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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aisle Seat

66 replies

TheMonkeyWhale · 13/10/2019 15:18

AIBU to think you don’t insist on having the aisle seat on transport just to then “fake” sleep and have a huff every time someone sitting besides you needs to get out?

OP posts:
bruffin · 13/10/2019 15:20

Not again, We had this thread the other week.

CherieBabySpliffUp · 13/10/2019 15:22

It would depend how often the other person is wanting to get out.
You say "fake sleep" but it could be that they have a migraine and want to rest their eyes. Hence not wanting the window seat with the light streaming in 🤷‍♂️
I'm not the fake sleeper but the way Smile

dreichsky · 13/10/2019 15:22

Getting up is just a hazard of the aisle seat.
The bloke who ended up sitting beside my frequent bathroom visiting ds was driven to distraction on one flight but it is just a risk you take.

NailsNeedDoing · 13/10/2019 15:30

It depends how often the people in the middle and window seats want to get up. I think if you know you're someone that will be up to go to the toilet a lot, then it's pretty selfish not to book an aisle seat on medium/long flights, especially overnight.

People on middle and aisle seats can make the effort to get up when ohthers are already getting up to minimise disturbance if possible.

Wingedharpy · 13/10/2019 15:35

I deliberately book the aisle seat whenever possible just so that I have the excuse to stand up frequently to let other folk pass.
If you are sitting next to a "huffer", you could always offer to swap seats to save disturbing them.

Original poster
TheMonkeyWhale · 13/10/2019 15:58

Non bootable seats, I was originally in the aisle seat but then they begged for it so I moved. However I have MS and need to pee every hour and now I’m feeling bad.

OP posts:
Mephisto · 13/10/2019 15:59

Don’t feel bad, they wanted your seat so they can take the consequences. Why did you even give in?!

Boyskeepswinging · 13/10/2019 16:01

If they begged for it why would you feel bad? If they didn't want to move they shouldn't have begged for an aisle seat.

NailsNeedDoing · 13/10/2019 16:01

Well that's pretty big drip feed! Did you tell the person when they begged that it was likely that you'd need to get up a lot?

Maybe this was a naturally huffy person, don't take it personally.

PrincessRaven · 13/10/2019 16:02

You say "fake sleep" but it could be that they have a migraine and want to rest their eyes. Hence not wanting the window seat with the light streaming in

well they could always... close the blind, or wear an eyemask.... Hmm

WorraLiberty · 13/10/2019 16:03

How long is/was the journey?

dreichsky · 13/10/2019 16:03

OP we also had non bookable seats, because dc were small I was put close to them but in the center seat in front of them.
I would have swapped with the chap if he had wanted but he wanted to keep the aisle seat.
Getting up is just the price you pay for slightly more space. Don't feel bad.

which1 · 13/10/2019 16:05

I like window best but have not flown longer than 3.5 hours and so ensure to go to the loo beforehand.

The one time I used a plane loo it was horrid and has put me off permanently.

I think if I were going on a longer flight than a few hours, I'd probably stop drinking 24 hours before takeoff to ensure I didn't need the bathroom whilst on there.

Mephisto · 13/10/2019 16:06

Well that's pretty big drip feed!

No it’s not, OP says ‘insist on having the aisle seat’ in the OP.

L0bstersLass · 13/10/2019 16:07

If it bothers you that much, book the aisle seat yourself.

I love an aisle seat and I also tend to sleep through every flight I get on. Blanket over me, seat belt over it, snooze. Perfection.
I'm usually asleep before we've taken off.

NailsNeedDoing · 13/10/2019 16:12

Mephisto, people don't usually need to go to the toilet every hour though, that's a symptom of MS that we don't know of the person knew about or not.

Tojigornot · 13/10/2019 16:14

Depends if you told him you would need to get past him frequently I think.

Purpleartichoke · 13/10/2019 16:17

I have many reasons for desperately wanting the aisle seat. I know that having to get up frequently is the downside of taking that seat. I always do so politely and with a smile , no matter how often I have to get up.

FurbabyMama · 13/10/2019 16:18

I agree that it would be a bit selfish to deliberately book the window or middle seat if you know you'll be up frequently but I don't think it would be unreasonable to not go out of your way or pay extra to make sure you're in the aisle seat.

If you're in the aisle seat then I think you have to accept that other people may need to get up, although it is annoying if this is happening frequently. But if you specifically picked that seat then you need to just deal with it.

Mephisto · 13/10/2019 16:18

@NailsNeedDoing surely they should ask? They wanted the seat.

CormacMcLaggen · 13/10/2019 16:20

I book an aisle seat on journeys because I have a weak, tiny, ridiculous bladder and I just know I will get up a few times. I always make sure I stay awake on long journeys so I can move when needed for the next seats to access the loos.

Normal courtesy, surely?

ThatMuppetShow · 13/10/2019 16:22

YABU

you don't know anything about the "fake sleep", you could have told them you needed the aisle seat, they might need it a lot more - not just because they need to get up every 15mn.

Original poster
TheMonkeyWhale · 13/10/2019 16:27

I always do book an aisle seat but there were no seat bookings today. I gave them the aisle seat because I figured they may need it more (they are a bit taller than me) but they’ve just put the table down and put their head on it with the head phones in.

OP posts:
CormacMcLaggen · 13/10/2019 16:27

they might need it a lot more - not just because they need to get up every 15mn

Genuinely out of interest, why else would they think an aisle seat was best for them if not to be frequently getting up?

Zaphodsotherhead · 13/10/2019 16:28

I think if I were going on a longer flight than a few hours, I'd probably stop drinking 24 hours before takeoff to ensure I didn't need the bathroom whilst on there

And that would ensure that you had the dehydration headache from hell and feel like death on landing!