Another commented: 'Bro I'm sick of people asking to switch seats. If you are someone trying to get a fellow passenger to switch seats, then make sure you have something to bargain with and if you dont, cash helps. Imagine being called heartless and cussed for not switching your seats with a mother who wants to sit with her kid in a long-haul flight. Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for people looking to improve their interpersonal communication skills. The business practice of bumping is not illegal. I have read similar columns like this one. In a TikTok post which has now garnered more than 900,000 Others said you are never obligated to switch seats (even though in some situations it might be the nice thing to do). When a family asks me to switch seats on the plane so they can sit together, she said in a TikTok video - as she filmed herself sipping a glass of champagne after the seat rejection. Offer another interpretation right away: Sounds like you need a vacation. But the most common reasons a flight attendant will ask you to change seats is: 1- If the pilot determines that passengers need to be moved due to weight and balance of the aircraft. That doesn't mean you need to agree to a bad trade, but don't add to the aggravation by being harsh with them. We booked aisle 6 as my husband is handicap and I was having knee problems, we checked in had our boarding passes for row 6 then while waiting they called my husband up and moved u to the very last row where we were crammed w a baby and mom on the outside The people who sat in our seats were friendly w gate attendant it was a dissgrace, I cannot believe they did this and after hours on the phone Jet Blue was terrible to deal with I am still looking as the flight was expensive for us to be treated like that and to be crammed while my family was in row 7 we were split up my family was there to help me w my husband. Now, none of this obliges you to change seats. Tone is important the aim is to sound firm, but not irritated by the request. Stewardess and elderly lady went to front of plane, knocked on pilots door and got what I assume was the assistant pilot. How to refuse someone who would like to borrow our baby? Paying extra didnt count for Jack!!! say instead "Thank you for. Williams with the infant and her two older children, three-year-old Theodore and two-year-old Gigi, were seated together in a row. In October, a woman named Maresa Friedman defended herself for not moving seats in a TikTok that went viral, eliciting a response from another creator who urged her to "do better" and have "compassion" for families. How did you react? But not everyone would be willing to move from their comfort zone, and one guy proved hes no exception either. This is what the family of the elderly lady (see below) probably did. Even on Southwest, this has happened when I had early boarding because I paid extra or checked in literally at 24 hours before and the C boarding category folks get pushy demanding that I move 15 rows to the back of the plane kind of thing. One guy downright refused to swap his seat with a mother who didnt stop condemning him. You will never be T A for refusing to switch seats. 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. I told the crew member that unless they [American Airlines] gave me a first-class seat near a bathroom and immediately refunded the $164.00 I paid for my seats to and back from London, I was staying where I was. I trust that most fellow-flyers will then be sympathetic enough to withdraw from the confrontation. 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 since kids under 15 cant sit there. They asked. I live on the Big Island of Hawaii and when I travel on inter-island hopper flights, I purposely book a window seat on the pertinent side both directions of the plane to view the islands and the coastline. So I dont have any sympathy. Nap. It has been a One person explained on Reddit how his five-hour-flight journey kickstarted with a mother cussing him mid-flight. A COUPLE have sparked debate after they asked to move seats during a flight - only for a passenger to refuse. However, if a co-passenger requests you to switch places and you find a valid point in it, the decision is entirely up to you. My husband and I sit aisles with me in front of him as I dont recline my seat but one notch. If it was really about sitting together, why didn't they ask the people 20 rows back if they'd like the better seats upfront? We were in our mid-70s at the time. 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. "Sorry, but I just didn't like moving from my chosen seat once I am settled". Advertiser Disclosure: The card offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Johnny Jet receives compensation. I am keeping the seat I paid for.'". Twice. What am I doing wrong here in the PlotLegends specification? I Refused to Switch Seats on a Plane. But you may be able to short-circuit these annoying conversations. Either give me the money or book earlier. I definitely wouldnt do it to sit in seat I dont want window or middle. Peters did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Perhaps a flight crew 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. Im happy to be cordial when I see her, but she isnt taking the hint when I respond to her invitations by saying Im busy. They keep coming. Whats your take on switching seats on a plane? If this verbal deception doesn't sit comfortably with your personal moral code then you could infer non-specific discomfort with the request by gripping the seat arms and giving a shake of the head with an ashen look on your face. Little did the guy know the womans husband was watching from a corner. Now, its getting annoying. Youre seated next to a kid or spouse of someone whos sitting several rows away, and theyd wonder if youre ready to switch so they can spend the flight together. Now a flight attendant wouldnt ask that because they know the reason. ignore the intimidation. Precisely! The caption when a family asks me to switch seats on the plane so they can sit together, followed by a raised "I'm sorry, I selected this seat in advance. The pilot kept asking in different ways/ I kept saying no. My total ticket, including seats, fees, and taxes, was $972.85. Our wedding is approaching. I said, 'respectfully ma'am, your travel issues are not my problem. Her video has been viewed more than 840,000 times - with a majority of people applauding her for refusing to switch seats. Unless they make a convincing appeal for why they really need my seat, I say something like "sorry, but I specifically reserved {an aisle seat, a window seat, a seat in the front of the plane, etc}". I always pick a right-side aisle seat for the ease of mobilityso I wont have to inconvenience the other 2 passengers if and when Mother Nature calls. I totally understand both sides but as someone who is extremely organized and who spends hours planning trips and setting seat alerts so that my family and I get the seats were most comfortable in, it bothers me when I hear stories like this. In the caption under a video posted Tuesday, Audrey Peters, a 25-year-old influencer from Miami with 653,000 TikTok followers, said she refused to give up her assigned seat on a flight for a middle seat when asked to by a group of passengers. I have long legs, and those seats tend to provide more legroom not that I have to justify myself. But Im not going from an exit row or bulkhead seat I paid for just because someone wants to sit next to their special someone. Meanwhile, some offered an explanation as to why seats can often split groups up. But they will make time to deal with an urgent request involving the very old, the disabled, and young children. Book your flights earlier babes. Audrey Peters has ignited a furious airline etiquette debate after she refused to swap seats for a Also, it doesnt matter if you paid extra or chose the most appealing freebie seat, the seat allotment printed on your boarding pass belongs only to you. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? Johnny Jet does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace. I certainly wasnt happy with that situation, particularly because I had paid extra for my original seat. One positive story and one crazy one. A viral TikTok has reignited a debate about whether or not to swap seats on an airplane when asked. An influencer has been applauded for refusing to swap seats on a flight so a family could sit together.. Very rarely would I change seats. 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. Euler: A baby on his lap, a cat on his back thats how he wrote his immortal works (origin? I'm short enough that my legs fit in just about any airline seat. This approach communicates that I have a specific preference (that I arranged for). Shall I press the call button so they can help you?". When I was an armed federal officer on the flight (plain clothes), I could not switch seats. A few years ago the passenger next to me was overweight and had booked two seats so Im happy with the extra elbow room. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. If you disagree, downvote or write your own answer. Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Yes, I was single back then and when she asked if she could hold my hand if there was turbulence, I couldnt reply fast enough with a resounding yes! But, you gotta be careful what you wish for. Well, it sounds nice. The passenger stood his ground and politely asked the woman to see if someone in her row volunteered to switch places with her kid. Its an added advantage to passengers, especially if the flight is considerably long and tiring. When Ive seen elderly couples board late and be likely to be separated, Ive offered without being asked. Its happened far too many times for it to be a coincidence. Unless theres a very good reason I will not switch and even then only to an aisle seat. Audrey Peters via TikTok and Richard Sharrocks/Getty Images. Still, you have an equal vote here. Avoid continuing the argument unless you are willing to be persuaded/come to a compromise. How can I politely refuse to help classmates with their work? I didnt think fast enough to make that request. Do we really have time to ascertain and give judgement on the circumstances surrounding their seat separation? Several passengers made nasty comments. But this spurs more questions, or silent but detectable hostility and scowling from some of these rejected seatmates. They asked the netizen if they could change seats with them, to which they politely refused, while also giving them a couple of reasons why. I had a situation a few years ago when the plane was full except for the middle seat next to me and the seat directly behind it and we were all waiting for the doors to close. The worst part was that her boyfriend, who could have doubled for The Rock, was waiting for her at the gate when we arrived. Be straight with your fianc and talk this through. However, Mr Kloss was still The traveler stated that they despise aisle seats due to always being bumped by trolleys and other people. "Turns out we were seated in front of kids that kicked the seat for the entire 8 hour flight. (Edit in response to Wildcard's comment) Be gracious in your response and the scowling and glaring is their problem, not yours. A man asked if he was in the wrong to ask a fellow airline passenger to switch seats with him so he could sit by his wife. It was usually an individual request. I select mine well in advance esp. Unless you have special access to some kind of reservation system, they had the same chance you did of getting that seat. I wouldnt be doing my job, though, if I didnt encourage you to empathize with the parents. Replacing broken pins/legs on a DIP IC package, How to handle a hobby that makes income in US. If the request does not come from a flight attendant, just say. Was I Wrong? Airlines oversell their scheduled flights to a certain extent in order to compensate for no-shows.. A holidaying couple has been commended for refusing to bow to pressure from another passenger who asked them to switch seats so her young daughter, who is 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. Was I Wrong? The flight was roughly ten hours and around this time of year, it's extremely hectic. In a TikTok post which has now garnered more than 900,000 views, Audrey Peters toasts the camera with a glass of fizz.. The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. We will not stop that. First, when I was traveling in my USAF uniform, they asked if I would be interested in moving to first class and travel with an unaccompanied minor. Like S. Kincaid, I am an older woman as well. When I travel, I book my flights well in advance. I politely said no, that I was comfortable where I was, but she became disrespectful and wouldnt let up even after the plane had taken off and the pilot had turned off the seatbelt sign. I was also asked by a mother to switch seats. Works for us. An influencer has been applauded for refusing to swap seats on a flight so a family could sit together.. unfortunately for her loud enough so everybody in first class could hear her. However, the bizarre requests didnt stop there. Once on board the plane, which was a packed flight, I was approached by a crew member stating they had a couple who wanted to sit together and asked if I would give up my seat for them, I refused telling her I was handicapped and I chose my seat based on the closeness of the bathroom which was still a short walk. I love it here, and Im delighted I moved! Ill bet that changes these chats. Of course, I agreed. Different people have different levels of willingness to move. 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 Reddit user u/throw44245t363 explained that they initially said yes, but after they saw the seat they wo Beware: the exchange is not always worth it. The New York Times recently featured a story titled: I Refused to Switch Seats on a Plane. Book your flights earlier babes. Audrey Peters has ignited a furious airline etiquette debate after she refused to swap seats for a family to sit together. WebAfter her video went viral, it reignited a plane etiquette debate that keeps blowing up on TikTok. I think the flight crews should be more proactive about that when they see an uncomfortable seating arrangement, when they have crew on travelling on board. He shared his experience, saying: I just simply raised my hand so the child couldnt reach, so I said in a louder tone, please control your child, which made the mom grab the boy and freak out at me and her screaming at me that I shouldnt be such an [expletive] and only think about me.. FYI the old boyfriend was so embarrassed by her he stayed in his seat and looked sheepish the whole tripHold your ground! Credit: Audrey Peters. In a similar incident in 2020, Wolfson faced the same dilemma during her flight to London. Attempting to interfere with the duties of a flight crew member. One time we were traveling internationally and a woman wanted my window seat. How can I refuse tactfully, without causing this bitterness? Hundreds of commenters said they agreed with her decision and would have done the same. The window seat was occupied, but the center seat was open. If the other person is persistent, then further explain that you daren't leave your lucky seat as you have had recurring dreams of being involved in a plane crash flight incident. But after some firm words, she gave in and sat down, with the husband apologizing. I had settled into my aisle seat. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. This was a very critical situation because the runway was very short, and we would not have been able to stop, pilot Magnar Nordal explained. I always feel that prefacing a statement with 'sorry' might give the other person a feeling that they have a slight upper hand. Another overweight passenger had booked two seats BUT when he got on the plane, only middle seats were left. A PASSENGER refused to swap seats during a flight with a family so they could all sit together - but people are saying the same thing. A passenger on Virgin Australia airlines started a debate over airplane etiquette after a man said no to swapping seats so he could sit next to his wife. Needless to say, she walked away defeated and I kept my seat. You werent wrong to politely refuse a request to move. Of course, that never happens. Justin Kase zsixz / Alamy Stock Photo. would be "I do not wish to change" or "I reserved this seat" or (again) "This seat is just fine". He asked if the man seated in the aisle would mind switching with his wife in the window seat.