Leaving odd seats empty on planes

[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?

@Lockheart

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".

this

@Newjobformoremoney

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!

This.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

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.

This is why you should book seats beforehand otherwise you run the risk of not getting seats together. Really annoys me when people don't do this then expect people to move to accommodate them

Should we only allowed to travel in groups of 3s or 6s?

It could be two people travelling alone, or a couple who've booked those seats thinking that they'll get the whole row to themselves.

If the plane isn't full, they might, otherwise someone is likely to be randomly allocated to that seat, in which case, they'll likely choose whether they give that person the window or aisle seat so they can sit together.

The airline probably doesn't mind. They've still got the money for people paying for allocated seating and if they didn't allow a couple to book that combination, they might take their chances with random allocation and not get the seat reservation fee. DP and I never pay to sit together and still get adjacent seats more often than not.

@Fatgalslim that was before online booking when seats were allocated on the day on a first come first served basis...

Eh, what are you on about?!

But its definitely a sign that the pandemic's over when the threads about booking airline seats start reappearing.

Having sat in the middle of a couple (who both had diarrhoea that they were openly discussing) from Dubai to San Francisco (15 hours)... I still don't think this should be banned. I was a last minute booking so got the dud seat!

Noone travelling alone would voluntarily choose the middle seat and some couples/families chance their arm on getting a whole row (on the basis that the person will likely be willing to swap if it misfires).

The only thing that isn't okay is proceeding to talk over middle person/pass things across the whole flight if you don't swap!

[quote Aroundtheworldin80moves]@Fatgalslim that was before online booking when seats were allocated on the day on a first come first served basis...[/quote]
Apologies then, I misunderstood

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.

^^
Definitely they have no right to have a conversation over you!

Single travellers are rightly permitted to book any seat they like, including aisle or window in any row that’s free. Sure, two people together can leave the middle free, but they mustn’t be annoyed if someone sits there.

Nearly always travel alone, priority boarding , for extra baggage, and nearly always window seat

Did you particularly want the seat right at the back near the toilet then? I travel a lot on my own, pay for and chose my seat when I book, so I'll sit where I have chosen and paid for thanks.

If I was left in the middle seat and people tried to talk across me I’d object to that immediately.

I’d want the man to vacate his aisle seat (it’s always the man in the aisle seat in these sort of couples) so I could have some peace, and that’s the seat I’d have wanted to begin with.

Why? I prefer not to have a window seat on shorter journeys. You can book how you like.

Huh?

I generally travel as a single. I’ll pay for aisle. One of my kids likes the window so they always book that whenever they travel. My DH also likes aisle so even if we travel together he will take the aisle seat in front of or behind me, or across the aisle and worse comes to worse an aisle seat somewhere else on the plane. We live together, we are not joined at the hip, we can cope for the length of a plane trip without talking to each other.

Lots of reasons for seats filling up like this. The way you put it forward, and very one travels in groups of 3 and actually wants to sit together.

Rows 28 and 29 are available OP.

OP you do realise that some people travel alone whether for business or pleasure They may want a window seat!!

[quote Aroundtheworldin80moves]@Fatgalslim that was before online booking when seats were allocated on the day on a first come first served basis...[/quote]
Ah, you just thought that’s how it worked (allocated on the day). It was actually even easier to pick seats in advance before online booking, if you called the airline between booking and the flight, they’d allocate you the seat you wanted. Since most people just left it to chance when they arrived at the airport, those in the know always got the seats they wanted, if not the exact row, the same configuration. Even economy with the cheapest tickets. It’s worse now as with online seat selection, they’ve started charging now for more choice.

I have a bad right knee so I always asked for an aisle seat on the side that allowed me to stretch my right leg out, over or near the wing (smoother flight). Got it every single time. Flying out of or to Australia, I wasn’t leaving it to chance!

I used to double check again when I confirmed (back in the days when you had to phone up within the 24 hours of the flight) since there was always a chance the aircraft type had changed. But even if they moved me by a row or so, it was always the same type.

OP is correct in that some airlines, I think charter rather than scheduled, don't allow you to do this. It avoids lots of single seats around the plane being left. I can't remember which configuration isn't allowed but I've definitely come across it.

On most airlines though it is permitted.

OP I think you should be more concerned about the signs on the bottom showing you which way round men and women have to sit

I’m confused. Many people prefer window or aisle and if travelling alone I would book either of these. Are you saying I should book two seats or be stuck in a middle seat I don’t want. Please explain?

That's me there, row 33 on the right isle seat. I always book isle seat travelling alone.

Some people prefer the leg room in an aisle seat and also it’s easier to go to the toilets without climbing over everyone.

OP I assume you don't fly scheduled very often.
I always 'reserve' a seat when booking - aisle (with left leg outer) as I this works for my back/leg issues. DH if on the flight may sit next to me, although usually only if a 2 or across the aisle or elsewhere on the plane. We avoid most of this drama now by flying business unless short haul.

When the DC were younger and we travelled as a 4 we took the 3 seats plus 1 additional aisle where possible or 2 x 2 if the plane was busy