flight seats

[msjrmesq]

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.

I'd reserve those seats but if someone did end up in the middle seat either myself or my travel companion would swap with them.

I don’t see this as a particular problem provided that you behave courteously. You sound like a reasonable person!

It’s the people who do this and then get huffy if someone is allocated the middle seat and then make it their mission to make the poor middle seat occupant’s flight a misery.

I’ve seen people talking over, leaning over and just generally squash the middle person.

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

^ This absolutely

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

I do this every time I fly with my grown dd. She likes the window to see/sleep, I like the aisle so I can get up whenever I want without disturbing others. DD and I rarely if ever talk during flights. I can't remember when we've not had someone in between us - they always offer to swap as no one likes the middle.

Why does it matter if someone bios as seat between two people who know each other or two people who are strangers? OP has already said they won't talk over any person who sits between them. It's fine.

We do it all the time.

In fact, because a lot of the short haul carriers don't allow it, we normally book two separate flight reservations so they are separate - then we can do it.

He HAS to have the window.

I have the bladder of a mouse and am up a couple of times at least in the flight and I knit - so aisle seat much better for me.

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

Some airlines don't let you do it anymore

Thank God

I've ended up in the middle and it was horrific please do expect them to want you to move.

I had 4 hours of conversation over me, sweets, passed over me. Tissues passed over me.

CF's

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

Why? Would it be less "unfair" if the people in the outside seats are single travellers?

@Miaowing having someone knitting next to me would be more irritating than someone talking over me...

If somebody is then they will have paid £100 specifically to chose that seat.

£100 quid for a single seat selection? It's usually free in Singapore premium unless you want extra legroom.

@Beveren, very often because you wouldn't be talked across. Things being passed across you. Food being eaten at the same time. Getting tipsy together etc.

But the OP says none of this applies, which is unusual.

MarthasGinYard Absolutely. I have also had the misery of sitting between a selfish pair, though happily on a short haul flight of 3.5 hours.

My pair of CFs didn’t talk much but there was a fair bit of passing stuff over and the occasional brief conversation. At no point did either of them acknowledge my presence or apologise for speaking or passing over me. Just knowing that I was between a couple made me uncomfortable.

It’s a selfish thing to do with no thought for the poor sod that ends up in the middle.

Of course it’s not unreasonable but there’s a big chance there will be someone sat in between you, especially if you’re booking the good seats. I’d happily book a Centre seat regardless of whether the isle and window were taken, for the extra leg room.

Also think people need to toughen up a bit of being sat between a couple is so upsetting for them 🙄 find it hard to feel sympathy that someone spoke across someone passed something over someone. Are people really this precious?!

@EstuaryBird I’d have been so tempted to grab the sweets being passed across me and give them a big bright smile and sweet ‘thank you ever so much!’ Total CFs

It’s fine though if someone does end up in between it’s probably polite to offer them one of the other seats.
Choose a row near the back and there’s less chance of anyone ending up with you.

Estuary

It was excruciating

As soon as I realised they were father and daughter I said 'I'll move into the window or aisle so you guys can sit together.

At one point they even started a crossword....together.

Until I exclaimed 'enough'

My colleagues were sat behind and found it extremely amusing

@Grumpymcgrumperson but it’s just so rude. The gamble hasn’t paid off so the unsuspecting middle person has to suffer.

It must be incredibly disturbing to have things passed over you and I would be raging if people were having more than minimal conversations across me.

@SneakyBeakyLike

Well I'd be sorry but I'd knit away. Keeps me sane.

Grumpymcgrumperson. Have you ever tried it? I’m probably the least sensitive person that you’d ever meet and I’m used to travelling alone and sitting in the middle....but the sitting between a couple was a new form of misery.

'Are people really this precious?!'

Not precious Grumpy

Just cannot abide bad manners.

You are asking if it would be unreasonable to do something you did a month ago? Really?

What flights are everyone taking where 1/3 of seats are unsold. The algorithms are way more accurate at predicting numbers anywhere I’m flying.

The vast majority of the time that seat is going to be sold.

I've done this before and got away with it.
However if someone turns up in the middle seat I would offer them either aisle or window so that we could chat and presumable our travelling companion would prefer that to sitting in the middle.