Choosing seats on a plane: Is this rude?

[sparksals]

I guess I think of it as sort of manipulative because they are booking those two seats (that are not together) hoping that they can get three seats for two.  People generally won't take the middle seat unless that is the only one available.  "Hey let's take the two end seats and hope that no one will take the middle one!  If they do, we'll just ask them to move!"

So they are trying to force the situation to their advantage.  A more honest way to book seats would be to book seats that are together as, generally speaking, that's what they want anyway!

I totally agree with you, but I don't think further discussion will be fruitful   

For those people who say 'just go online and book in earlier if you want better seats', it's not always possible.  Every year my I travel from Sweden to Australia and for whatever reason (perhaps because the trip is over 30 hours from start to finish) I have never, not once, been able to check in for my flight online.  Sometimes I haven't even been able to check in for the whole journey at the airport

You are right... prebooking seats for an international flight is not allowed ... new security thing since 9/11.

[wolfie]

I guess I think of it as sort of manipulative because they are booking those two seats (that are not together) hoping that they can get three seats for two.  People generally won't take the middle seat unless that is the only one available.  "Hey let's take the two end seats and hope that no one will take the middle one!  If they do, we'll just ask them to move!"

So they are trying to force the situation to their advantage.  A more honest way to book seats would be to book seats that are together as, generally speaking, that's what they want anyway!

I totally agree with you, but I don't think further discussion will be fruitful   

For those people who say 'just go online and book in earlier if you want better seats', it's not always possible.  Every year my I travel from Sweden to Australia and for whatever reason (perhaps because the trip is over 30 hours from start to finish) I have never, not once, been able to check in for my flight online.  Sometimes I haven't even been able to check in for the whole journey at the airport

You are right... prebooking seats for an international flight is not allowed ... new security thing since 9/11.

I am taking a trip to Germany next Wed and my mom booked me into a Window and an Aisle so it must depend on the airline.

[kareng57]

But doesn't the couple who are booking the best seats WANT to sit together so when they take the best seats, they are forcing someone to chose the "least best" seat knowing that, if needed, one of the couple will end up in the middle anyway.  I'm not saying it is rude but just...manipulative?

So what if they want to sit together?  Again, I don't see how internal motivation makes a difference.  As long as they don't ACT rudely, what they WANT inside their own heads won't impact the single traveler in any way.

Agree. I don't see how it's manipulative at all - they book the window and aisle seats knowing that it's very possible that someone will book the middle seat and that he/she might want to stay put.

Of course it would be rude if they keep trying to cajole Middle to move, and/or keep talking over Middle passenger.  But if they don't, it's just a gamble that they took that did not work out.

I guess I think of it as sort of manipulative because they are booking those two seats (that are not together) hoping that they can get three seats for two.  People generally won't take the middle seat unless that is the only one available.  "Hey let's take the two end seats and hope that no one will take the middle one!  If they do, we'll just ask them to move!"

So they are trying to force the situation to their advantage.  A more honest way to book seats would be to book seats that are together as, generally speaking, that's what they want anyway!

No one in this thread has mentioned "asking" the middle-passenger to move.

What's been mentioned is offering them the use of the window or aisle seat instead.  If he/she does not wish to do so, then that's the end of that.

I realize that you are unlikely to change your mind, but I wanted to clarify that.

[MariaE]

I guess I think of it as sort of manipulative because they are booking those two seats (that are not together) hoping that they can get three seats for two.  People generally won't take the middle seat unless that is the only one available.  "Hey let's take the two end seats and hope that no one will take the middle one!  If they do, we'll just ask them to move!"

So they are trying to force the situation to their advantage.  A more honest way to book seats would be to book seats that are together as, generally speaking, that's what they want anyway!

I totally agree with you, but I don't think further discussion will be fruitful   

For those people who say 'just go online and book in earlier if you want better seats', it's not always possible.  Every year my I travel from Sweden to Australia and for whatever reason (perhaps because the trip is over 30 hours from start to finish) I have never, not once, been able to check in for my flight online.  Sometimes I haven't even been able to check in for the whole journey at the airport

You are right... prebooking seats for an international flight is not allowed ... new security thing since 9/11.

I am taking a trip to Germany next Wed and my mom booked me into a Window and an Aisle so it must depend on the airline.

Definitely depends on the airline. I flew Copenhagen-Newark last year and could book my seats three months in advance.

[Outdoor Girl]

There is nothing rude about a couple booking a window and aisle seat, hoping the middle seat remains empty.  There is nothing rude about asking the singleton who had to book the middle seat if they might like to trade for the aisle or window seat so the couple can sit together.

What would be rude is not accepting the singleton's 'no' with grace or talking over the singleton the entire flight if the singleton is still in the middle, whether or not the couple offered to switch seats.

As a singleton, if the couple offered to switch seats, I'd happily take the aisle.  I wouldn't, however, take the window.  I need to get up to use the washroom fairly frequently so I would prefer to only disturb one person, rather than two.  I do try to book my seat on-line as quickly as early as I can so I can get an aisle seat all the time.  I haven't yet had to take a middle seat.  (One airline I fly lets me book my seat when I purchase the ticket; the other lets me go on-line 24 hours before the flight and check in and book my seat.)

[Lynnv]

There is nothing rude about a couple booking a window and aisle seat, hoping the middle seat remains empty.  There is nothing rude about asking the singleton who had to book the middle seat if they might like to trade for the aisle or window seat so the couple can sit together.

What would be rude is not accepting the singleton's 'no' with grace or talking over the singleton the entire flight if the singleton is still in the middle, whether or not the couple offered to switch seats.

I agree.  I fly by myself on a regular basis (though it is no longer an every week event).  I don't think it is rude if someone on my plane has attempted to increase the chances of having an empty middle seat.  Heck, I usually book an aisle seat where the window is full and the middle empty in hopes of managing just the same thing without having a second person to coordinate with.  And DH and I do this on the occasions where we are flying together.

[sparksals]

I guess I think of it as sort of manipulative because they are booking those two seats (that are not together) hoping that they can get three seats for two.  People generally won't take the middle seat unless that is the only one available.  "Hey let's take the two end seats and hope that no one will take the middle one!  If they do, we'll just ask them to move!"

So they are trying to force the situation to their advantage.  A more honest way to book seats would be to book seats that are together as, generally speaking, that's what they want anyway!

I totally agree with you, but I don't think further discussion will be fruitful   

For those people who say 'just go online and book in earlier if you want better seats', it's not always possible.  Every year my I travel from Sweden to Australia and for whatever reason (perhaps because the trip is over 30 hours from start to finish) I have never, not once, been able to check in for my flight online.  Sometimes I haven't even been able to check in for the whole journey at the airport

You are right... prebooking seats for an international flight is not allowed ... new security thing since 9/11.

I am taking a trip to Germany next Wed and my mom booked me into a Window and an Aisle so it must depend on the airline.

Definitely depends on the airline. I flew Copenhagen-Newark last year and could book my seats three months in advance.

It must depend then, because I couldn't book my seats from ORD to Helsinki or Helsinki to Paris - On American Airlines and Finnair. 

[secretrebel]

I'm not sure that rude is the right word for this. I would consider it "gaming the system". It's using your knowledge of the system to advantage yourself. It might be selfish but it's not intrinsically rude.

That said, it opens the door for all sorts of other rude behaviour such as the talking across someone or asking someone to move for your convenience.

I also don't see a difference in asking someone if they'd like to move to an allegedly better seat and asking them to move for your convenience. Either way it's going into the situation with a plan that if someone takes the middle seat you will ask/invite them to swap with you. That's not just gaming the system but potentially inconveniencing other people as well.

[sparksals]

How is it inconvenient to get a better seat?

[Outdoor Girl]

How is it inconvenient to get a better seat?

You'd have to get up and move and move your stuff from under the seat in front of you but for me?  I wouldn't mind in the least if it meant I got the aisle seat.  I mean, I'd have to get up anyway to let the person into the window seat so moving my pack over one slot?  No problem.

[sparksals]

How is it inconvenient to get a better seat?

You'd have to get up and move and move your stuff from under the seat in front of you but for me?  I wouldn't mind in the least if it meant I got the aisle seat.  I mean, I'd have to get up anyway to let the person into the window seat so moving my pack over one slot?  No problem.

My feelings exactly.   Seems like a minor inconvenience for ohhh  2 seconds to have several hours of comfort.  Sounds like a pretty good tradeoff.

[Lynnv]

For those people who say 'just go online and book in earlier if you want better seats', it's not always possible.  Every year my I travel from Sweden to Australia and for whatever reason (perhaps because the trip is over 30 hours from start to finish) I have never, not once, been able to check in for my flight online.  Sometimes I haven't even been able to check in for the whole journey at the airport

You are right... prebooking seats for an international flight is not allowed ... new security thing since 9/11.

I am taking a trip to Germany next Wed and my mom booked me into a Window and an Aisle so it must depend on the airline.

Definitely depends on the airline. I flew Copenhagen-Newark last year and could book my seats three months in advance.

It must depend then, because I couldn't book my seats from ORD to Helsinki or Helsinki to Paris - On American Airlines and Finnair.

I flew to London not long after 9/11 and was able to book my seat (United) with no problems.  So it definitely has to do with the airline's policies and procedures rather than being a blanket rule.  I would suspect it has more to do with frequent flyer status and fare structure than 9/11.  A lot of times these days, you are not able to book a seat until 24 hours prior to a flight, unless you have some frequent flyer status.

edited because London should be capitalized.  And that is one of my pet peeves.  Grumble. 

[sparksals]

For those people who say 'just go online and book in earlier if you want better seats', it's not always possible.  Every year my I travel from Sweden to Australia and for whatever reason (perhaps because the trip is over 30 hours from start to finish) I have never, not once, been able to check in for my flight online.  Sometimes I haven't even been able to check in for the whole journey at the airport

You are right... prebooking seats for an international flight is not allowed ... new security thing since 9/11.

I am taking a trip to Germany next Wed and my mom booked me into a Window and an Aisle so it must depend on the airline.

Definitely depends on the airline. I flew Copenhagen-Newark last year and could book my seats three months in advance.

It must depend then, because I couldn't book my seats from ORD to Helsinki or Helsinki to Paris - On American Airlines and Finnair.

I flew to london not long after 9/11 and was able to book my seat (United) with no problems.  So it definitely has to do with the airline's policies and procedures rather than being a blanket rule.  I would suspect it has more to do with frequent flyer status and fare structure than 9/11.  A lot of times these days, you are not able to book a seat until 24 hours prior to a flight, unless you have some frequent flyer status.

I think things have changed a lot since 9/11.  Now that I think of it, I couldn't check in online for my flight from Calgary to MSP on Delta.  I *think* in enquired why and was told that it depends on how they are set up at different airports. 

I am a frequent flier on AA and can choose my seats on domestic flights anytime after I book, not just at checkin time.  Other airlines don't let me do that.  It could depend on status, but I don't have status with AA in terms of enough miles to be someone special.  LOL

[ClaireC79]

Having lost a relative in an airline crash (Phuket 2007) and having to wait 2 weeks before it was confirmed he had died in the crash and wasnt one of those badly burned and unrecognisable or unresponsive but still alive I do see the value of people being in the seats assigned to them

[BuffaloFang]

I guess I think of it as sort of manipulative because they are booking those two seats (that are not together) hoping that they can get three seats for two.  People generally won't take the middle seat unless that is the only one available.  "Hey let's take the two end seats and hope that no one will take the middle one!  If they do, we'll just ask them to move!"

So they are trying to force the situation to their advantage.  A more honest way to book seats would be to book seats that are together as, generally speaking, that's what they want anyway!

I totally agree with you, but I don't think further discussion will be fruitful   

For those people who say 'just go online and book in earlier if you want better seats', it's not always possible.  Every year my I travel from Sweden to Australia and for whatever reason (perhaps because the trip is over 30 hours from start to finish) I have never, not once, been able to check in for my flight online.  Sometimes I haven't even been able to check in for the whole journey at the airport

You are right... prebooking seats for an international flight is not allowed ... new security thing since 9/11.

I am taking a trip to Germany next Wed and my mom booked me into a Window and an Aisle so it must depend on the airline.

Definitely depends on the airline. I flew Copenhagen-Newark last year and could book my seats three months in advance.

Definitely depends on the airline.  I just booked a trip to Iceland for March, and I was able to choose the seats...which was what brought up the OP to begin with  .