[Travel] Was I right?

[Clive Walker]

It must have been due to tiredness but my instinct was to help the lady out and didn’t realise her kids were older than mine and I would be putting my wife in the position to deal with both of ours by herself.

When I realised she was just trying to get her own way and causing nuisance to everyone by delaying the flight further I’m pleased I ended up putting her right but still questioned myself.

Her kids were annoying little twerps in the end.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Seems to be becoming a very common tactic to avoid paying the fee to reserve a seat.

On a recent flight I was on, there were several people who had boarded ignoring their actual seat number and instead sitting with their partner, kids etc. When the person who had one of the seats arrived they asked them if they could sit there as they needed seats together. It puts the genuine seat holder in an awkward unwanted situation. Most people on the flight I was on agreed to move!

However, the issue here is airlines monetising seat preferences. I would far rather they added the £10-£30 into the flight cost and allowed the seats to be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

 

[Napper]

Upon boarding my return flight with wife and 9 and 6 year old boys we headed straight to our pre booked seats which were a row of three and a single seat across the aisle. Cost for these were +£100 I think.

Upon arriving at our seats a lady with some older children had placed her kids in my single seat and asked if I would take the window seat so she could “see to her kids”.

Now seeing as it was 1am and our flight was already delayed I agreed as I just wanted to get home and decided that we’d all just sleep anyway. After a further 20 mins she was still speaking to the cabin crew about getting moved so she could be with her husband and other child at the back of the plane, she was also causing a caffuful asking more passengers to complain.

At this point I asked her what went wrong with her reservation of seats to which she replied that she didn’t bother and left it to her husband. This annoyed me and other passengers. She then declared that she worked on airlines previously and then declared that she was a anxious flyer.

This annoyed me so I explained that I had paid for my seat choice, she hadn’t, her kids were teenagers and are self sufficient and can be “seen to” from the seats they should be in. She then agreed to let me sit in my seat. People nodded in approval around me.

Was I right?

You were right and she sounds a c nt.

However , a window seat on own away from everyone would of been a big win for me.

God on you for telling her.

 

[Icy Gull]

However, the issue here is airlines monetising seat preferences. I would far rather they added the £10-£30 into the flight cost and allowed the seats to be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

Bad idea, it would mean that less mobile people and the elderly would be jostled in the rush for seats. Isn't this suggestion a bit Ryanair?

I always pre book a window seat and I have refused to move when some person is sitting in my seat and spinning me a sob story. Just feck off and pay for a seat if you have a preference or fear of flying. Zero sympathy from me.

Obviously I am not actually rude, just firm and fortunately I haven't ever had a confrontation over it.

 

[Bodian]

30 years ago I booked a long-distance flight home. Me & my mate had different seats, so I politely asked my neighbour if she would mind swapping with him, so we could sit together for the journey. She simply said 'No'.

Fair enough. I then took my hiking boots off to settle down comfortably for the long trip. She piped up and said 'is that your friend over there, does he still want to swap?' I still don't know whether it was the thought of putting up with my socks or what!

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Bad idea, it would mean that less mobile people and the elderly would be jostled in the rush for seats. Isn't this suggestion a bit Ryanair?

I always pre book a window seat and I have refused to move when some person is sitting in my seat and spinning me a sob story. Just feck off and pay for a seat if you have a preference or fear of flying. Zero sympathy from me.

Obviously I am not actually rude, just firm and fortunately I haven't ever had a confrontation over it.

What I meant was that you can choose your seat when you book your ticket. The seat cost is absorbed into the cost of the ticket.

 

[Albion in the north]

"Do you know who I am?" I have had that once or twice, laughable arrogance. And no, I didn't know who they were.

Theres a great video somewhere of a woman at using that line at an airline check in. Im going to have to see if I can find it

 

[maffew]

Sounds like the only winner here was her husband , sat at the back having a break from her.

 

[Reinelt12]

This reminds me of a game at Withdean, It was the first game of the season and I had been a season ticket holder for a few years in the same seat - I turned up early ish, loads of empty seats and someone was in my seat… when I politely explained that it was my seat, the gentleman in question said “It’s sit where you want” and refused to move… it was only when other season ticket holders around me told him what they thought of the situation that finally he moved!

 

[BBassic]

Theres a great video somewhere of a woman at using that line at an airline check in. Im going to have to see if I can find it

There's a great video of Jennifer Lopez walking through the neighbourhood she grew up in. She's standing outside the house she lived in and tells the old guy who lives there now:

JL - "I used to live here"
OG - "yeah? who are you?"
JL - "I'm Jennifer Lopez"
OG - "Who?"

It's great.

 

[AIT76]

I expect there is a counter thread right now on Mumsnet by the poor vulnerable woman who was forced to move and be split up from her family by a horrible MAN.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

What I meant was that you can choose your seat when you book your ticket. The seat cost is absorbed into the cost of the ticket.

Probably about 35 years ago, on a package holiday to probably Greece we flew our one and only ever flight with "Air Cymru" out of Gatwick - I think they were filling in for a Dan Air route.

Also the only time that a seat was not allocated at check-in for any passengers.
So, stampede and scrum-down after getting of the transfer bus out on the tarmac to race up the steps to get the leg-room seats.
It was a 727 IIRC and the evacuation doors were over the wings and in that row, seats faced each other providing plenty of stretch room.

 

[portlock seagull]

Upon boarding my return flight with wife and 9 and 6 year old boys we headed straight to our pre booked seats which were a row of three and a single seat across the aisle. Cost for these were +£100 I think.

Upon arriving at our seats a lady with some older children had placed her kids in my single seat and asked if I would take the window seat so she could “see to her kids”.

Now seeing as it was 1am and our flight was already delayed I agreed as I just wanted to get home and decided that we’d all just sleep anyway. After a further 20 mins she was still speaking to the cabin crew about getting moved so she could be with her husband and other child at the back of the plane, she was also causing a caffuful asking more passengers to complain.

At this point I asked her what went wrong with her reservation of seats to which she replied that she didn’t bother and left it to her husband. This annoyed me and other passengers. She then declared that she worked on airlines previously and then declared that she was a anxious flyer.

This annoyed me so I explained that I had paid for my seat choice, she hadn’t, her kids were teenagers and are self sufficient and can be “seen to” from the seats they should be in. She then agreed to let me sit in my seat. People nodded in approval around me.

Was I right?

9/10. I’d give you a 10, but you didn’t SLAP her! Stupid cow and her calves…

 

[Coldeanseagull]

You are home now does it matter ? I waited 2 hours on a runway and another hour at the luggage reclaim. Get on with your life.

I thought you'd been banned?
On ignore now I'm getting on with my life

 

[FamilyGuy]

You spelled "caffuful" wrong, surely there's a silent "gh" in the middle?

BTW you did the right thing re the seats, if she'd got away with it then she'd try to do it again "next time".

Remember kids; don't drink and text