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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

flight seats

103 replies

msjrmesq · 13/10/2019 17:25

WIBU to book an aisle seat and a window seat on a long haul flight because one of us prefers the window seat and one of us prefers the aisle? We're hoping that (as we know the flight is often not full) that the airline will then avoid putting somebody in the middle of us.

If somebody does end up in the middle then we wouldn't expect them to swap seats, we'd just put up with it.

OP posts:
Angeldust747 · 13/10/2019 17:27

YANBU if you're willing to risk sitting with a stranger between you, but you might find that the airline doesn't let you book the seats like that, I've had a message online before when booking to stop it x

user1483387154 · 13/10/2019 17:29

as long as you dont mind someone else in the middle seat there's no problem with doing that

ElizaDee · 13/10/2019 17:31

And as long as you don't expect to chat over the person in between you.

Bourbonbiccy · 13/10/2019 17:32

I don't think it's unreasonable as you are aware someone may sit in between you.

which1 · 13/10/2019 17:32

What Eliza said...

Muddlingalongalone · 13/10/2019 17:32

As long as if someone sits in the middle seat you don't disturb them constantly throughout the flight talking over them etc.

AmIThough · 13/10/2019 17:33

Yeah agree with PP. its fine as long as you don't make it awkward or uncomfortable for the passenger in the middle.

Original poster
msjrmesq · 13/10/2019 17:36

God no, we wouldn't talk over them. We're both most likely to be reading/watching films or sleeping. The airline will let us book two separate seats like that, yes.

OP posts:
MotherOfSoupDragons · 13/10/2019 17:37

Then go for it.

LannisterLion1 · 13/10/2019 17:47

Yanbu as long as you don't mind a stranger between you.

Skysblue · 13/10/2019 18:52

YABU to book seats like that (if the flight isn’t full, just move!) and YABVU not to give up one of the seats if someone ends up being inbetween you.

Being talked over leads to a very uncomfortable ‘surrounded’ feeling and I do not believe that you will be able to go a whole flight without saying a single word to your travelling companion. That’s just nonsense.

Just because it wouldn’t be a problem for you doesn’t mean it’s not uncomfortable for someone else.

Mephisto · 13/10/2019 18:55

If somebody does end up in the middle then we wouldn't expect them to swap seats, we'd just put up with it.

Well of course you couldn't expect them to swap seats and of course you would have to put up with it. You would have no choice. 🙄

CherryPavlova · 13/10/2019 18:57

On short European economy flights we always book with one between us. Very rarely has anyone else taken the seat. If they do, we simply explain and ask which seat they’d prefer. It would be odd for someone to want to sit between two others when they could choose window or aisle.

blackteasplease · 13/10/2019 19:00

And as long as you don't expect to chat over the person in between you.

This. and stick to it 100%. No speaking to each other, ad though it was a stranger on the other side. I also can't abide it when people do this on trains.

Howdidido · 13/10/2019 19:15

YANBU and what CherryPavlova said

I now want Pavlova

maddening · 13/10/2019 19:17

You can also book a comfort seat so book the middle one as a comfort seat?

Original poster
msjrmesq · 13/10/2019 20:26

Well of course you couldn't expect them to swap seats and of course you would have to put up with it. You would have no choice. 🙄

Having seen other threads on here over the years about flights you'd be surprised what some people would expect!

OP posts:
Original poster
msjrmesq · 13/10/2019 20:28

Just because it wouldn’t be a problem for you doesn’t mean it’s not uncomfortable for someone else.

If they are sitting there it's because they will have chosen to - our seats are in the premium section that you pay extra to reserve if you want to sit there. If somebody is then they will have paid £100 specifically to chose that seat.

OP posts:
thesunwillout · 13/10/2019 20:31

I tried to do this, mobility issues and one person who wanted a window seat, but couldn't, even tho I was paying to reserve seats.
No middle seats to be left free. I guess it depends on the airline and what they allow u to book.

Ended up booking one aisle seat on one row, and a window seat in another row behind.

Original poster
msjrmesq · 13/10/2019 21:41

We booked an aisle and a window seat about a month ago and they haven't said we can't.

OP posts:
Winteriscomingfast · 13/10/2019 22:04

What airline is it?

Original poster
msjrmesq · 14/10/2019 06:47

Singapore.

OP posts:
Aragog · 14/10/2019 07:03

^*
If they are sitting there it's because they will have chosen to -*^

Not necessarily. Not if they book late, or don't pay for a seat. It may be all that's left on a busy flight.

Roussette · 14/10/2019 07:11

What an odd thing to do. And how unfair if the flight is full and someone has no choice but to either book, or be put in, that seat.

No, I wouldn't dream of doing this.

doublebarrellednurse · 14/10/2019 07:14

If they are sitting there it's because they will have chosen to - our seats are in the premium section that you pay extra to reserve if you want to sit there. If somebody is then they will have paid £100 specifically to chose that seat

Yes but they are not likely to presume they would be sat between a couple who are going to talk over them which is what the PP was talking about. If I saw two seats booked apart I would presume that it was two single travellers not two people who know each other and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be alone in that.

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