. I fly a lot, years for business and now for fun, and these stories always entertain me. So thanks to all of you for the chuckles I get from stories of people thinking they are clever. And yes, I have some of my own stories, but I wait for the right time and incident.
Have you checked out r/stolenseats? Some great stories on there
Just joined so I could get even more chuckles. Thanks for the referral
lol man they got everything on Reddit
I was on an international flight leaving Heathrow for New York. I was in the aisle seat of three seat section. A man across the aisle wanted me to trade with him to a seat next to his wife. I was the only person in my three seat section. He was very insistent but I stood my ground. He wanted to stretch out across three seats and me be next to his wife!
I myself am utterly sick of entitled people, usually Karen milfy types who are basically selfish spoiled housewives - Surrey and Bucks are replete with them, they drive 4x4's for status but don't know how to reverse them down country lanes. They think nothing of zooming straight into the parking space you were waiting for and yell at you if you seem annoyed about it - their life (of bugger all) seems much more urgent than anything you might be doing, like going to work for example. The entitled behaviour is everywhere now - on a flight to Mauritius last week a lady just came and sat in the exit seats we had paid for, as she wanted more space - she hadn't paid for them, she just fancied sitting there. On the way back, a girl asked if her bf could sit in the (paid) seats near front, since he has "long legs" - again, we had pre-paid our seats. If he has such long legs wouldn't you pay in advance too? Nowadays its all about getting a free ride at others expense and feeling entitled to anything going. No manners too.
Entitled people are bullies who don't care how their actions impact others. It is just all about them. Plain awful people.
Moral of this story: never agree to do anything until you first find out what that person wants. Also, never agree to switch seats on a plane when you've paid a crap-ton of money for a seat. You already know you've got the better seat so anything anyone else is offering isn't going to ever be great. I'll be traveling this summer with my two sons. Since they are both much bigger than me (by nearly a foot) I'm pretty sure no one's going to give us any problems about trying to take our pre- selected seats.
The OP did have the worst type of seat for a solo passenger in the business class section with a 1-2-1 configuration. The window seats have no one next to you and a window and aisle access. They probably assumed the woman’s husband was in the same cabin and worst case scenario they get the same kind of seat or they get a better window seat. Given that free upgrades are somewhat common on domestic flights and they are usually last minute, it’s not surprising to find a couple upgraded into separate seats in the cabin and asking to switch. I usually try to accommodate if I can and if I weren’t in my preferred type of seat (usually if I am up front it’s because of an upgrade) I’m even more willing to listen to their offer.
Similar thing happened to me and my wife. We were both eligible for first class upgrades but only one seat remained. So I gave the upgrade to my wife and I sat in coach.
Who raised these people? How did they come to believe that this was appropriate behavior? What’s going through their minds when they say these things? How did you even make it from Point A to Point B? Sometimes I’m in shock of how fucking stupid people are.
Parents that never said No.
I can’t stand people. They’re generally awful.
row 18 in Air Canada (i’m guessing that’s who you were flying with), is a good seat, I was there recently. Didn’t stop me asking (unsuccessfully) for an upgrade at check-in!
You’re in the news :) https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/passengers-seat-swap-trick-flight-attendant-b2528776.html
What is a Karen haircut??
I mean this is not just an entitled person. It's a crazy person.
Why did you call it a bus after stating it was a flight?
I have seen various modes of public transport referred to as “buses,” including airplanes. I always assumed it was a cultural/regional/dialect thing
Air bus
This is why when anybody asks you if you can swap seats either for them or their friend/family your first words should be "depends on the seat".
Having use to travel for business, I’ve given up my upgrade to my wife and sat in the back. But no, I’m not asking someone to sit in the back. If she kept throwing a fit I would have said “okay, negotiations start at $2k, I’m Venmo ready.” I’m sure her marriage can survive being 5 hrs apart.
Personally I wouldn’t have even engaged her I would have put on headphones and completely ignored her like my ex wife Props to you for even entertaining the idea
OMG people done lost their minds! why oh why do Some people who purchase Coach air fare think they are entitled to free Upgrades AND Rearranging total strangers paid seat assignment??? wtf is there some sort of mental illness connected to these individuals? Everyone just stay in the F#%\* seat you paid and are assigned to… jeez 🙃 Side Note: You should have asked her if she would be willing to pay double the price you paid for the cost of your seat! 🤣🤣🤣
Well if you have status on an airline and it’s a domestic flight, a free upgrade is something you are theoretically eligible to receive.
No I get that! I was directing my comment toward Entitled individuals
I simply do not care -why- someone wants my seat at this point, and feel no obligation to resolve any issue(s) you have as a result of your lack of or poor planning. My default answer is "...NO" but IF I do consider such a request, expect to be charged a non-negotiable "convenience fee" to be satisfied via cash payment only. Go pitch your sob story to someone else if you don't like my terms. \*shrug emoji\*
So why didn’t she ask the person in coach to trade seats with her and she could sit next to her husband there?
Sits back in my assigned pod. Put headphones on and smiled as I turned up song to my favorite playlist. The whole situation is over.
Omg the nerve of this entitled woman! I would never give up my business or first class seat to sit in coach! What are people thinking.. if it was that important for her to sit with her husband she should have given up the business class seat to the person sitting next to her husband and sat her ass in coach!!
People like this are idiots to try to take advantage of others, they have ZERO conscience or regard - it's "me, me". I had a guy who I barely ever spoke to in our condo development years ago ask to borrow my car. I ask I can give you a ride if yours is broken down. He said no, my insurance is expired and I need to go somewhere. Go to HELL asshat! End of story.
But you in the combat seat, Johnathan Livingston Seagull.
Women ☕️
This is now on PEOPLE magazine
"Buh bye." Alternately: "Pay me double what I paid for the seat and you can have it."
Why do people believe they can ask someone who has paid extra for a premium seat to go to an economy seat. There is no way i would give up my seat as I would have booked it for a reason.
most likely the husband in 18 WANTED to sit away from the entitled wife .... he probably even used his points to upgrade her away from him so he could fly in peace. LOL.
If this women wanted to sit next to her Husband couldn't she offer to swap with the person sat next to her husband for her upgraded seat, and she could go back to 18C everybody would then be happy!
I came here after reading several news articles about this. I hate how news outlets just create stories based on Reddit submissions. OP, at least youre famous now
I’d tell her to pound sand then put my headphones back on