Sitting in your own seat...

[preiffer]

Last night, returning on VS20, I witnessed something that suddenly made me realise how often it happens. You have all probably experienced this at some point or other, but here's how it went:

Person A: Sat in his seat, all set up, puts in drinks order etc.
Person B: Comes along (he'd upgraded with miles at the airport into what seemed to be the only free seat) to find person A in his suite across the aisle.
Person A: Immediately confronts B with something similar to "Ah, yes, I'm in your seat".
Person B: "Yes, you are".
Person A: "Sorry about that, but I guess they're all the same..."
Person B: "Yes, I guess so, no worries - I'll sit here" and sits in person A's original seat.


Now, my issues with this:

1) Person A (and others like them) KNEW he was sat in someone else's seat and went ahead setting himself up regardless. Nothing short of ignorance in my book.
2) If "all the seats are the same" then why not sit in your own?! Cheek.
3) If you wanted that seat so badly, why not check in for it? - It was open until person B upgraded later on in the day.


None of this directly affected me - but it did make me think of all the times I've either witnessed or been the victim of blatant "seat theft" with an expectation from the thief that you'll be fine with it all. After today, nope. Not no more.


Anyway, rant over - thoughts...?

Interesting one. I have had this happen quite a few times and sometimes you can tell it is intentional. Sadly I grabbed the wrong row back from NAS after Christmas so I am guilty of this too but this was due to some rather misaligned row stickers.

To be honest this does seem to happen quite a lot more these days than I can imagine a few years back.

Simon

Totally agree - if you want a seat badly take the effort to book it providing you can of course!

Mind you, I have frequently sat in the wrong seat by accident!

[preiffer]

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
Confidential to anyone thinking they can take 3K if it's assigned to me: "Oh, hell to the NO!" [V]

You'd better hope we're never booked on the same flight to the UK then...

Nearly happened to me but i was insistant that the other person went back to their own seat. Turns out their IFE screen was flickering and didn't like it.

It's just rude really. Wonder if this happens more often than we think?

Just to add, I did immediately offer to move as soon as I realised, but they were happy as I had the row with no window so lost out anyway!

[preiffer]

To pick up on what slimey etc. have said - I have absolutely no problem with honest mistakes. I've made them before, too

What I have an issue with is the blatant disregard for other passengers, as people assume others will move to fit in with their own preference while knowingly occupying a seat that isn't theirs. That's just not on...

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by preiffer

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
Confidential to anyone thinking they can take 3K if it's assigned to me: "Oh, hell to the NO!" [V]

You'd better hope we're never booked on the same flight to the UK then...

Better hope your not on 19 on th 14th Dec then,it's mine

I have sat in someone's seat by accident,pain as I was one of the first on the flight and he was one of the last,as soon as he pointed it out I went into instand grovel mode as this is a pet peeve of mine,we both had a laugh about it after,but kind of embarassing for me [:I]

What would happen if they refused to budge and you wanted it back.

Originally posted by easygoingeezer
What would happen if they refused to budge and you wanted it back.

You talk to cabin crew. Cabin crew talk to miscreant. If they don't move then the Captain removes them from the plane. Easy!

BC

[honey lamb]

It happened to me on my first UCS flight. I was in 17K and relishing the thought of a window seat all to myself since normally Aer John nabs that. However there was a Japanese lady sitting there. Her assigned seat was 16G and her husband was in 17G. She felt that she would be able to talk to him more easily from my seat than hers and so took it. She was reluctant to give it up and I was made to feel all kinds of a heel for insisting on my seat. fortunately when the doors closed we realised that the window seat in front of Aer John was vacant and so I took that letting the Japanese lady move back into "my" seat

I'd be furious is someone nicked one of our seats in row 6 for our return flights, you'd have to go to the cabin crew for help. It's not like it's pot-luck with seat maps etc on the website for everyone as well as being able to call the airline to reserve your seat. It's just rude.

I agree w/ the folks who say just ask the person to move to their assigned seat, however last time I flew VS (UC JFK-LHR) a young couple had been seperated, maybe booked in late or something, and they asked all sorts of people to move (so they could sit together) EXCEPT ME! After watching them for about a minute I eventually just said to the guy "do you want my seat?". I should've said "do I look so scary you won't ask?!!". My good deed for the day and instant karma!
I guess my point is that to me my seat does not matter that much - in UC suite. In any other situation I want an aisle seat, preferably row 18 in a 'bus, but don't really care which.

I've only ever had my seat taken once and this was flying from LHR to JFK on the 045 (obviously;)). I was in 1A and this kid that got on just before me had sat in it. However, no way was I giving up my window seat;). Anyway, to cut a long story short, he moved to 2A for take-off and then sat in 1C for the rest.
Unfortunately, he decided to spend his time kicking the seat and generally making a nuisance of himself for the cabin crew (who did an excellent job of handling it by the way:D[8D]).

Some of you may think this a little harsh, but those of you who like to sit in your "usual" seats will understand this. Anyway, he clearly had no regard for others, in particular, other pax, CC and J2000s;)

Cheers,
VS045

People who knowingly nick other people's seats are the kind of people who should be living alone in a cage, rather than let loose in society. Having adopted that severe stance, I might point out no-one has ever nicked my seat .

On the VS028 back from MCO in October, a young lady boarded just after me and sat behind me in 12K. She immediately got on her mobile and talked non-stop until the door shut (I only mention this bit because it was VERY irritating!).

Just before the door shut, a gentleman boarded, said quite abruptly to her "that's my seat", and she said "it's mine too", and then realised she was actually in 12A. He was happy to go and take her seat though, and that's not surprising bearing in mind the symmetry of the situation....

I observed (as we all do in these situations), and all I could think is how on earth do you confuse the letters A and K? I doubt very much she did it on purpose, since the seats are identical virtually. So she must genuinely have confused the letters. Bizarre.

[HighFlyer]

Ive had this a few times as well.

I was in PE and almost got upgraded to Upper as my seats had been given away to people who were travelling with the crew and there were no seats left in PE. In the end a slight reshuffle had me back in 70A&C - but i had missed out on the pre-boarding Champers and had the case of the grumbles! Those pax were insistant they were not going to move as they had the seat numbers on their boarding passes - albeit written in biro! And they took a long time moving their bags out of the overheads!

Another time i was flying in Upper, go to my seat (5k on A346 i think) to find someone there. I moved to his assigned 6k because i couldnt be bothered to say anything, and it wasnt that different anyway, but god help him if anything didnt work in my suite ....

Oh, and flying home from SFO on my last flight with LRoM to find another passenger in my 15G - i recall i growled 'i think you are in my suite' at her whilst waving my boarding pass! She moved away quick enough! Dont get in the way of me and my double suite!! LOL

Isnt it funny how attached we get to our seats. I always tend to book the same seats on each aircraft so i do like to sit where i had pre-booked myself!

On a BA flight a couple years ago I left my seat to go to the bathroom and stretch for several minutes and when I came back there was a woman sleeping in the row I was sitting in. The seat was on the aisle and her feet were on it (so I assumed she didn't see mine was occupied). I told her that she was taking up my seat but she refused to budge. I had two FAs try to talk to her but she was being a real ***** so I moved. However later I snuck into WT+ so I didn't really mind.

[honey lamb]

all I could think is how on earth do you confuse the letters A and K?

When I was boarding my flight to MCO last August some guy was about to take my seat in 10K. Turns out he was in 10A. I could have understood it if it was someone who was flying for the first time and maybe the family had clubbed together for an Upper Class flight as a treat but this guy and his wife were obviously well travelled with Junior and nanny plus teenage daughters (from wife #1?) in the back [:?]

On return (USAIR) flight from RDU/Reagan Intl/Bos this morning, sat in middle seat, had sudden need to see the sea as we passed up the coast. Moved back an (empty) row and enjoyed the bright sunshine and frozen sea--until FA terse came up and ordered me back to my "assigned" seat. As it was a short hop I obliged but really what was the harm? I had already put up with the neverending monologue that now seem to make up FA talk on American flights (everybody's an out of work actor--or everyone's a comedian?) especially on the fight down Friday night in a very small commuter plane--and a very large storm.

I wouldn't have taken anyone else's seat--but with a half full flight--no harm done?

grrrr.

RR[?]

i was on PE to nyk once , sitting there comfortably with champers in hand when a couple came up and said i was sitting in their seat,so we checked our seat allocation stubs and seemed (and i dont know how??) they allocated the same seats to both of us !!!
We all laughed about the situation and called for the head of crew who asked for the couple to sit in the 2 seats and she d sort something out for me . There was i , standing in the galley awaiting a seat in PE and then she very kindly said follow me to UC
A very nice way to start a business trip !!
Still have no idea how they allocated the seat twice ??
[B)]

[preiffer]

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes

Paul, in your case, I would take 4K! [:o)]

Is that because it's easier to hit 3K from there...

What would be the official stance if someone nicked my 6a and K, which I keep longingly looking at on the VA seat map, would the crew have to move them if they didn't budge, doubt it would happen but what if it did.

Originally posted by finbar
..and seemed (and i dont know how??) they allocated the same seats to both of us !!!
... standing in the galley awaiting a seat in PE and then she very kindly said follow me to UC
[B)]

I had an identical experience - right down to standing in the galley. Always wondered if they automatically give the UG to the person arriving last.

Phil

I witnessed well known jockey attempting to 'nick' 1A - a Huge US AU arrived and quickly insisted on his fave seat.

The Jockey moved sharpish

[preiffer]

Originally posted by easygoingeezer
What would be the official stance if someone nicked my 6a and K, which I keep longingly looking at on the VA seat map, would the crew have to move them if they didn't budge, doubt it would happen but what if it did.

EGG,

I think BlackCat answered this exact question when you first asked it on page 1...?