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Galley Gossip: 3 reasons flight attendants won't allow passengers to switch seats in flight
Dear Heather,What is the proper etiquette for switching to an open seat? Should I ask the flight attendant first? Is it okay to switch to another row if only one person is occupying the row?
Thanks,
Rich
Dear Rich,
Go for it! Switch seats. You don't have to ask. But you might want to wait until everyone is on board before making your move. Worst case scenario a flight attendant might ask you to return to your original seat. Big deal, so what if you have to move back? Most of the time the open seat is yours for the taking - as long as it's in the same cabin as your ticketed seat. Which brings me to the first class stowaway...
"Whenever I travel I always wear a nice suit and board last," said the passenger seated beside me on a flight years ago. I don't remember where we were going, but I wasn't working so he had no idea what I did for a living. "As I'm passing through the first class cabin I'll slide into an open seat. If the flight attendants say anything I'll quietly offer fifty bucks."
"And that works?" I asked, not sure what to make of the guy.
"Sometimes," he laughed.
I told him what I did for a living. Then I added, "the money wouldn't make a difference to me. I'd still send you back to coach."
He looked perplexed. "Seriously? What if I gave you two-hundred dollars?"
I just smiled.
"Three hundred?"
Hey, I don't blame the guy for trying. Just remember that if you do try to pull a fast one, we will find you, and we will send you back to wh
ere you belong.
Oh I know those first and business class seats are calling you. And yes, it is a shame when they go out unoccupied. But since flight attendants do not upgrade passengers once they're on board a flight, don't even bother asking. We'll just tell you to speak to an agent. It's the gate agent who has the upgrading power. This is because the agent is the one who has access to a computer in order to input frequent flier miles or credit card numbers that are needed to purchase a seat.
Every so often a passenger will actually score their own row. What that passenger may not realize is that they do not own the row. So if you would like to sit in an open seat beside one of these lucky passengers, be my guest. If the passenger complains or does not allow you to sit down, let the flight attendants know and we will inform the problem passenger that unless they purchased all three seats, the open seats are not theirs to keep.
Here are three reasons a flight attendant may ask you to return to your seat:
A PASSENGER PURCHASED TWO SEATS: While it doesn't happen often, it does happen. I've seen it. Once. A single passenger boarded my flight carrying two boarding passes. Both of them were in his name. I didn't even ask to see them, but he showed them to me anyway, in case any issues came up in flight. And he was a regular sized passenger.
A DISPLACED FAMILY IS ON BOARD: Flight attendants may need to use an open seat in order to move passengers around so that they can accommodate families who are not seated together. It's not fair for singles, I know, but do you really want a kid screaming for his mother the entire flight?
BLOCKED SEATS: A seat can be blocked for all kinds of reasons. Missing seat belts and oxygen masks are two of the most common reasons. It doesn't matter if the seat belt sign is off or how fast you think can run back to your seat in case of a decompression, the seat is blocked. Case closed. Go back to your seat!
Hope that helps, Rich. And here's wishing you lots of open seats on your next flight!
Heather
UPDATE: Is has been brought to my attention by several flight attendants that not all airlines are created equal. Regional carriers dealing weight and balance issues do not allow customers to switch seats so freely. Also, flight attendants working for airlines with economy plus sections offering more room in coach, do recommend checking with a flight attendant first before moving to another seat, since certain sections are off limits to passengers in coach who did not purchase the extra space. And now with airlines charging for exit rows, bulkheads and aisle seats, switching to just any seat in your ticketed cabin may not be possible.
(Got a question? Email Skydoll123@yahoo.com )
Photo courtesy of Kathy Stewart and Waketheman
"Sometimes," he laughed.
I told him what I did for a living. Then I added, "the money wouldn't make a difference to me. I'd still send you back to coach."
He looked perplexed. "Seriously? What if I gave you two-hundred dollars?"
I just smiled.
"Three hundred?"
Hey, I don't blame the guy for trying. Just remember that if you do try to pull a fast one, we will find you, and we will send you back to wh
ere you belong. Oh I know those first and business class seats are calling you. And yes, it is a shame when they go out unoccupied. But since flight attendants do not upgrade passengers once they're on board a flight, don't even bother asking. We'll just tell you to speak to an agent. It's the gate agent who has the upgrading power. This is because the agent is the one who has access to a computer in order to input frequent flier miles or credit card numbers that are needed to purchase a seat.
Every so often a passenger will actually score their own row. What that passenger may not realize is that they do not own the row. So if you would like to sit in an open seat beside one of these lucky passengers, be my guest. If the passenger complains or does not allow you to sit down, let the flight attendants know and we will inform the problem passenger that unless they purchased all three seats, the open seats are not theirs to keep.
Here are three reasons a flight attendant may ask you to return to your seat:
A PASSENGER PURCHASED TWO SEATS: While it doesn't happen often, it does happen. I've seen it. Once. A single passenger boarded my flight carrying two boarding passes. Both of them were in his name. I didn't even ask to see them, but he showed them to me anyway, in case any issues came up in flight. And he was a regular sized passenger.
A DISPLACED FAMILY IS ON BOARD: Flight attendants may need to use an open seat in order to move passengers around so that they can accommodate families who are not seated together. It's not fair for singles, I know, but do you really want a kid screaming for his mother the entire flight?
BLOCKED SEATS: A seat can be blocked for all kinds of reasons. Missing seat belts and oxygen masks are two of the most common reasons. It doesn't matter if the seat belt sign is off or how fast you think can run back to your seat in case of a decompression, the seat is blocked. Case closed. Go back to your seat!
Hope that helps, Rich. And here's wishing you lots of open seats on your next flight!
Heather
UPDATE: Is has been brought to my attention by several flight attendants that not all airlines are created equal. Regional carriers dealing weight and balance issues do not allow customers to switch seats so freely. Also, flight attendants working for airlines with economy plus sections offering more room in coach, do recommend checking with a flight attendant first before moving to another seat, since certain sections are off limits to passengers in coach who did not purchase the extra space. And now with airlines charging for exit rows, bulkheads and aisle seats, switching to just any seat in your ticketed cabin may not be possible.
(Got a question? Email Skydoll123@yahoo.com )
Photo courtesy of Kathy Stewart and Waketheman
Be sure to check out Episode 5 of Travel Talk TV, which features a Santa Cruz beach adventure; explains why Scottish money is no good; shows how to cook brats the German way; and offers international dating tips!
Filed under: Airlines, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Alex Mar 17th 2010 10:01AM
Relating to Heather's point about open rows - I was on a red-eye flight on a DC-10 years ago, the flight couldn't have even been 1/3 full. I was lucky to have the entire center block of a row (5 seats across) to myself, which I layed across and turned into a bed once the seatbelt sign came off. Anyway after a little while, some guy decided he wanted a change of scenery, and plopped himself down in my full-length sleeper row. Knowing I had no authority to make him get up, I just took my shoes off instead. Long story short, after a couple minutes it did the trick, and I stretched back out and went to sleep. :-)
Kaye Mar 19th 2010 8:47AM
Alex, I have done the same thing with sleeping in the 5 seat rows when traveling to Hi, or across country. I've even continued to sleep when the seat belt sign has been on. I just buckle up once I've laid down. The attendants did check on me at first and once they found out I was buckled in, they didn't bother me for the rest of the flight.
dworkenlaw1 Mar 21st 2010 6:16PM
Alex,
That is hysterical and just like what happened to us!
We were travelling with 2 kids, a 6 year old and a 12 year old. The flight was a long one, 4 hours. Our seats were split up, all over the plane.
The older woman next to my wife was darling, and quickly moved to an empty seat in the same place, 2 rows back. Now my wife and 12 year old son were set.
I approached my seat and saw that the seat next to mine was taken, but the same seat one row back was open.
I asked the businessman in the seat if he would kindly move back one row so my 5 year old daughter could sit with me. He glanced up and with an irritated huff said, "Thanks, but I would rather stay here."
Nonplussed, I turned to my little girl and said, "Mary Grace, sit here honey. This nice man is going to play with you during this 4 hour flight. If you have to puke again, that little bag is in the same place."
The jerk looked at me with terror in his eyes and quickly moved back the seat I originally offered him!
The flight attendant had seen the whole thing and had tears in her eyes she was laughing so hard. She even fist bumped me later in the flight!
There is more than one way to skin a cat, or deal tactfully but effectively with a loser seatmate.
Patrick
James Mar 24th 2010 7:55AM
What a jerk dworkenlaw1 is!
You are one of those people who thinks that the world should revolve around you because you decided to have a bunch of snot-nosed kids.
neil_metblogs Mar 17th 2010 10:27AM
Heather or any other flight attendants out there, have you heard or seen the bribing thing actually work? May have to try slipping the gate agent a $50 for an upgrade next time I board.
Kevin Mar 18th 2010 12:20AM
as a flight attendant for over 20 years for 3 different airlines.... NO absolutely NOT does bribing help.... we cannot accept tips, and Im not about to lose my job over some supervisor or loud mouth passenger see it happen. Its not fair to the passengers who actually paid for that first class seat, nor to the coach passengers who possibly paid more than you did. Take the seat you paid for. I am used to traveling in first class for free as an employee.... now that Im retired, Im in coach too.... and trust me... IT KILLS ME!!!! First class IS all its cracked up to be!!! (especially International sleeper seats.... oh God yes!)
-Kevin ex-sky walker
Pat Mar 17th 2010 1:13PM
So there's no rule that you can't switch? Interesting. I always thought that you had to stay in your confirmed/assigned seat so that if something were to happen then they could easily account for someone or know where a specific person is located. Guess that wouldn't work on Southwest flights but most other airlines still have assigned seats.
frank96 Mar 17th 2010 1:35PM
Several years ago, an (irresponsible) travel article came out on how to "score" a free first class seat. It went on to explain that you should board at the last minute and scope out the first class seats, while the agent and flight attendant are busy with last minute details of getting the flight out, simply take a first class seat. Some passengers get caught, others dont. Most flight attendants caught on to this trick years ago, though, some dont bother to follow up on the upgrade.
Personally, I find this journalism irresponsible. It's stealing. It feeds into the "I want everything for free" syndrome travelers expect.
There's a fourth reason you cant take that empty seat. It may be a CREW area, which the airline has blocked off for "crew rest". Yeah, I know. You have a center seat to Europe and you only want to sit there for a few minutes. Please respect our area, and no, you cant sit there. We fought for many years to get that in our contract.
Henry Mar 22nd 2010 9:41PM
It would be nice to get the same consideration from the flight attendants that I gave them last week on the USAir flight back from the U.K. I had asked about moving, after the cabin door had closed, and was told that I could move from my window seat, but not directly into the empty seats in front of me, as they were the flight crew rest seats. The person next to me decided he would move from next to me (2 seats side by side) so that both of us would have more room. After about an hour into the flight, the same attendant came back to the rest area and decided to use the seat in front of me instead of the one closest to the aisle. She then proceeded to continue to grind the back of her seat into my knees. I am sure she was aware of what she doing. After about half an hour, she got back up to return to her duties. About halway through, a different attendant came back and only reclined her seat slightly for a rest (no problem). I ended up changing my right leg position towards the aisle seat to get some room back. The 1st attendant came back, and flopped the aisle seat back, compressing the bare metal rail on the back of the seat into my knee. My reaction was a fairly loud "Ow", and I jerked my leg back. She never even turned around. I don't expect anything special on the flights, but I do expect at least polite considerations, not the attitude I saw on this return flight. Worst flight I have had in several years due to the attitude and rudeness I observed from this crew, not only to me, but to other passengers.
frank96 Mar 21st 2010 1:14AM
After about an hour into the flight, the same attendant came back to the rest area and decided to use the seat in front of me instead of the one closest to the aisle. She then proceeded to continue to grind the back of her seat into my knees. I am sure she was aware of what she doing. After about half an hour, she got back up to return to her duties.
===================================================
@ Henry.
Do you think that her grinding in HER SEAT had to do anything with YOUR KNEES IN HER SEAT? Just maybe. Who was rude?
Henry Mar 22nd 2010 10:32PM
Frank96:
No link is present for direct reply to your comments back to me. For any person on the flight, be it a passenger or a flight attendant, if you are making contact with the person's knees by putting your seat back all the way, then I believe that to be unconsiderate or rude. The flight attendant is likely going to know from the person's height how much room there is, if any, between the seat being straight up and the person's knees. To continue to push backwards after there is contact made just makes it worse. Why would you imply that the person who has no place to go, and has no extra room between their knees any the seat in front is being rude? I check with the person behind me if it is ok to put the seat back, if there is anybody but a child in that seat. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. With me being over 6'3", , I believe that the attendant knew exactly what was occurring.
frank96 Mar 23rd 2010 3:14PM
Everyone onboard has the "option" to RECLINE their seats. It's built into the seat. YOU can choose to use it or not. In your original post, you mentioned that the person next to you moved. Sooo, the seat next to you was empty. Thus, simply solution, sit with your knees sideways, NOT IN SOMEONE'S BACK. You wanted to be comfortable, everyone does. However, you wanted to be comfortable IN YOUR SEAT by making someone IN FRONT OF YOU uncomfortable. NOT FAIR.
Too big for coach? Too tall for coach? Buy an extra seat. Buy extra legroom.
skim Mar 17th 2010 5:41PM
on Jetblue, I see people try to switch to the "even more legroom" seats ALL the time. They are always reprimanded and turned away. In fact, it happened to this one dude who then chose to come sit on my (regular, but empty up to that point) row instead.
Needless to say I wished him 7 years of horrible seatmates.
Kim Mar 17th 2010 10:24PM
I work for a regional too, and it IS a big deal to move seats after I've done my passenger counts (for all the aforementioned reasons...). Not only can it result in you being moved back to your assigned seat, it can also delay departure when weight & balance numbers are off. Plus, being out of your seat after push-back is a Federal-No-NO! What's the big deal, anyway? Regional flights are never intolerably long. Just sit down where you're supposed to and relax...
CA1900 Mar 18th 2010 12:29AM
Kim --
Regional flights are never intolerably long? Riiight. They shouldn't be, but some are *hours* long -- far too long for these cramped airplanes. I've done Greensboro to Houston and Houston to Toronto recently on ERJ airplanes, and it was an excruciating 3 hours each flight.
tourst19 Mar 17th 2010 6:26PM
Please don't move after we've counted you or immediately after we've closed the door! I fly on a regional and if you move from one weight and balance section to another it can throw off the whole CG of the plane (seriously one person can do it, I can't tell you how many times I've had to move one poor person from the front to the back). Waiting until the door closes may seem like it's good because then you know you're not taking someone else's seat, but the small planes frequently aren't hooked up to a jet bridge and we can (and do) start push-back as soon as I close the door. You can't be up, even to just switch seats, while we're moving, so that will make me have to tell you to sit down. I'm not being mean, and I don't care where you're sitting, I just need you to be sitting! You wouldn't believe the number of times the push-back crew almost knocks me off my feet, it really is for your safety.
jaxon Mar 21st 2010 6:38PM
you mention that the weight of a person will throw off the plane. The author mentioned it in the article as well. So what do they do when you buy a ticket and assign you a seat? Ask how much you weigh? Or do you just let someone get seated and look around to see if there several 6'8" people who weigh 250#'s and are sitting on one side of the plane, then see the other side has 4'2" people that weigh 80#'s and figure the plane will only fly lopsided because of the weight of the peple? Or is that just an excuse to charge people more for being larger???
I am sure that there are legitimate reasons for a person not to sit in a particular seat, but most of the time it is because the STEWARDESS is on a power trip.
jennifer Mar 21st 2010 11:49PM
jaxson, the weight of people is calculated in a certain weight for adults and a certain weight for children. The flight attendant counts how many adults, children, infants on the regional jets. Bags up to 50 pounds are calculated one weight over 50 calculated in another set weight. This is for weight and balance issues with loading the cargo bins with your baggage. You would not want a plane dragging its butt on the runway trying to take off with to much weight in the back now would you??? Before you go spouting your mouth about a subject, research it and find out the facts......Oh and by the way it is no longer "stewardess" it is now flight attendant. Again get facts before spouting your mouth......
Diane Mackaman Mar 17th 2010 6:42PM
Dear Heather...I beg to differ with & would like to add advice to your answer to changing seat assignments....ALWAYS ask the flight attendant!
Perhaps the boarding process is not complete, perhaps it is a safety issue! Doors closed, pushing back, seat belt sign illuminated, moving to an exit row without the required FAA briefing!
Or....some airlines offer "premium seats" that are a "paid" upgrade for coach customers. On my particular airline we have Economy Plus with 5 extra inches of leg room...this includes the Exit Rows. Anyone trying to move into them is going to be questioned...usually be the other passengers who PAID for it...and woe to the flight attendant who tries to give someone a "complimentary" upgrade! These frequent watch everything we do! I've done perhaps one comp...a soldier returning from Irag with a gunshot wound in his arm! No one complained.
Respectfully,
An OA FA
Jim Mar 17th 2010 8:05PM
Last year I was on a Southwest flight from Long Island to Baltimore and there were only 5 people on board! It really surprised me. I had all the snacks, drinks, and legroom I could possibly want. Too bad it was only an hour flight.