Asking someone to move seats on a flight? Aibu ?

[wearejustfriends]

Last week I was travelling to Gran Canaria with TUI.
I had booked mine and boyfriends seats when we booked and paid £22 for both.
I had the window and he had the middle.

A lady sat on the end and her daughter was in front.
She asked could they have our two seats and we have hers /daughters or my boyfriend switch with her daughter.
I politely said no.
Which she wasn't happy about.
We got "what difference does it make"
"Your adults,my daughter is sacred of flying and is a minor"

Anyway we wouldn't move.

Was I in the wrong ?
Surely if she was that bothered she could have paid like us.

I mean shy bairns get nowt and all but once you said no she should have dropped it or spoke to the couple sitting next to her daughter to see if they would move. Perhaps they would have;

We are flying at Christmas. Long haul to nz. DH is adamant that “they” will seat us together so we don’t need to book seats for us and the dc (who will be 5 and 3. It will be their first long haul flight and dds first flight ever).

I’ve told him that generally airlines consider “together” as the same row or in front or behind. So we are paying whatever the extra is to ensure that the dc are with one of us at least. I’m a nervous flyer anyway so to have them not with me will make things worse for me. Plus who wants to sit next to a toddler on a plane anyway….

He thinks I’m wasting money that could be spent elsewhere. For me it’s peace of mind. It it was just me and him travelling I think I’d take my chances. But not with littlies.

@Ahhwoofwoof

but were you sat in the fly seat?

Are we the only two who remember the fly seat?

Really surprised about peoples feeling on this. I would have swapped and wouldn’t have minded in the slightest. Just doesn’t seem that much of an inconvenience or that much expense.

Maybe the mum doesn’t travel often and didn’t realise you could pay for seats together, or didn’t realise some people has paid for seats. As a frequent traveller even I have missed that page when booking flights before.

I will definitely think twice before asking someone if they’re happy to switch seats again, never occurred to me people would have such strong feelings. If there is a more practical arrangement for all travellers as a group I’d always be happy to switch it up.

@ememem84

We are flying at Christmas. Long haul to nz. DH is adamant that “they” will seat us together so we don’t need to book seats for us and the dc (who will be 5 and 3. It will be their first long haul flight and dds first flight ever).

I’ve told him that generally airlines consider “together” as the same row or in front or behind. So we are paying whatever the extra is to ensure that the dc are with one of us at least. I’m a nervous flyer anyway so to have them not with me will make things worse for me. Plus who wants to sit next to a toddler on a plane anyway….

He thinks I’m wasting money that could be spent elsewhere. For me it’s peace of mind. It it was just me and him travelling I think I’d take my chances. But not with littlies.

You can check your boarding tickets. So there's no real need for people to be faffing on the plane when people look at their BT you can see what number you are and your child. Inwouldnt risk it for a long haul either.

@Fruby

Really surprised about peoples feeling on this. I would have swapped and wouldn’t have minded in the slightest. Just doesn’t seem that much of an inconvenience or that much expense.

Maybe the mum doesn’t travel often and didn’t realise you could pay for seats together, or didn’t realise some people has paid for seats. As a frequent traveller even I have missed that page when booking flights before.

I will definitely think twice before asking someone if they’re happy to switch seats again, never occurred to me people would have such strong feelings. If there is a more practical arrangement for all travellers as a group I’d always be happy to switch it up.

It was an inconvenience for the OP, she's a nervous flyer herself.

I've not read all the posts but I don't think the mum asking is seen as a problem, it's the fact she kept going on after OP had said no.

@Fruby

Really surprised about peoples feeling on this. I would have swapped and wouldn’t have minded in the slightest. Just doesn’t seem that much of an inconvenience or that much expense.

Maybe the mum doesn’t travel often and didn’t realise you could pay for seats together, or didn’t realise some people has paid for seats. As a frequent traveller even I have missed that page when booking flights before.

I will definitely think twice before asking someone if they’re happy to switch seats again, never occurred to me people would have such strong feelings. If there is a more practical arrangement for all travellers as a group I’d always be happy to switch it up.

You’d waste £44 in seats you’d booked, and not sit together, because it was easier for some strangers going on holiday?

You’re surprised that people feel strongly?

And apparently the woman is incapable of reading the information about what she’s booking?

@Trudij123

She wasn’t unreasonable to ask and you weren’t unreasonable to say no.

I’m not sure it’s as easy as that though - don’t you have to sit where your ticket says so you can be identified if there’s an accident? ( might have made that up though - but it’s just popped into my head) have a great time!!

That's not true, sorry 😁

Don't want to be graphic, but I'm not sure being in your seat matters for identification after a plane crash given the forces involved.

So why does the mother not value her child's feelings

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting, Butitsnotfunny ... every time there's one of these threads somebody asks the same, and they never get an answer either

@RobotValkyrie

Not unreasonable. Just uncharitable. You're allowed to be mean. People are allowed to judge you for it.

Personally I would have swapped for the sake of a child. My partner is an adult and can survive a whole flight without me holding his hand.
You value money and the entitlements it gives you more than a stranger's child's feelings. The privilege is all yours. Own it.

More fool you, if you would have moved. Would you give a stranger £44, if they just asked you for it? No….so why would you give a stranger your seats that you paid £44 for?

@Fruby

Really surprised about peoples feeling on this. I would have swapped and wouldn’t have minded in the slightest. Just doesn’t seem that much of an inconvenience or that much expense.

Maybe the mum doesn’t travel often and didn’t realise you could pay for seats together, or didn’t realise some people has paid for seats. As a frequent traveller even I have missed that page when booking flights before.

I will definitely think twice before asking someone if they’re happy to switch seats again, never occurred to me people would have such strong feelings. If there is a more practical arrangement for all travellers as a group I’d always be happy to switch it up.

You're a fool, you don't pay for seats then "switch it up"

The onus is not on OP, but on the irresponsible parent.

She can’t have been a young child as legally you have to sit young children with a parent.

You weren’t being unreasonable as you paid for the seats.

I'm a bit gobsmacked that people don't actually pay for their children to be sat next to them or at least in a row with one parent. They just assume the airline will sort it out or will guilt someone into giving up their seats. Extremely tight and not really thinking of the children at all.

I wouldn’t have moved where I had pre booked a seat unless a) to a better seat, or b) directed by cabin crew

@TolkiensFallow

She can’t have been a young child as legally you have to sit young children with a parent.

You weren’t being unreasonable as you paid for the seats.

There's no legally about it. They are typically seated near the parent. Not next to. The row in front, behind, or across the aisle is considered ok.

The OP has already said the kid was over 10

I wouldn’t move. She should book her own seats! What a cheek

@Phos

YANBU. Tui clearly state that a child may be placed in front of, behind or across the aisle from their parent.

Yes, which as a parent I'd not be happy with - what it there was severe turbulence? I'd hate to have my child scared and alone on a flight - a crash is incredibly unlikely, but turbulence is pretty common.

YANBU, no way would I ever move. Unless the person requesting offered me treble what I’d paid in cash. My SIL on DH’s side is like this, moans about paying - so doesn’t and then moans when her party are seated separately 🙄.

We pay a lot for our flights and accept that paying for being seated together is part of the cost.

@Mamamia7962

I wouldn't have moved either.

Neither would I….I don’t like flying and panic if not next to my DP so always book seats

So pay the charge then @Crimesean.

@Fruby

Really surprised about peoples feeling on this. I would have swapped and wouldn’t have minded in the slightest. Just doesn’t seem that much of an inconvenience or that much expense.

Maybe the mum doesn’t travel often and didn’t realise you could pay for seats together, or didn’t realise some people has paid for seats. As a frequent traveller even I have missed that page when booking flights before.

I will definitely think twice before asking someone if they’re happy to switch seats again, never occurred to me people would have such strong feelings. If there is a more practical arrangement for all travellers as a group I’d always be happy to switch it up.

I think it’s extremely rude to ask another passenger to switch…it’s not like being on the train where all reservations are free….I always pay for my seats…I am extremely particular about where I sit….I imagine many other People are too and have paid to ensure they sit where they want to….then some CF asked to swap?? 🙄 …..absolutely no way

YANBU

She would of had the same option as you to pay for pre booked seats when booking, it's 100% her fault for not booking and very cheeky to ask you

YANBU I wouldn’t have moved either. Every single time my DH gets on a plane there’s someone already sitting in his seat. We always tell them to move to their own seat. There can be a single person on the whole plane and they’ll be in his seat. He’s really unlucky!!

Last time it was a woman sitting in his aisle seat, we had the 3 seats across the aisle and that one, so four in a row. She wanted him to sit in her middle seat. I said no, we were a group, we booked those seats so I was with the kids and he was on the other aisle to help out and take kids when they needed the loo. She said she wanted to sit there as it was easier for her to get to the loo. I told her she should have booked it then. She did move to her middle seat then. DH misheard and thought she needed the loo so kept telling her to go as the loos were open, he even got a passing stewardess to take her. I think she regretted sitting in his seat.

I was in a hotel a while back and my roommate decided his friend could kip on the floor for the final night. Hed booked the flights and kipped on other peoples till theyd left. Cant stand it even if the mgmt were too polite to say no. Take ownership for your costs and dont expect others to. You dont know their sit. She was unr.