To expect people to sit in the cinema tickets they booked?

[CharleyDavidson]

Today, not for the first time, at the cinema I watched people having to ask others to move because there was someone sitting in the seats they'd booked. There's a clear policy at every cinema round here that the seats you sit in are chosen at booking in - either online or on the screens at the tills - and are printed on the tickets. And yet some people seem to just then sit where they like and hope no-one comes and asks them to move.

On one visit, I watched one woman have to move three separate times as she didn't fancy sitting in the seats she booked (she declared this to her children when she went into the screen, I've not just assumed this) and just chose somewhere else to sit.

At one screen it caused a big fuss because one family had decided not to make a fuss and didn't ask someone to move out of their booked seats. Until the people who had booked the seats they'd chosen instead moved up. Then there was a chain reaction of people being asked to move, then going to the seats they should have been sitting in and asking those people to move instead.

Unecessary fuss IMO. Especially when some people arrive to time it when the film starts and to miss the ads and therefore the rearranging happens when the film has already begun.

[Helmetbymidnight]

Umm- however, you get your seat and three enormous people with tall hats and the loudest popcorn sit in front of you. What should you do then?

If the cinema is not crowded, I like to sit away from hat wearing noisy feckers.

[Helmetbymidnight]

Or people who come and sit next to you and sneeze.

[UterusUterusGhali]

It annoys me too.
I deliberately book aisle seats as I have a condition that means I frequently might have to run for the loo. It's not cool on others if I have to keep disturbing them.
I sat in the seats I booked Monday even though there were about 6 people in the whole cinema.

[Choughed]

There was a hat wearing noisy fecker in my cinema tonight. Seriously, who wears a giant bobble hat in the cinema

[IWannaHoldYourHand]

I've never booked seats for a cinema

[PinnieTheWoo]

helmet I almost walked out of django unchained because the people behind me we (gasp) breathing too loudly...

OP: YANBU - They should sit where they book and only move after the film starts. If people come in claiming their seats are taken after the start of the film then it's their tough luck, should have got there on time

[CharleyDavidson]

The cinema was very busy on each occasion.

One family today sat in not very good seats until the film started. Then, when they ascertained that other people were unlikely to arrive, they quietly decamped to better seats that were left unused. Completely fine as far as I'm concerned. But to just sit where you fancy regardless of the system in place just annoys me.

IWanna, which cinemas do you go to? Around here, all the chains have allocated seats these days, even the independent small cinema.

[nutbrownhare15]

Yanbu when the cinema is busy.

[Fourarmsv2]

We book seats (have to at our cinema) and arrive late. We book specific seats for DS2s bladder issues. Hate having people in our seats when we arrive. But I will ask them to move if required.

[Helmetbymidnight]

Loud breathers? Out
Wooly hat wearers? Out
Coughing person? Out
Too many snacks? Out
Snacks that smell? Out
Can't keep up with the plot? Out.

They are the problem- we seat move arounders are not the problem!

[Fourarmsv2]

When I say we arrive late I mean before film starts but towards the end of the adverts.

[Helmetbymidnight]

Late-comers? Out

[PinnieTheWoo]

The people sitting next to us once brought in a cold pizza from tesco. They looked so pleased with themselves. It was gross. I get that food in the cinema isn't exactly cheap but still. Live a little.....

[OddBoots]

Booked seats until the film starts, then you can try your luck with empty ones if you aren't happy where you are (but be prepared to move if asked). If you can't cope with other people in the cinema then wait for it to come out on DVD etc.

[IWannaHoldYourHand]

I tend to go to a small independent cinema. But even when we go to a chain I've never been asked.

Perhaps I just go to horrendously unpopular films.

[PinnieTheWoo]

Arriving after ads have started but before Pearl and Dean get their rocks on and the film starts is fine in my book

[Hassled]

Latecomers should definitely be out. Drives me spare. Also booked-seat-ignoring muppets and talkers and noisy eaters. And tall people who have the bare-faced audacity to sit in front of me. Basically I should never go to the cinema - I generally leave as a ball of simmering rage.

[bumblefeline]

YANBU

Also people that sit in the VIP seats when they have not paid for the privilege, and sit congratulating themselves on their brass neckness.

[collateral2]

I always book VIP seats and I have never once got there and not have to have an argument with some inarticulate mincewit who is chancing his arm and tries to pretend that they are his seats.

[bumblefeline]

I wish our Vue was the same Collateral.

Also people that put their stinking feet up on the seat infront.

[jeremyisahunt]

The older I get, the less I tolerate cinemas!

[Spectre8]

Technically, you should take your seats as per your booking and once the film starts (say first minute) than you could move to available seats if you really don't like where you are. Its not rocket science.

[PinnieTheWoo]

I think mumsnet should launch their own cinemas. No latecomers, loud breathers, hat-wearers allowed. Special section for tall people and lots if aisles so that there are more aisle seats.

Tickets should cost less than a tenner too.

Then we'd all get the chance to enjoy the cinema again!!

[Sallyhasleftthebuilding]

No seat kickers?

Pop slurpers?

Plot spoilers?

Snogging couples?

[BravingSpring]

There's a special place waiting in hell for people who repeatedly bump the back of my cinema seat.