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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Leaving odd seats empty on planes

211 replies

FawnFrenchieMum · 07/03/2022 10:00

I actually didn’t think it allowed you to do this (leave a single window seat of the middle seat of three)
Am I being unreasonable to this leaving single seats like this all over the plane shouldn't be allowed?

Leaving odd seats empty on planes
OP posts:
BritInUS1 · 07/03/2022 10:01

You have always been able to do this, that's why people check in early

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 07/03/2022 10:02

It happens because everyone wants to sit next to their party and that doesn't fit nicely into threes.

Newjobformoremoney · 07/03/2022 10:03

These could be single people travelling? Maybe two people don’t want a window seat? Who should be sitting in single random seats exactly?
I think you’re being very unreasonable!

Woollystockings · 07/03/2022 10:03

What’s wrong with that? Looks normal to me.

SagittariusDwarf · 07/03/2022 10:03

@FawnFrenchieMum

I actually didn’t think it allowed you to do this (leave a single window seat of the middle seat of three) Am I being unreasonable to this leaving single seats like this all over the plane shouldn't be allowed?
Why shoudnt it be "allowed"?
RandomQuest · 07/03/2022 10:04

You’ve always been able to do this… why would people pay to select their seats otherwise?

Fatgalslim · 07/03/2022 10:04

I always book the middle and the aisle which leaves the window seat available, a lot of the time this seat doesn't get booked which suits us as one of us moves across and uses the seat for our 'stuff', we always check with the flight attendants first though. As long as it's allowed I'll keep doing it

Lou98 · 07/03/2022 10:04

People travel alone, where do you expect them to sit?

Some people prefer a window seat, some prefer not to be near the window, if they're paying for their seats it's to get one that they want, why would they sit in a random middle seat and pay for it?

luxxlisbon · 07/03/2022 10:05

This makes no sense, why would it not be allowed?

Woollystockings · 07/03/2022 10:05

Can you explain why you think it shouldn’t be allowed? Because I don’t understand.

Dinoboymama · 07/03/2022 10:06

The only places i have seen that doesn't allow you to leave single seats is ones at the theatre or some concerts.
Lots of people travel on their own.

Lazypuppy · 07/03/2022 10:06

Yep, when me and my DH go on holiday ourselves we pay extra to pick seats and book the aisle and the window seat as then got much more chance of getting whole row to ourselves.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 07/03/2022 10:06

And before anyone says it never happened before online booking... YES IT DID. To the families at the back of the queue for whatever reason like when I was in hospital for a couple of days in Tenerife as a child. The flight crew had to swap people around so my Mum could sit with me. My brother was behind us, my dad the other end of the plane.

TrashyPanda · 07/03/2022 10:08

Why shouldn’t it be allowed?

Single folk have as much right to a seat of their preference as everyone else.

Book your seat early to get maximum choice.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 07/03/2022 10:08

What on earth are you talking about OP?

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 07/03/2022 10:09

Apart from the fact that it's perfectly ok to do this (single travellers, passenger preferences etc) why is this even bothering you when there are obviously plenty of seats available elsewhere?

BlackberrySky · 07/03/2022 10:09

It's mainly single travellers that cause this. Nobody travelling alone wants the middle seats. Some people travelling as a couple like a PP mentioned do this in the hope the middle seat will remain free, thereby giving them an extra seat for free, but post - covid this is unlikely as airlines can't afford to operate with empty seats.

JustLyra · 07/03/2022 10:09

Why should it not be allowed?

If I’m travelling alone I pick the aisle as I don’t want to be stuck asking people to move if I need up. If I’m travelling with one of the DC’s then we do aisle and middle for the same reason.

Given that airlines charge people to pick seats then folks have to be allowed to, well, pick their seats…

Last to pick get the worst seats. That’s just one of those things in life.

Brideandprejudice · 07/03/2022 10:09

Why?

Lockheart · 07/03/2022 10:09

I think what you mean is "I'm unreasonably annoyed that the people who booked before me have taken the seats they want and now I can't have the seats I want so I think they shouldn't be allowed to do that".

ThinWomansBrain · 07/03/2022 10:11

People that book the window and aisle seats & leave the middle one do get really hacked off when you plonk yourself in the middle and assertively object when they think it's OK to have a conversation across you.
Once complained to a steward & got upgraded.

Movinghouseatlast · 07/03/2022 10:12

You do understand that people travel alone do you? For work? Or even going on holiday?

You seem to think everyone travels in a family group.

AndSoFinally · 07/03/2022 10:13

Are you thinking that a couple have booked the aisle and window seat, leaving the middle free? Firstly, You have no way of telling that from the picture, it could just as easily be two single travellers, and secondly, it's always been allowed. The risk is that you end up with a random person say between you, but you'd usually swap if that happened 🤷🏻

RichardMarxisinnocent · 07/03/2022 10:13

@Dinoboymama

The only places i have seen that doesn't allow you to leave single seats is ones at the theatre or some concerts. Lots of people travel on their own.
Me too. And the theatre thing is really bloody annoying when you want to go on your own. I could see a great seat available the other week the day before a theatre show. But because it was next to one other available seat I wants able to buy it online. I tried the morning of the show and still couldn't buy it online even though it seemed unlikely a pair of people were going to decide at the last minute to buy them. Thankfully there was a box office phone number and I was able to buy one seat by phone.
BuanoKubiamVej · 07/03/2022 10:13

Yabvu. If individual are allowed to choose their seat then all passengers should have equal access to such choices. Some people like aisle seats, some like window seats. Not many people like to be wedged in the middle so why shouldn't those be the ones that are left over for those who don't pay the extra to be allowed to choose early? Even if a party of travellers is an exact multiple of 3 they don't necessarily want to all sit together, some do and some don't. Either everyone gets to choose (with clearly defined rules for how priority works) or no one does.