In this situation would you offer to switch seats on a flight?

[Flightquandry]

Me and my husband took a flight today that was 10 hours long.

The cabin formation was
2 seats together / aisle / 3 seats together / aisle / 2 seats together.

Unfortunately, by the time we booked we couldn’t sit together. My DH was in a set of 2 seats with another woman and I was on the end of a row of three.

As soon as we took our seats the woman next to my DH went into full on chatty mode. When they were talking he mentioned he was travelling with his wife and she questioned why we weren’t seated together. He explained that we’d only been able to book what was available. She shrugged this off and then chatted to him incessantly for about 2 hours. I was seated across and behind so could see this and it stung (my problem entirely!)

I fully appreciate that she was in the seat that she booked! But in all honesty in her shoes I would have offered to swap seats with me. All seats were of the same value monetary wise. She even waved at me and then poured herself more drinks and chatted to my husband.

what would you do in her shoes? I would have offered to swap? Weirdly as well as we left the plane she followed by husband off and didn’t let me get in behind him to exit.

I'm waiting for the reveal that the woman was the pilot and the husband was the copilot. 👩‍✈️👨‍✈️

Spot on!

I wouldn’t have swapped. Also I wouldn’t care if DH and I couldn’t sit next to each other. We’re not 8

You are only finding this weird because you were jealous for some reason - you admit it stung that they chatted for 2 hours.

Yes - she was probably expecting him
to do that and was taken aback that he didn’t! Especially if then the OP tried to surge forward and cut her off, meaning she would have had to hope the person behind the OP had more manners.

If anything, I prefer to be all alone on a plane! The movement of it makes me want to fall asleep tbh - although I’m very happy to be woken if people need to get out for the loo.

Why is it weird for “a woman to chat to another woman’s husband”….. If it was a male chatting to your husband, would you feel the same way?

It sounds like maybe not, because of the way you brought up gender and felt there should be some unwritten woman:woman code.

You essentially wanted her to downgrade her window seat for you, an adult and total stranger. Unfortunately, it’s not the way the world works. Most people aren’t that generous. I’ve seen people stay sat on public transport and left the elderly and heavily pregnant saying about in the aisles and holding on for dear life…..

Is this coming from a place of insecurity?
Rhetorical, you don’t have to answer to me but ask yourself. If so, this isn’t a seat issue OP ❤

Nope no way I hate sitting in the middle block and I chose my seats carefully as I assume she had and had the seat she wanted

Absolutely this. If I wanted to sit in an aisle seat, I would have booked one. Why would she switch to a worse seat? Also, you don't say he even asked.

You're annoyed for no reason.

So a married man isn't allowed to have a conversation with a fellow traveller? 🙄

You're completely bonkers!

Your poor husband. I am so glad I am not married to someone so irrationally possessive.

so the aisle seat should step back and let the window seat out anyway? The fact he didn’t is on him not her

She clearly doesn’t have a jealous nature like you, so didn’t see the issue.

Of course they’re not, he’s not a “man” he’s OPs husband and property!

Honestly some women are so bold!!

Why didn’t your husband not swap with you? Then it would’ve been safe for him? Not having to talk incessantly to the chatty woman …… he was obviously quite happy with the situation, as was the woman. Only you were unhappy!

For goodness sake. You'll never see her again. Its one flight. Why is this even an issue? It suggests control issues in the relationship to me. Or that you are very young and insecure.

Oooh, you're one of those entitled passengers!

You booked late so couldn't sit together - not a big deal. She didn't want to swap a window seat for an aisle seat (neither would I - I guess she booked earlier so she could secure the seat she wanted) - not a big deal. She talked to your husband - not a big deal. People filed off the plane in the order of the seating - not a big deal.

So what are you concerned about? Did you talk to your neighbour?! Fixating on someone for two hours is bizarre and controlling.

Sorry, you think the woman should have offered you her window seat in case you were too insecure to watch your husband make conversation with someone of the opposite sex?

No, I wouldn't swap for a worse seat because someone else may be jealous. I might have offered if you had a seat that was completely equal or better than my own, or if you were clearly a very anxious flyer, but not for the reasons you describe.

They were the only ones left that were close ish together. Plane was very full.

OP's updates. They were in the seats they paid for, but she wanted a better seat that someone else had paid for and was sitting in. Yet she feels hard done by.

If you have a problem with your husband talking to the woman who happens to be sat next to him then you should have asked him to swap and you sat next to her. If that is the case he should really get a new wife, you seem incredibly insecure.

I would have felt sorry for my husband that he had to chat to some random person the whole flight but then put my headphones in and fallen asleep

I wouldn’t have swapped. Surprised seats were same price as usually in that configuration the side twin pairs cost more than the centre block (gallant of your husband to to take the side pair tho 😉) her seat was one of the best in that cabin whereas yours, only the middle seat of 3 was worse.

I think your husband should have stood aside once in the aisle and let her past so that you could exit together without holding her up…

.

😁😁😁

I choose and pay for my seat for particular reasons because I dont like flying. Therefore I wouldn't swop for anyone. The entitlement of people who think you should swop your seat for their convenience is astounding.