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Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

juliawalther
Explorer C

New CEO on boarding article explores seat saving issues.  I have had the experience of being denied a middle seat by a couple who wanted to occupy the row alone and told me " someone is sitting here".  I sat in the row behind them and witnessed no one in the middle seat for the duration of the flight.  I brought it to the attention of the flight attendant who said nothing to the couple. Upon exiting the flight I went to customer service where I was told " we don't get involved between customers".  The next time I board I will not ask permission, I will simply sit down.  No one has the right to tell me I can't sit somewhere.  How will you handle that?

11 REPLIES 11

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

No one said you need to ask permission.  From southwest.com:

"Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carryon items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you."

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

juliawalther
Explorer C

I simply asked as a courtesy, as most people would.  As for the other comments, you are missing the point completely.  I refuse to support entitled, lying people and the spineless attitude of the company.  There's no way someone else's rudeness has to lessen my right ( or any other customer's) to chose.

 

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

gsking
Aviator C

@juliawalther wrote:

I simply asked as a courtesy, as most people would.  As for the other comments, you are missing the point completely.  I refuse to support entitled, lying people and the spineless attitude of the company.  There's no way someone else's rudeness has to lessen my right ( or any other customer's) to chose.

 


No,  we're not missing the point.   You are. 

 

You just used 4 or 5 quite descriptive emotional adjectives to describe an airline seat.   

 

We don't understand why you would describe a seat with such vitriol,  or if so,  why that particular seat was so different than the one you ended up sitting in. 

 

In my opinion,  the two seats are rather identical,  and as an inanimate object,  neither is worthy of such description. 

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

dfwskier
Aviator A

I think some passengers would give you a bloody nose

 

Absent that, I expect you would have the most unconformable flight of your life.

 

Why did you NEED to sit in THAT SPECIFIC SEAT. You obviously did not as you picked a different seat.

 

Gimme a break.Just select a different middle seat

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

juliawalther
Explorer C

I have my own reasons for picking the seat I want, just as others have their reasons. I did not Pick another seat, I ended up there.  It's about rudeness and control, something you don't know about obviously.  Give me a break.

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@dfwskier wrote:

I think some passengers would give you a bloody nose

 

Absent that, I expect you would have the most unconformable flight of your life.

 

Why did you NEED to sit in THAT SPECIFIC SEAT. You obviously did not as you picked a different seat.

 

Gimme a break.Just select a different middle seat


The person most likely wasn’t trying to sit in a middle - they were probably trying to get the couple to consolidate and then score a late access aisle or window. 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@DancingDavidE wrote:

@dfwskier wrote:

I think some passengers would give you a bloody nose

 

Absent that, I expect you would have the most unconformable flight of your life.

 

Why did you NEED to sit in THAT SPECIFIC SEAT. You obviously did not as you picked a different seat.

 

Gimme a break.Just select a different middle seat


The person most likely wasn’t trying to sit in a middle - they were probably trying to get the couple to consolidate and then score a late access aisle or window. 

 


Replying to myself also the middle could be appealing if the aisle and window occupants made the middle more roomy as opposed to a middle seat next to someone like myself. Or next to a kid. Or generally the unknown of what you’ll find further back…take what looks good toward the front instead of foraging. 

I agree with the concept, holding a seat fraudulently ticks me off too. (Whether it really impacts the flight experience or not.)

 

I don’t mind someone actually holding a middle seat though.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

gsking
Aviator C

Look at it the other way around.   You didn't get stuck between annoying people.   You got to pick your own seat.   Any other airline you'd either pay extra to get a seat,  or be stuck with what they gave you. 

 

All the seats go to the same place.   You saved money and got a better seat. 

 

What is there to complain about exactly? 

Re: Seat Saving USA Today 6/24/21

bec102896
Aviator A

@gsking wrote:

What is there to complain about exactly? 


 

Some folks just like to complain.