Booking seats A and C on a plane

[Rhubarbgarden]

Flying home alone on a long haul flight last night I was allocated a 'B' seat. I sat down and shortly afterwards a couple appeared and sat down in the A and C seats. It was obvious they were together, so I straight away offered to swap seats so they could sit together. They declined, saying "no we always do this'. They then spent the rest of the flight talking across me. I felt most uncomfortable and it was very difficult to relax, sitting in the middle of a conversation. Really unpleasant. I know that some people prefer window seats and some prefer aisle seats, but surely it's unreasonable to force a stranger to be piggy in the middle like that?

Cheeky gits!

I think they do it hoping that the single seat between them is left empty. Not a nice situation for you to be in though, especially when you offered to swop.

how rude and entitled are they!!!

That is really odd that they didn't switch seats with you!

Dh and I often book a and c, but only in the hope that no one books the other seat and we get more space! We would absolutely move if someone turned up.

Yanbu, it's bloody frustrating. Had this couple who kept passing stuff across me the whole time. Hopefully it's not a long flight for you.

Well I guess if they do each prefer aisle/window its ok. But it is odd. Most odd. Did they include you in their conversations?

You're a much nicer person than I am Rhubarb.

I would have asked a few more times, each time making it more apparent that I was fed up with being talked across, and if that still didn't work I would have asked one of the cabin crew if there was anywhere else I could sit...you might even have found yourself bumped to Business (we were once, when I pointed out that the in seat entertainment wasn't working. I wasn't even complaining, just pointing it out. Which was nice)

Anyway, be nastier next time. Like the couple sitting wither side of you!

They were speaking German, which I don't speak, so no I wasn't part of their conversation.

We would absolutely move if someone turned up

Good on ya. But what if they liked the middle seat? Would you still talk across them?

They were speaking German, which I don't speak, so no I wasn't part of their conversation

That's even worse! Not that they were German of course but because if it had been me I would have been paranoid they were talking about me (well in fact I speak a bit of German, but you know what I mean!)

Cheeky buggers I hope I would have the nerve to say 'look, this is just not on, I insist you sit together'. I probably wouldn't though.

We do this. We don't talk across the middle person though, unless absolutely necessary, that's a bit odd. You have to pay to choose your seat, we want A and C. If you don't want B, pay for to choose.

I thought it was weird, then felt annoyed, then thought I was probably just being a bit critical and intolerant - I was on my way back from a funeral so was pretty tired and weary. I'm glad everyone thinks they were unreasonable, not me - I did wonder if I was being over sensitive!

That would've driven me nuts!

You should have constantly moved your head back and forth so they had to do the same.

I didn't care which seat I got, I had no problem with a B seat and being between people, that's fine. It was being talked across continually that was weird and unpleasant.

The talking across you was unreasonable.

You know until this thread I didn't know that spreading yourself across a row with a gap in the middle was even a thing! I would have assumed that online ticket selection wouldn't allow it. You learn something new every day. Wouldn't want to do it though. I like to hold hands with Mr Gain or fall asleep on his shoulder .

Raddy I like your style.

Yanbu. I was in that position once although I didn't offer to swap - it took me a while to realise they were actually together because they would go 5 or 10 mins at a stretch without acknowledging the other. That looked a dysfunctional relationship if ever there was one. One woman was getting progressively drunker on little whiskeys and spoiling for a fight with her partner. Over my bloody head.

Raddy I did think about that, but at one point I started fanning myself with the in-flight magazine (it was very hot) and one of them bellowed "Oh good idea!" and they both started fanning themselves furiously. Which meant I had to stop. I didn't want to draw any more attention to myself after that.

I'd hate to be in the position you were put in, sounds horrible!

I can understand why people do this if given the option of booking seats, some people are significantly more comfortable if they have the wall or window to sleep up against, and quite often it's more comfortable for tall people to be near the aisle.

The talking over you was just plain rude.

One woman was getting progressively drunker on little whiskeys and spoiling for a fight with her partner. Over my bloody head

Well at least there was some entertainment value in that!

Aha!

Had they accepted your offer to swap and sit together I would have suspected them of trying to keep the middle seat free and this of being the air travel version of reserving sun beds with towels .

Oh I'd have made my feelings about this perfectly clear if I were you OP. If they didn't react to my huffing, puffing and nose flaring, I'd have had to tell them we were swapping.

How fecking rude and entitled.

I rarely laugh out loud at posts, but the image of the 3 of you fanning yourselves in unison has made me chuckle.