Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Holiday reserved seat stories...

44 replies

Sheepsheepeverywhere · 08/05/2023 15:05

Have managed to rebook train tickets this week despite strikes! Even got to reserve seats! My lovely travel companion had assigned me to shove out any squatters we may find in our seats!
Anyone got an cf stories or tips to share?

OP posts:
RaraRachael · 08/05/2023 15:22

If anybody is sitting in my reserved seat I always point this out and ask them to move. Lots of people think I'm brave to do this and "They wouldn't make a fuss about it"

We once got on the train to find that another couple were in our seats - we always book forward facing seats as I feel sick in backward facing. The woman insisted we were wrong then I pointed out that they were in the right numbers but facing the wrong direction, She huffily moved then spent the entire journey going on about it to her husband (who couldn't care less) as if we couldn't hear her!

Original poster
Sheepsheepeverywhere · 08/05/2023 15:27

We both have headphones so will be oblivious to any comments!
Last time I used a train I swore it would be the last.... Hence the ear wear!

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 08/05/2023 15:36

You could throw up on them, dunno how you plan it but it’s good revenge.

Took the train to London (live in Scotland) with the D.C., DS’s seat was opposite a man, who had his feet up on it when we got there, DS was 5, there were no other seats, I couldn’t have him on my knee because DD was only 1 and they didn’t both fit on there.

He wouldn’t move his feet, said we should find different seats somewhere else and was really arsey about it, even though my seats were reserved and his wasn’t. Ended up having to get the ticket collector involved and everything.

Two hours later DS for the first and only time in his life got travel sick and projectile vomited straight at him.

Normally I’d have been horrified, but I couldn’t help thinking it served him right.

underneaththeash · 08/05/2023 15:50

It's a running joke that whenever I book seats on any kind of mode of transport there is someone sitting in my seat. I think it's because I book early, so usually get the best seats.

I always get them to move. The only time I had an issue was with a really busy train a few years ago, this guy was in my seat and I was heavily pregnant and had just said goodbye to my dad for the last time and he refused to move. He was actually booed by the rest of the carriage. Someone else offered me their seat and I refused. Shoved my bag on his table and my bump in his face and he did eventually move.

Phillipa12 · 08/05/2023 16:03

Well you had best hope that they don't reduce the amount of carriages thus rendering reserved seats null and void. This happened to me over the Easter holidays when I travelled to London with a 7 and 9 year old. Luckily 2 very nice people offered me their seats as all others were taken.

WhatWeDoInTheShadow · 08/05/2023 16:04

Just ask them to move. "Sorry, I think you might be in our seats". Should work.

Never had anyone refuse to move when I've done this, (but I bet it happens)!

frostyfeb · 08/05/2023 16:12

My husband booked me seats once when I was traveling with my 6 & 2 yr old. Bank holiday and heading to a popular destination so train was packed. But my thoughtful husband had reserved my seat. I got on juggling the pushchair and children, walked up to my seat, and someone was sat on it. I told them o had reserved the seat and they said no they had. They wouldn't budge but a kind person gave up their seat for me.

I was fuming at the CF people. Eventually my toddler falls asleep and I have a spare had and have another look at my ticket, only to notice my dear husband had booked me a ticket but for the next day, same time! I was mortified and obviously stayed very quiet Blush

Lamped · 08/05/2023 16:14

Just do the usual British thing of looking desperately from your ticket to the sign saying the seat number and back again multiple times then say "excuse me, I'm very sorry, but I think you're in my seat, d'you mind" with an awkward smile and gesture for them them to move. I wouldn't bother saying anything if there are other equivalent seats available though.

justawee · 08/05/2023 16:17

Try
'You need to move as you are in our reserved seats, thank you'
By using the thank you instead of please will mean that you are assuming that they have already carried out the action

Roselilly36 · 08/05/2023 16:23

Ryanair flight, yes I know! Woman sitting in the window seat, man sat down next to her chatting away, I got to my aisle seat via disabled assistance DH was boarding the plane separately, as he was following the usual passenger route.

I said I to the man I think you are in the wrong seat, he was, his seat was in the row behind, the woman seemed really disappointed, it was really weird 😂

DH was one of the the last passengers to board the plane, as he didn’t realise I had paid for him to have priority boarding, I did wonder if our holiday to celebrate our wedding anniversary was going to be on my own!

MargaretThursday · 08/05/2023 16:25

I can only think of once when there was a problem with people in our seats.
The train was packed and there were 3 children sitting in our seats, and when I came up and asked, two of them burst into tears. They'd been standing for ages. So I chatted with Mum (also standing) and put dd1 in with them (so now 4 in the seat-luckily they were all small) and stood with until a seat was available and the 4 little ones sat there and shared sweets and crisps and giggled a lot.
Other than that, a simple "sorry, I think you're in my reserved seat" has always got an apology and immediate move.

Kazzyhoward · 08/05/2023 16:32

It's not just trains and planes either. Just as bad at cinemas and football matches. We constantly have to get people to move. Some people seem to think that seat reservations don't matter and they can sit anywhere they like. Very strange.

Abracadabra12345 · 08/05/2023 16:34

By using the thank you instead of please will mean that you are assuming that they have already carried out the action
Absolutely, this principle works the same with young children!

PuttingDownRoots · 08/05/2023 16:42

Eurostar, so all reserved seats. We were pretty much the last on board (connecting train from Cologne running late). Just me and my 5&6yos. Our booked seats were around a table.

Man on his own sitting in them, spread out. Fine, I wouldn't expect the table to ourselves... (others all full). But his response was "do you have to sit here?" Then storming off back to his own reserved seat... Next to his partner and baby.

I seem to attract them when travelling with DDs alone... I had it on a flight as well. People not allocated seats together (adult groups) trying to suggest I just sat in their seats when I had two young children with me. I just stood there waiting... they moved as soon as FA appeared to ask about delay.

justawee · 08/05/2023 16:42

Abracadabra12345 · 08/05/2023 16:34

By using the thank you instead of please will mean that you are assuming that they have already carried out the action
Absolutely, this principle works the same with young children!

A high school children!

SouthCountryGirl · 08/05/2023 16:50

Once got on a train and my seat was around a table. Man sits down. He has a seat resected elsewhere which someone went to sit in and he was told he couldn't.

Had someone demand to see my ticket as she claimed I was sat in her seat. She was the aisle seat and I was the window seat which I was sat in.

Have had people get on before me who were due to get off after, my seat is aisle and theirs was window and they've asked if I've wanted window instead. (Not fussed either way)

justawee · 08/05/2023 16:53

*and

TimeToLose8 · 08/05/2023 16:57

Travelling down to London by train with my daughter and one of our reserved seats were occupied by a rather slim, nice looking, well dressed man. I politely asked him to move, and of course he did. When he went off to find another seat I was asked by the surrounding passengers "didnt I know who that was?" Well, no I didn't. Turned out it was one of the strictly professional dancers. I still didn't know who it was though!

StrugglingWeight · 08/05/2023 17:06

I just say sorry this is my seat and they usually move. If not I show them my ticket with my seat

Happened once on a plane where there was a lone woman, who got asked to move by someone else because she was sitting in their seat, moved to our seat. So then we had to ask her again to move seats, and she moved from the window to the middle, which was obviously still our seats, so we had to ask her again. She then got in another wrong seat, so the airhostess had to come and get her in her actual seat

Then on the way back, there she was again in our seat and the whole fiasco began again! She obviously just didn't understand the concept of seats but fuck me. It was so awkward because she was so embarrassed to be in the wrong seat but kept doing it

Fedupwitheveryone · 08/05/2023 17:14

On a plane once - long haul from Australia - and a young man sat next to me, told me he was a very nervous flyer and looking edgy and stressed. He had sat down in a random seat, it wasn't his, and when moved on he just kept moving to other ones nearby. Genuinely didn't seem to realise we had allocated seats.
Sadly his actual seat was the one on the other side of me and he then proceeded to chat a lot really fast and loudly as he was super nervous and then in turbulence grabbed at my arm in fear and then spilt all his red wine over another passenger (barely apologising) and everyone looked daggers at us because they all assumed we were together! Was an awkward (long) flight.

BirminghamNewStreet · 08/05/2023 17:48

Conversely, I've been on a packed train to London Euston from Cheshire, and 3 lots of passengers all had reservations (through the Train-line), for the same 2 seats.
It's quite common for the Trainline to make these errors, I've subsequently found. There were a lot of very pissed off passengers standing for the entirety of that journey.

NowZeusHasLainWithLeda · 08/05/2023 17:53

Which paper will we read these tales in OP?

TheCreamTeaWasFromMe · 08/05/2023 17:54

Doing a long journey on a packed train years ago. I had a pre-booked seat as I'd broken my ankle and was on crutches. Managed to get through to my seat but the woman who was sitting in it did not want to move. She eventually caved in when I asked her if she seriously thought it was acceptable to leave me standing on crutches for five hours, whilst she sat in the seat that I had reserved.

littleripper · 08/05/2023 17:57

Last Christmas I got on a train for a 4 hour journey and a man was in my seat and refused to move. I found the guard and he came over and asked the man to move and he refused. The guard then turned to me and said "The problem is I cannot move him. Only the Police can move him and they won't come for this". I went and sat in first class and when he told me I had the wrong ticket and he was fining me I said "well I'm not paying you so call the Police and then they can move that man, or leave me alone". He. left me alone.

Frances24 · 08/05/2023 17:58

Got on a train from Bristol once going to Cardiff. Woman sat in my seat refused to move, insisting she was booked in that seat and my ticket was a fake. I ended up giving up arguing with her and sat elsewhere.

Turned out she was on the wrong train and was actually trying to go to London which she didn’t realise until we were in the Severn tunnel 🤣