Not to have given up my seat on plane

[Rainbowgoldover]

Just wondering ....

I flew home last night from holiday with a friend.

BA flights , flight out was dreadful, cramped seats , allocated at check in so we had last row next to the toilets ...

On the way back we learnt our lesson so paid to book seats, I booked an aisle seat, friend booked a window seat, flight about 70 per cent full.

The person in the middle seat , asked me if I would move so she could have the aisle seat.

I refused and said no I booked aisle and don't want to sit in middle seat. She said but I want to be near my family in the row opposite. I still politely refued to move.

Cue lots of aggro, she finally got the flight attendants to move her accusing me and my friend of talking over her , we absolutely were not, both had headphones on watching netflix.

If you really want to sit somewhere why can't you pay 23.99 and pre reserve a seat, don't make others feel bad for not giving up theirs ?

And if they don’t like it then they can hire a private jet so they can sit where they like or fly first class with BA.

If they can’t afford it then they don’t have to travel. Like those with young children are told.

it truly disgusts me the attitude on mumsnet towards children.

This. Try 15 hours in a middle row seat and then tell me how happy you would be to have no say over which seat you flew in

Does no one on MN ever have an uneventful, pleasant, unconfrontational flight on an aeroplane?

I have some flights coming up, and I'm thinking of leaving MN as a precaution.

Plenty of people do, I certainly have.

😂😂😂😂

I’ve personally never had an argument with anyone over a seat or been sat away from the DC when they were small.

I’ve also never been on a flight full of drunks kicking off either. Although I am flying to a notorious destination tomorrow so maybe that will change.

I've had plenty of pleasant flights, and even the ones that have not been so great have been fine - the person next to me swooped yesterday so instead of a slim lady I got a very large gentleman who over spilled the seat - but it was just about 2 hours sitting there and I treated myself to a glass of wine after Ryanair charged me extra to put my priority cabin bag in the hold as it was ever so slightly sticking out of the sizer...

If anybody can't afford it, children or not, they don't have to travel. And if someone is sitting in a seat, child or not, the seat needs to be booked. If the airline requires you pay for it then so be it, but just assuming you or your kid will get a specific seat, even if you don't book said seat is ridiculous and incredibly entitled.

We book seats every time. We both prefer aisle seats and staying away from an area where there is likely to be a lot of horrible, screaming children. Will absolutely pay extra for that.

That’s your choice.

But booking seats should be a choice is the point, not something you have to do.

it may even be worth it to be guaranteed not to sit near you, but they don’t mark that on the plan. Anymore than they mark where kids are sitting 👍🏻🤣

Have you never heard of bassinet seats on an airplane? I guess you don't fly much but that's usually where the screaming kids and babies area. And yes, it's a shame they don't tell you where kids are sitting so the rest of us who can't stand your annoying kids know where to avoid and can have a peaceful flight.

Japanese Airlines (JAL) show seats with babies.

@Teateaandmoretea 31/05/2024 08:57
I also really don’t think most people do book seats other than for extra leg room. It’s a sun/ mumsnet phenomenon.

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Quick search comes up with...

According to industry data from August 2023, approximately 60-70% of airline passengers select their seats in advance when booking their flights.