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.

I never go to the cinema any more. Because of other people. And it's too loud.

You're forgetting people who constantly check their phone throughout the film and distract you with the blazing light it gives out. I watched one a few years ago and a guy on the row to my right kept doing it in my peripheral vision and it was so annoying! I was too much of a wuss to complain to him tho so just sat there simmering with rage through most of the film!

I was at a Vue cinema some years ago. It was at a time when the only bookable seats were the VIP seats. There were 3 people in the seats that we had booked so we moved them on. They just moved further down the row. Several times this happened. Meanwhile, as it was a newly released film, the other seats were rapidly filling up. The 4th time they had to move, all the general seats had been up and they ended up being split up. One went to the front row and the other two were on the opposite side to each other at the very edge.

Oh how we chortled. All because they thought pinching the VIP seats was a good idea.

I was at the cinema last summer and it was full. A childrens film. Anyway, there was so much moving as so many people had just sat wherever, despite being asked at the deak where they wanted to sit, the staff stopped the commercials, put the lights on and told everyone to sit in their correct seats.

I had to move a lady and her 2 kids out of my seats yesterday. I'd booked Premier ones. I get the temptation to chance it once the movie has started but its a bit weird to do it before it's even started, specially during half term when it's packed.

I wasn't arseish to her though, no big deal. If she tried to say they were hers or told me to sit elsewhere I would have told her to fuck off basically

In very busy films, the staff members come in and check people going to their seats. Or make a general announcement that people check their tickets. Last night, at the deadpool screening it was part of the notice on the screen at the start. Please switch your phone off and make sure you are in the right seats.

No messing around.

I may once have hissed 'Switch it off!' to a random person who spent more time checking their phone than watching the film. Someone behind said 'Here, here!' and thanked me.

Quite out of character as I usually sit there and seeth if something's annoying me.

I quite agree with lots of Helmetbymidnight's list. Don't get me started on people who go to the theate, where the stepping of the seats isn't as big as at the cinemas, but who decide to wear their hair in a big bun on the top of their heads for the occasion when the person behind them then won't be able to see a thing.

That happened to me once, the chain reaction of people in the wrong seats. In the end they stopped the film, and told everyone to move to the seat they'd booked.
I only ever move to another seat if it's half empty and the films already started.

Same happened to us last summer Calleighdoodle, only time I have ever had that happen, don't suppose you were at Star City??

Our cinema has just moved over to allocated seating. People don't quite get it yet and there's always an issue. Tbh if the cinema is empty, I don't give a crap if someone is in my seat, there are 150 more to choose from.

Yanbu, i book certain seats for my invisable disability and everytime there is always someone in them.
Looks they give me when i ask them to move...

Oh yes. Use your seats. Remember you aren't the only other people there. If you want to chat etc, wait until it's out on dvd and stay at home. Leave the rest of us to watch in peace.

Although one epic time, took the two dd's and myself to the cinema and as a treat booked vip tickets. Was a premier and the cinema was full. Got to our seats and people in them so politely said oh these are our seats.. The abuse I got was bad, so out we went back to staff who went into the cinema and asked to see their tickets. They had four separate seats scattered and would not budge.
So manager who had now appeared said come with me and I will sort you some freebies. We watched a different film in vip seats, full refund, free popcorn and drinks for that film. Plus 9 more tickets all with free drinks and popcorn. And for the idiots the police were called. I don't know if this is normal or if it's because I go a lot.

Someone up thread said about tickets
Under a tenner.. Vue on Tuesday if you register the tickets are £6.99. They also do a snack box - any Reg drink including the slush, popcorn and chocolate a fiver.. They do a kids smaller version for £2.99. I honestly don't work for them. Outside of London possibly cheaper.

Of get the rage at the cheap kid screenings where some parents seem to have the attitude that it only costs a couple of quid so their little darlings can run around, talk and wander as much as they like.

Oh man the phone glued to the hand people! Can't live without checking it every 5 minutes and yes it is incredibly distracting. I have no shame in telling people to put their phones away - once this guy was doing it so much even his friend has said it to him first but he continued. I then said something to him and he put it away but just goes to show how people who you would think are responsible adults can be so fecking stupid. Why is it so hard? I just cannot fathom it.

The cinema we used to go to didn't allocate seating for the kids shows at the weekends. It was chaos as every group left a seat between them and their neighbours. So you would have 2 people, space, 4, space etc...

Op you will be much more comfortable if you sit in a seat rather than a cinema ticket

YANBU. That annoys the hell out of me too. Last time it happened to me, I had booked aisle seats for me and DS, and arrived to find a family had taken up the whole row, including our seats. I chickened out of asking them to move, and we ended up 4 rows further back with me hoping we weren't sitting in someone else's seats.

I also flew Ryanair recently and a man got on really last minute, and tried to sit where he wanted to. He started getting quite stroppy when the Stewardess told him to sit in his assigned seat. It took a few times of her asking to get him to move. I was starting to think he was going to get booted off.

I'd ban crisps in cinemas and theatres! So noisy and irritating! Agree with most of the above too

I had the big bun in front of my experience recently at the theatre, people just don't think. She was wearing strong perfume too, that is something I definitely don't appreciate. Phones OTOH, no problem, they don't stop me seeing or give me a headache.

Follow the rules, or thou shalt be cast out!

Haha just remembered another one this one is even worse because it was a free screening and the whole film was nearly cancelled.

So spaces booked and off you went. Confirmation clearly said be there by x or earlier if you want to sit together in your party although cannot be guaranteed.

Screening was already running a bit late which happens, when 10 or so minutes into film a group of 8 walked in (must have used two accounts) and of course the seats where scattered.

If the film had started on time, would have been around 30 minutes into the film. Which btw no ads would have been shown and mentioned on confirmation..

Did they take these seats? Oh no. Decided
Let's just sit on the stairs. Stand off between them and staff who in the end said look either you are moving to seats or the film is being stopped and you can explain to everyone else (over 300) people why their film has been cancelled.. Never seen people move as quick lol

What I fail to understand is that given the cost of tickets why are these people so happy to chat and look at their phones?

I remember years ago going to watch The Others in the cinema. The girl in front spent the entire film texting and then said at the end 'well that was bollocks I didn't understand any of it'.

Maydancer Is that where I've been going wrong?

If we are starting Mumsnet Cinema can it have the proper Pearl and Dean music before the wonky ads for a curry house that is only 5 minutes from the cinema?