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AIBU?

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Original poster

People who don't sit in their own booked seats

262 replies

Badbadbunny · 16/12/2018 12:44

Is it just me or is there an epidemic of this at the moment. Yesterday, went to a football match with family, booked seats a few weeks ago to get a decent view, easy access to toilets etc and for us to sit together. When we arrived, two pairs of people were sat in the middle of our booked seats and wouldn't move, we asked the stewards for help, but they couldn't get these people to move either, so we just ended up sat in someone elses' seats who weren't happy with us, but we just referred them back to the steward who wouldn't help us. Last weekend, at the cinema, we booked seats online beforehand, again reserved seats, but when we got in, again, someone else sat in our seats so we had to sit somewhere else. Midweek, went on a 3 hour train journey to London, booked our seats on the Virgin website weeks ago, again, when we got on, someone else sat in them, again, wouldn't move as the train was full, again, the guard wouldn't move them on, so we ended up split up on odd seats elsewhere. Since when have people become so inconsiderate and rude that they don't sit in their own seats, and won't move when the person with the valid ticket asks them to????

OP posts:
SgtFredColon · 16/12/2018 14:34

I have had this a few times and people have refused to move. I’d booked two seats at a 4 person table once and there were 3 people at the table. I asked one to move and she said ‘oh but I need to sit with my friends’. I said well you should have booked your seats then. There were two free seats together behind them though so We just took those and then I gave her evils for the journey.

StrawberrySquash · 16/12/2018 14:37

I will sit inya seat that's not mine on a train. Maybe I had no reservation or maybe the seat's not what I wanted. But I make sure I note where it's reserved from and keep an eye out for the owner at that stop and move if they rock up.
Cinema, reserved seats is a newish thing and I think a lot of people have trouble booking seats together if people are buying their own tickets. So that's why they do it.

SgtFredColon · 16/12/2018 14:38

Another time I asked a woman to move and she said ‘but there’s someone in my booked seat’. I suggested she tell them to move so she did, which set off a chain reaction through the carriage as each person took back rightful ownership of their booked seats ✊🏻

SgtFredColon · 16/12/2018 14:39

Well yes strawberry we were on a train in Germany recently and we couldn’t figure out if seats were reserved or not from the signs. So we sat in what we thought were free seats but got up immediately when the person who reserved them got on with no arguments and just apologies. How can other people not do that??

ravenlover · 16/12/2018 14:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Littlecaf · 16/12/2018 15:00

Once boarded a train in Belgrave to Sarajevo, asked the ticket office “do we need to reserve seats?” “No, it’s not busy” and he was right, it wasn’t busy. Settled into an old style little carriage with 6 seats in its own compartment, with a corridor down one side.

2 minutes before the train left a group of British Daily Mail reading Bridget Jones’ mother type baby boomers boarded the train, loudly proclaiming they’d “booked these seats”, speaking slowly and loudly in the way British people do to foreigners and literally moved our rusksacks off their racks!

We were happy to move but didn’t wish to spoken at in that tone........I was embarrassed to be British! They were awful!

AimlesslyPurposeful · 16/12/2018 15:04

Take photos of the non movers and tell them you’ll be posting them on the “In the wrong seat Twat of the week” page on Facebook/Twitter.

When they jump up to snatch the phone from you dive into your seat.

category12 · 16/12/2018 15:09

Two guys were in the seats I'd booked at the cinema this weekend, but they moved no problem. It wasn't busy - dd was like "mum, we could have sat somewhere else" but I'd booked those particular seats cos they're the best spot imo, so I didn't see why we shouldn't have them. Embarrassing mother, me.

GiantKitten · 16/12/2018 15:19

”In the wrong seat Twat of the week” page on Facebook/Twitter.

There should really be one of these on FB (if there isn’t already!)

ThereWillBeAdequateFood · 16/12/2018 15:20

I hate these people. Means I have to sprint to my boomed seat before some cf sticks their arse in it.
I prebook to make the journey less stressful but I still worry that someone will be in my seat. Bastards.

mytieisascarf · 16/12/2018 15:23

I would just stand and talk at them for the whole journey....or get my kids to do it...that'll move them.

Polarbearflavour · 16/12/2018 15:26

I had this on a GWR train. I was wearing a “baby on board” badge and had a seat reservation. A man refused to move and I felt really unwell so sat down in the aisle as the service was full and standing. Nobody else offered me a seat.

The train manager came through and asked me why I was sitting on the floor and I explained. He then asked the man to move from my reserved seat and he replied he was there first.

The train manager rolled his eyes and told the man he was selfish and rude to not let the pregnant lady sit in her reserved seat. He then said he would escort me to first class!

Rude man then decided I could have the seat and he could go to first class instead. Grin Train manager just said no and asked me follow him.

I waved at smiled at the horrible man! Hehehehe.

Seriously though - such a CF.

CherryPavlova · 16/12/2018 15:27

If there is similar available unreserved seats i wouldn’t make a fuss for making a fuss sake. Otherwise I find my inner dragon. I don’t get angry but stand and repeat that is my booked seat and I want to sit down. My husband is better at it than me but we’re usually effective whichever of us asks them to move.
In a cinema I would spoil their view and stand repeating myself that they needed to move to their own seat. I wouldn’t apologise or be humble about it but not aggressive either.
On a train I would do likewise quite loudly until I had the desired effect. I think being middle aged makes it easier.

Flutternotsoshy · 16/12/2018 15:28

My partner has sensory issues (ASD) so I always book seats in the cinema, as he gets unbalanced if he's too close to one set of speakers or another.

Basically we only go if I can book centre seats. The amount of times I've had to ask people to move is unreal.

However as a result I'm now champion at getting people to move out of our seats

Butchyrestingface · 16/12/2018 15:28

I frequently don't sit in my own booked seat. I always book a forward facing seat, particularly important for the pendelino trains, but rarely get given the FF seat that I book.

So I move and sit in a FF seat, leaving my booked seat empty for anyone who wants to take it.

I don't sit in anyone else's booked seat, mind. Just one that says available.

Have never experienced anyone refusing to get out of a booked seat either. They always shift when requested.

pinkwintersky · 16/12/2018 15:28

I had people sit in our seats once but they did move.

I think I would sit on someone who refused to move.

DarlingNikita · 16/12/2018 15:29

He then asked the man to move from my reserved seat and he replied he was there first.

What a childish twat. What are some people thinking?

AnnieOH1 · 16/12/2018 15:29

Channel Ben Stiller Grin

Polarbearflavour · 16/12/2018 15:30

Many people in the world are just dicks sadly!

Tara336 · 16/12/2018 15:33

This happened to us on a flight, four of us so booked 3 seats in the row and aisle seat on other side so we could all chat. A couple had sat in the aisle and middle seat instead of middle and window seat. And my dad stood there helplessly while waiting for them to get up, they said he could sit by window as they needed to get off plane quick fr a connection. I just politely said we’ve booked these seats so we can sit as a family not our problem move please, which they did grudgingly. They then made a huge fuss when we landed about needing to get up and push past everyone else disembarking to get the connection. Here’s an idea people, book the seats you need and allow yourself enough time between flights!

Minniemountain · 16/12/2018 15:36

Travelling back from Spain one year another family sat in our seats as they wanted their group of 6 (including 2 babies) in a row. DS was crying for a feed. They refused to move.

I've had people's English suddenly get a lot worse when I've tried to explain that I want the actual seat I booked on a train.

The stupidest one I saw was a man refusing to move from a woman's reserved seat on a packed train despite her saying her DS was disabled and needed her opposite him. He eventually shifted when the DS started to get upset.

bruffin · 16/12/2018 15:40

I think in the cinema it is often people without tickets for that film.

We watched a couple get moved seat to seat 3 times before they left as the cinema was full, they clearly didnt have tickets for that film.

Aridane · 16/12/2018 15:43

would have just stood over them until they moved. And repeated that they need to move. I wouldn't put up with it.

See, that might work and then again it might not.. and if it doesn’t (assuming no aggro from the seat squatter), you’re just likely to piss off other people just going about their business in their allocated seats

Mrsfrumble · 16/12/2018 15:45

It happened to me on a train last year when I was travelling with my children (then 7 & 5). I’d booked 3 seats around a table, and a woman was sitting in one of them and refused to move. I sat the children down opposite her and explained to them that I’d have to sit elsewhere, but not to worry because the nice lady in my seat would look after them. She got up instantly, and shuffled down the carriage cursing me under her breath.

Auntpetunia2015 · 16/12/2018 15:47

I got told by a train guard if someone won’t help take pic of your ticket the seat with person in and the guard who won’t help and tweet it or put on social media. Apparently any guard or steward will usual help if you’ve got their pic! Don’t know how true it is but that’s my plan !