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Galley Gossip: Switching seats, exit row safety & asking for upgrades
Recently on a flight a passenger took the empty seat beside me. He had an assigned seat that he left behind. If by luck of the draw I had an empty seat (true not paid for), then it seems to me that as a beneficiary of said luck that I have inherited certain rights. If the other guy had stayed in his OWN seat, I would have had the enjoyment of more space. His moving AFFECTED me. The only reason I point this out is because while my situation was benign, I know that sometimes these little irritations or frictions on flights escalate into real on board conflicts (fights), and while I am describing out a pretty subtle point here, I think that it is better for the flight crew to mediate between passengers using preventive practices (etiquette, courtesies, "rules" etc.) rather than letting passengers resolve them themselves, in those cases where we are dealing with seat assignments at least. - TrevorI'm going to tell you what 90% of the flight attendants I know would say. You paid for a seat. One seat. Not two seats. Not an entire row. Just a single seat. So if a passenger wants to switch seats, that's okay. The passenger is allowed to sit in "your" row. While at my airline passengers are free to move to any open seat available in their ticketed cabin, other airlines (regional carriers dealing with weight and balance issues and airlines who charge extra for certain seats in the same cabin), require passengers to ask a flight attendant before swapping seats. If the flight attendant says it's okay, it's okay, the passenger can move.
Just because you were lucky enough to to score an entire row to yourself does not mean you have "inherited certain rights." Oh sure it's annoying when someone who already has a seat invades your space, but imagine you are the one stuck in an undesirable seat and there are two open seats in the row behind you, wouldn't you move? Should a passenger have to suffer just because someone else is the "beneficiary of said luck" when there is plenty of room for both passengers to stretch out and relax?
In the future, if you'd rather not sit next to anyone, try making your row a little less appealing. The most popular seat on the airplane is the aisle seat. Take it! Otherwise someone will plop down beside you. Then, after takeoff, spread out. Pull the tray table down and place something on top of it. Put a bag, coat, or book in the seat beside you. Pretend to sleep. Not many people are ballsy enough to wake a sleeping passenger. Try traveling with a packet of Kleenex. No one wants to sit next to the sick guy. Or better yet, travel with a child. Works for me. Passengers avoid kids like the plague. That said, if someone still wants to sit in your row, they can. So be prepared to move your things out of the way.
Airlines are charging for exit row seats and I have been on two flights where they have remained empty and flight attendants required payment from passengers who requested to switch to them. My question is what happens in case of an emergency landing? Do you think it is safer to have an able bodied person willing to open the door sitting there? I can visualize pandemonium as people rush to the door. I think gate agents or flight attendants should be able to offer these seats to qualified passengers! - Laura
While it makes sense to have willing and able bodied passengers who meet the exit row criteria seated in an exit row in case of an emergency evacuation opposed to leaving those seats vacant, FAA does not deem it necessary. I could tell you why I think this is, but it doesn't matter what I think, or what you think for that matter. It is what it is. My question to you is, if flight attendants and agents working for an airline charging an extra fee for the exit row could move passengers to the vacant seats for free, how would they determine which lucky passengers to choose without creating the same type of pandemonium? With all that leg room, the exit row is the most sought after row on the airplane! That said, I understand why some airlines, mostly discount carriers, are charging the extra fee. They have to stay in business somehow!
At my airline we do not charge a fee for the exit row, but our ticket prices are higher than most discount carriers and the exit row is often blocked just for frequent fliers. Nine times out of ten the most elite frequent fliers occupy the exit row and bulkhead seats. So while my airline isn't charging a fee for the row, they are asking for something even more - passenger loyalty. It comes in the form of miles. So what's worse, an airline charging a small price to anyone willing to pay for the extra space, or an airline who only rewards a select few? Wouldn't you rather be able to purchase the seat than not even have a shot at it?
Photos courtesy of Matt Sidesinger and Rnair
While it makes sense to have willing and able bodied passengers who meet the exit row criteria seated in an exit row in case of an emergency evacuation opposed to leaving those seats vacant, FAA does not deem it necessary. I could tell you why I think this is, but it doesn't matter what I think, or what you think for that matter. It is what it is. My question to you is, if flight attendants and agents working for an airline charging an extra fee for the exit row could move passengers to the vacant seats for free, how would they determine which lucky passengers to choose without creating the same type of pandemonium? With all that leg room, the exit row is the most sought after row on the airplane! That said, I understand why some airlines, mostly discount carriers, are charging the extra fee. They have to stay in business somehow! At my airline we do not charge a fee for the exit row, but our ticket prices are higher than most discount carriers and the exit row is often blocked just for frequent fliers. Nine times out of ten the most elite frequent fliers occupy the exit row and bulkhead seats. So while my airline isn't charging a fee for the row, they are asking for something even more - passenger loyalty. It comes in the form of miles. So what's worse, an airline charging a small price to anyone willing to pay for the extra space, or an airline who only rewards a select few? Wouldn't you rather be able to purchase the seat than not even have a shot at it?
This summer my husband and I will be traveling internationally. (New York to Warsaw) We have never asked for an upgrade to first class. If the agent says there are seats available, is there a charge? Or just willingness to fill a few seats? Additionally, what is the "polite" way to request an upgrade? - Lecia
While it never hurts to ask, it's highly unlikely you will get an upgrade to first class free of charge. Not with airlines losing money the way they are these days. Because so many people travel often, it's unfair to upgrade one group of passengers over another without going through the proper procedures. Trust me, passengers are keeping tabs. If an agent were to upgrade a passenger for free, rest assured that agent would hear about it in the form of a complaint letter from another passenger who also wanted an upgrade. For an airline employee, upgrading passengers for free is not worth losing a job over. Remember passengers are miserable, flights are full, and agents are under a lot of pressure to get airplanes out on time, so if you decide to give it a shot, be polite, friendly, and honest about what you want. Agents have heard it all, every story in the book, from pregnancy to bad backs. An honest approach will only work to your advantage. Whatever you do, do not hover over an agent. That will only work against you. Simply wait until the agent has a free moment to ask your question, and then, after your request has been made, step away from the desk. The last thing an agent needs is added stress.
While it never hurts to ask, it's highly unlikely you will get an upgrade to first class free of charge. Not with airlines losing money the way they are these days. Because so many people travel often, it's unfair to upgrade one group of passengers over another without going through the proper procedures. Trust me, passengers are keeping tabs. If an agent were to upgrade a passenger for free, rest assured that agent would hear about it in the form of a complaint letter from another passenger who also wanted an upgrade. For an airline employee, upgrading passengers for free is not worth losing a job over. Remember passengers are miserable, flights are full, and agents are under a lot of pressure to get airplanes out on time, so if you decide to give it a shot, be polite, friendly, and honest about what you want. Agents have heard it all, every story in the book, from pregnancy to bad backs. An honest approach will only work to your advantage. Whatever you do, do not hover over an agent. That will only work against you. Simply wait until the agent has a free moment to ask your question, and then, after your request has been made, step away from the desk. The last thing an agent needs is added stress.
Photos courtesy of Matt Sidesinger and Rnair
Filed under: Airlines, Transportation, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Alex Apr 14th 2010 9:51AM
Heather, how often (if ever) have you had to deal with passengers fighting over a reclined seat, and what's your position on that debate?
The way I see it, the seats were built to recline, that's what they were meant for, and therefore I have every right to take advantage of that nice little feature (I'm a bit of a sloucher, and I find the seat in the upright position a little uncomfortable). I also recognize that the person in front of me has every right to recline their seat. I never recline it under 10,000 ft. when it's not allowed, and I usually put it up during meal [pretzel] service. I'm also happy to only partially recline it if there happens to be a very large/tall person behind me.
However I can't stand these people who think they have this unalienable right to not have a reclined seat in front of them. What do you think?
Jeff Pruett Apr 14th 2010 1:30PM
When I fly business, I always ask for A1 because I've been told this is an unpopular seat (don't know why!). I take the window seat and quite often the aisle seat is empty.
On one flight to Ft. Lauderdale, the attendant seated an obviously ill women next to me half way through the flight without a word to me.
I went and found the attendant and asked why the woman was seated next to me and what was wrong with her. He was curt in his answer and I asked to speak to the supervising attendant.
It really didn't disturb me that someone was sitting there, but it did really bother me that they would put an obviously ill person there without a word to me in explanation!
Nick Apr 14th 2010 4:11PM
You pay for your OWN seat - business or cattle class - and NOT for deciding who seats NEXT to you. Not even for an EXPLANATION. This is simple enough to understand.
I am always amazed by the sense of entitlement some business fliers seem to have!
Ross Apr 14th 2010 12:10PM
I'm a very infrequent traveller, but have been free-upgraded 3 times over perhaps a dozen transatlantic flights. It depends on the airline and the route: on a busy route, at busy times of year, airlines oversell their seats because they know there will be no-shows. This is a calculated gamble on their part, and sometimes too many people turn up which leads to people being bumped up to the next class of cabin.
On one memorable trade show trip I think all of our employees who travelled to that show - 12 or so, LHR-SFO - were upgraded from premium to business, across several flights from two different airlines (BA and Virgin). The upgrades all happened at check-in, and on one occasion even via a self-check-in machine which redirected me to a staffed desk.
My top tips would be to choose your flights carefully, to consider booking in premium economy, to be polite and friendly to the check-in staff, reasonably smartly dressed - remember, first impressions count - and *not* to ask for an upgrade. Perhaps enquire as to how busy the flight is, but don't push it - they're used to people asking for upgrades and they're ready to put you down.
frank96 Apr 14th 2010 12:51PM
I'm a firm believer that no one should get an upgrade for free. The vast majority of passengers who are upgraded have done so by miles or paid to do so. I'd be quite upset if I had used "thousands of miles" to change classes and some agent or flight attendant upgraded someone on a whim.
Additionally, this goes back to the days when the traveler wanted everything for free. Free drinks, Free headsets, Free vouchers, etc.....for the slightest inconvenience. Airlines simply CANT afford to do that, they are a "business" after all. First class or Business class should NOT be used as compensation, it devalues the class of service for those who actually PAID for it.
Nick Apr 14th 2010 4:25PM
Here we go.. another self-entitled "elite" flier who can't stand good things happening to others.
Please be assured FRANK96, airlines never upgrade anyone unless they HAVE to. They won't do anything that they can't afford.
And whatever do you mean by "devalues the class of service"? Did you ever remain unfed or a drink short because some lucky fellow got upgraded to your business cabin??
frank96 Apr 14th 2010 11:17PM
Psssttt, Pssst, NICK.
Actually, Nick. I'm a flight attendant, NOT an elite flier. So, you're judgemental response shouldnt be about me. Airlines never upgrade unless they have to???
Do YOU work for an airline? I wouldnt think so by that response. I've watched sexy blondes with big boobs get upgraded by young male gate agents. I've watched flight attendants use first class as a way to move someone who was obese to a larger seat. We're they "entitled" to it? NO. Should they have been upgraded? NO.
It devalues the cabin with someone up there paid THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS to be there, and some yahoo gets to be up there for FREE. The first class cabin, is just that, a CLASS OF SERVICE you PAY FOR.
frank96 Apr 14th 2010 12:58PM
:::smile:::
bother way......this picture: http://hpoole.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/4253106084_187ff788f32.jpg
from your other article/site. See the Homestead? Go in there! They have the best "seven layer" cake.
as usual, wonderful advice in your article, heather.
alyson May 13th 2010 2:38PM
Love that pic! It's my old neighborhood! Took the Q10 bus down that block twice a day 5 days a week for years! Thanks for the memories!!
Unexpected Traveller Apr 15th 2010 1:26PM
And in extreme circumstances, FAs can practise their football tackles on you: http://wp.me/ppqxP-lS (Or "rugby tackle" for the non-Americans)
Byron haugh Oct 1st 2010 10:17PM
Who is this "Heather"?? Is he/she really a FA?? Not that there is anything special about being a FA. Over the last 10 years, they have generally become more rude and provide only the most bare bone service required. If you really are a FA and don't enjoy helping passengers be comfortable, quit! Seems the older the FA's become, the more grumpy they become. Remember, you reflect on your airline. We don't have direct contact with the real flight crew, so you might be hurting the cockpit crew's company and their future if you are not trying to please the passengers (within safety guidelines)
You keep saying that the airline "needs to charge for this or that to make money". The airline could just charge higher ticket prices instead of nickel and dimeing the passengers!!!!!
On a fairly recent trip from Kauai to salt lake, the entire exit rows were empty. When myself and another asked to sit there we were rudely told you have to pay extra to sit there. Had there been an emergency on that flight with the exit rows empty, that same FA might have been asking us to help with the exit door
Flying used to be enjoyable. It no longer is thanks to cutthroat practices amongst the airlines. If I were a FA for one of these companies, I could not hold my head high. Remember this mr./ms. FF, to protect the flying public from airline abuse, Congress has to pass a passenger bill of rights!!! You folks have become like the credit card companies which also require Congressional action to ensure even the most basic fair treatment for customers.