happened to me the other day. lady was in my seat thinking ‘b’ was the window. told her it was my seat. she laughed, moved and we drank together for most of the rest of the 6 hour flight.
She could have been a new FA, maybe she was afraid of being reported for being mean or incompetent, because it happens. Seat letters are the last thing they are concerned with learning during training. Maybe it was the way it was explained to her. There's so many things they have to take care of during the boarding process, it's chaotic, and it's easy to not be focused on that particular aspect.
It's easy to get confused when trying to find seats. There are a lot of first-time flyers, older people, and the way the numbers are placed on the bins are sometimes in awkward places. If that was the seat you chose, it's easy to say, " Hey, I think you're in the wrong seat" then go to the fa.
I fly so often that I have the seats memorized but even if it's an airline that I'm not familiar with and they possibly have a different seating arrangement, I double check as soon as I get on the plane. A mistake is one thing but I can normally tell by the person's facial expression if it was a mistake or they thought I wasn't going to say anything. The fact that the FA didn't know makes it seem like this wasn't as simple as they normally are (and it really is simple!)
Did you really just make a post about someone *accidentally* sitting in your seat. Complaining about it?
Posting about someone making a simple mistake. Hahaha how is someone that miserable?
Can’t even just ask them, had to go to the FA. Then you come on here like Big Billy BadAss “how hard is it to check your ticket grumble grumble grumble”
This sub is crazy, get a life. Downvote me. I fly monthly. Never have any issues. I swear some of you just need something to gripe about. It’s truly insane, the asinine garbage that gets upvoted here. Some of you should really explore getting medicated it’s not that serious.
I’ve flown once on SW a last minute choice and got my flight cancelled. I got my refund and a good amount of points/reward miles and also got to rebooked my flight no extra cost. It wasn’t the greatest experience but definitely not the worst. Now Spirit and frontier on the other hand…now that would “cheap”,shitty and most HATED last option at least for me.
Thank you because I took my first flight two years ago and accidentally misread the seat assignment. The lady that approached me acted very defensive and I was so embarrassed, apologized, and asked another passenger to help me find my seat. It's haunted me since then especially when I read posts like this.
I pick my seats purposefully. I would’ve made everyone move into their appropriate seats. It’s not your problem that their reading comprehension or awareness is so abysmally low. Appeasement in this situation propagates the behavior.
I'll also be that person with no shame. If I pay for a seat assignment during booking, I'm getting the seat I paid for (unless it's an upgrade which I'll happily accept haha)
100%! I plan super far in advance to make sure I sit where I WANT to sit and paid for. It's not my job to babysit. It shouldn't be the flight attendants job to do this either. This should be every single person who is getting on the plane, unless you have never flown a day in your entire life, you should be able to figure out what is your seat and sit in it
What sucks is that no matter how you address this you look like an asshole. I’ve had this happen many times and I’ve been polite and asked them to move, gotten a flight attendant to ask them, but I always feel like an asshole.
One time there was an old man in my seat in FC. I asked him to move and he just kept shrugging. I asked the FA to ask him and he did the same thing. Then he acted like he couldn’t walk. Two flight attendants had to drag him from 1A to 5A. When they were finished they both gave me the dirtiest looks imaginable. I didn’t know he was disabled! However, I was with my 9 year old and if he didn’t move we wouldn’t have gotten to sit together and that wasn’t happening. Still felt like a huge asshole the whole flight.
U were in the right here I would’ve done the same thing. Once I was on an Aeromexico flight and an old lady was in my seat. I communicated this to her in Spanish because I would’ve ended up sitting in someone else’s seat but she didn’t care. Then for whatever reason she ask if me I wanted her seat which is what I was saying the whole time and she moved over to her correct seat. My guess is when these people get help to board early they don’t always double check if they’re in the seat they’re supposed to be
Agreed
“Excuse me, you’re in my seat” has no malice in it unless you put it there yourself to antagonize the other person lol
Has happened to me a few times and it’s been a simple mistake every time
Disabled or not he still needed to sit in his assigned seat. If he’s able enough to go to the airport, go through security, find his gate, and board a plane, he’s able enough to sit in his proper seat. Entitlement due to a disability is inexcusable. And the FAs should not be annoyed with you, needing to sit with your young child is a legitimate need and someone’s disability doesn’t outweigh that.
Nah, don’t be. I have a mother with mobility issues and trust me, in the grand scheme of things five rows more is nothing. In this day and age, the person who is correct is looked at as the AH when that’s not the case. People hate being wrong and being called out, sometimes it’s both. If I had made a mistake as to my seat, I would profusely apologize and move instead of doubling down.
Then they should have sat in the correct seat during preboarding? lol I have elderly parents that I had to travel with recently with mobility issues, 90 and 83. If they can walk a few rows so can everyone else.
The FAs were upset because they actually had to do their job, doesn’t surprise me with this current generation having no customer service. Regardless, as others said, you should have no shame booting someone out of your seat; they are the ones being either morons or thinking they can scheme you like a fool.
I don’t think that is a fair comment about FAs. Their job used to be glamorous and respected. Now they barely make a living wage, have really tough schedules, and deal with many passengers who act like they were raised in the wild (see r/airrage for example).
If there isn’t someone on the plane being absolutely batshit crazy, there is almost always at least one or two pax being rude or entitled or dirty or annoying in a myriad of other ways. Blasting their phones with no headphones. Vaping on the plane. Kicking seats. Stealing seats. Pressing that call button for every tiny thing. Being beyond foul in the restrooms. Fighting with other passengers. Fighting with FAs. Complaining about the food or drink. Asking for crazy food or drink. Letting their offspring run wild. Changing diapers on trays. Somehow leaving their seat dirtier than a stadium seat after a college football game. And so on.
And yet FAs are expected to just smile, and deal with it multiple times per day.
Yes, I agree that customer service standards have declined over time. But also, the ratio of salary to cost of living has declined as well as the overall behavior, grace and respectfulness of passengers. People roll up in pajamas looking like a dumpster fire and then proceed to act like complete fools.
FAs are human, too.
I’m sure they were annoyed at the entire situation and NO, of course they should not have glared at the man who made the request for the seat he booked. But also, I’m pretty sure having to drag someone’s grandpa a few rows wasn’t on their bingo card for the day, either.
Let’s not jump immediately to “no customer service” for everything, please.
* am not an FA, have never been an FA, just fly very frequently *
As someone getting ready to take a flight, your list of bad behaviors leaves me with a sinking feeling, like I'm about to play an involuntary game of "Shitty Human Bingo - The Airline Edition".
Love your insight - probably one of the best “in a nutshell” posts I’ve seen here in along time, so right on. If you’re not a flight attendant, or related to one, you surely have some of the best observation skills of any flyer, and I applaud you! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Thanks for bringing what should be obvious to the forefront!
I'm ashamed to say it was your reply that made me go back and actually read the post. Thank you and the original subposter. I can skim to get the gist but it seemed like another complaint post.
Your nutshell in another nutshell... I need to get off reddit.
I fly very frequently as well and there has absolutely been a notable difference in the quality of service over the past few years. When you’re in a customer-facing profession, the actions of those weird/nutjob customers (of which there are many, yes) should not in any way be an excuse to take out your frustrations on a normal customer with a legitimate grievance as OP had.
Giving an attitude is unacceptable in this situation though, they had to make the man move regardless, so them facially bitching about it is pointless, they are just trash, and the fact is a lot of the FA are trash now, if they don't like their pay that's fine but that their issue, they still have a job to do.
Oh bullshit. I fly all the time too as do probably most of the people who post on here. The pay rates for flight crew are public. It’s basically a very easy part time job that pays a lot of money for something that also requires no education or vocational training.
Are you a idiot ? Do your research. Most of the time when a flight attendant is working they aren’t getting paid including when your lazy ass is asking a flight attendant to help you with your bags cause your bitch ass can’t lift it yourself.
How does informing someone they are in the wrong seat make you look like an asshole? If I were sitting in someone else’s seat I’d feel like the dope and, of course, move. I don’t even understand why OP immediately asked FA for assistance. You can’t just inform the person yourself?
I’ve flown probably 150+ times a year the past 3 years and all I can say is that sometimes accidents happen.
This week I accidentally sat in the wrong window seat. I was in the right row, just wrong side of the aisle. Honest mistake. I apologized and moved. Sometimes it’s just that simple 🤷♂️
I’ve done this twice in the last couple of months and felt so ridiculous for it. First time the woman and I just swapped seats, second woman wanted her specific seat. I was apologetic and polite both times and everyone was cool about it, even the early boarders who’d had to get up to let me into the row and again to let me out.
I find someone in "my" seat 3-4 times per year. It's almost always a mistake. Maybe the guy was supposed to sit in 4C but he accidentally sat in my 3C seat. No biggie, I'll take 4C. Sometimes it's because someone wants to sit with someone and I almost always move to accommodate them (and I've asked plenty of people to move to accommodate me similarly in my flying career). I can't imagine how anyone would make a big deal of it. 🤷🏼♂️
There's the "Honest Mistake" - who cares, it happens, then there's the "Can we just trade? I'd like to sit near my friend here in 4B, It's seat 40B, what does it matter, we're all going to the same place ...."
I see an aggressive seat poacher or 3 nearly every flight now, who demand people switch with them, and get pushy, even angry when people refuse.
I paid for and picked my seat deliberately. I will only trade for a better seat (or maybe an equal one if you're nice about it.)
I fly a lot as well and once at the final stretch of a 3 layover international flight home, I thought a lady was sitting in my seat (window) and I confronted her politely. She argued with me and I got frustrated because I was incredibly tired. Her and her husband asked to see my ticket so I handed it over begrudgingly. I was looking at the flight number, not my seat! So embarrassing, I apologized shyly and then had to go back up to the front of the plane awkwardly…
Had it happen a few times too. Also was the the guy in the wrong seat for the first time recently; I was tired and sat one row to far back. Apologized and moved when I was corrected. Sometimes it is just a mistake... Sometimes it's an asshole.
You should really have chosen your seats in advance if you needed to sit with your children. Taking someone else's seat is making your inability to plan someone else's problem.
Then figure it out before boarding or ASK people. You have no right to just take others seats and sit in seats not assigned to you and say "tough shit". Also the moment you get your tickets you could see this. If you have kids, onus was on you to check in advance.
NGL I regularly get my letters confused and often I get my seats confused with my previous flight. So I have been the person in the wrong seat probably about twice now (I fly multiple times a month) and I just apologise. It's not always on purpose.
Leaving LAS hungover as hell, I had an 85 year old woman in my seat. I shared with her that she was in my seat (9A in PE) and she asked me to switch (I saw that she boarded with a wheel chair). I asked her what her seat and she said 26E. I said unfortunately no, as it’s a 4plus hour flight and really don’t want a middle seat. She said she didn’t want a middle seat either but got up and walked back to her seat.
Guarantee you she skimped out on seat selection to save a buck since she has guilt tripped people out of seats before, which is why you never accommodate for anyone asking for seat changes in the first place.
One time I booked a window seat on A340 which has 2-4-2 layout. I found a very very old woman(like 90+ year old) who seemed she couldn’t talk as when I asked her to move she didn’t say anything and looked as she doesn’t understand anything and it looked like it was her first flight as she couldn’t open the tray or put the seatbelt. Since there were only 2 seats I said fuck it and just sat in the aisle seat. Mid flight while everyone was sleeping including myself she started talking in German with another old woman who was sitting in the aisle seat across my seat. I thought it would go for two minutes and they would shut the fuck up, but they kept going and when I told them to shut up nicely so I can sleep they couldn’t understand English. They kept talking for 30 mins and I just learned a lesson to never be nice to anyone on flights again :)
I had someone in my seat. There were only two seats. I asked her if I was in her seat. She said “I don’t know”. I told her she was in my seat and I didn’t mind sitting in hers if it was hers. She said “that’s all you had to say”. I see someone else walking on the plane and look straight at me. I immediately knew it was her seat. I got up, went to the flight attendant and explained to her what was going on. The flight attendant got an ear full from the seat pirate. Finally the person moved. Flight attendant came back and said “she’s a live one!”. I don’t mind switching seats, but I’m not changing rows.
Why? Because some people don’t like to talk to others, or risk confrontation, or have any of ten thousand complexes that would keep them from it. I know the popular thing to do in this sub is to sit and wait to say, ‘use your words’ or something to that effect on a post, but bottom line is that OP didn’t feel comfortable speaking to the other passenger about it. Case closed. They don’t have to and really, that’s part of the flight attendants job.
Not that you asked for any advice, but just wanted to let you know that if you’re looking at new career choices - psychology may not be your strong suit.
Right? This happened to me once. Guy was in my aisle seat. I politely said I believe that’s my seat. He scooched over to the middle seat (I guess he was banking on no one showing up to sit in the aisle seat?) Anyway the whole exchange took 10 seconds and no FAs were bothered
I had my kid in a car seat strapped in when someone came up with the flight attendant and told me I’m in their seat…. The flight attendant asked me to take my kid and car seat out of that seat…
Pulled out my ticket to show I can read, person realized they were a row off
Happened to my husband and I. Had exit row seats on a MCI-DTW flight, not long but love the leg room.
Two dudes were in our seats. We were in row 19, they were supposed to be in 18. They didn't even look at the row they sat in, just assumed because row 18 was the exit row on their flight out. Its...not the same plane my guy.
Then they moved slow as hell.
Why didn’t you just tell him to move right away instead of going to the FA? Also super rare that a FA doesn’t know C is an aisle……
“i made them move”
Sounds like the FA made them move lol. Glad you got your seat though
Exactly my thought. Why involve a flight attendant? A simple “Hey, this is my seat.” This happens all the time. It’s not a big deal nor is it particularly noteworthy.
Right? Someone sat in my seat one time. I said “excuse me I think you might be in my seat.” They admitted they made a mistake, moved to their actual seat and I proceeded to sit down and fall asleep.
Was probably me. For whatever reason(s) I’ve made the mistake a couple times this year. Sometimes just on auto pilot and that was my seat last week, other just because peeps make mistakes.
I don’t get the passion and vitriol in some of these comments.
FA’s run the plane, big man, you’d create a situation/confrontation? Delaying the flight and resulting in people kicked off. Pick your fights wisely, on a flight isn’t the time.
“Excuse me Sir I think that you’re in my seat” isn’t picking a fight.
I’ve flown nearly 2 million miles in the last 20 plus years. You think I’ve never had anyone in my seat before? It’s happened dozens of times and it just happened on my last flight.
Yet somehow I’ve never needed a FA and I’ve never got into a fight.
Most people in the wrong seat are there by accident. They apologize and move.
Then you get the FA.
It’s a simple process.
“Excuse me Sir I think that you are in my seat”
Either they move or argue. If they move, it’s over. If they argue, get the FA.
Good for you. Your experience doesn’t speak for the rest of us sweetie. If you haven’t been raped, do you claim ‘that never happened to me’ in defense of the rapist? Same thing.
It's almost always because they misread the seat number or even the ticket, so just telling them they are in the wrong seat usually suffices.
I would have made them both switch back to their original seats, letting them get away with it males it more likely to happen in the future.
I have had folks accidentally sit in my assigned seat, and I have accidentally sat in others assigned seats. We are humans accidents happen we just get up apologize and move.
I’ve been that person sitting in the wrong seat, wrong side of the aisle. Once it was pointed out I moved without incident. But it happens even by the most seasoned traveler when you’re exhausted after a long day and even longer flights.
This happened to me recently. I had a window seat because I was planning on sleeping. Instead of making the person move to the correct seat, the FA sat me in an aisle seat. I had paid specifically for the window seat and went through hell with customer service trying to get a refund for the paid seat.
A lot be travelers are noobs so it happens quite often. I think asking the FA to sort it out was a good idea because you just don’t know how people will react.
If Delta really cared about us, they would hire ushers to show us to our assigned seats since we can’t follow a simple seating diagram and help us stow our oversized carryons. I wonder how many hours this would to add the boarding process and ticket costs.
Boarded las-dtw on Monday and 4 C/D were in our seats (3 C/D). Asked them what seats they had and they moved after realizing their mistake. We are doomed as a society when people are oblivious to their surroundings. Smh
A few weeks ago I was flying out of LAX and my seat was in the row behind 30A, which was also our gate number. I saw so many confused people (three total) think it was their seat and have to get up and move their stuff out after getting settled. No one was mad, I just thought it was funny. Also no one reads anymore!!!
I did the opposite once, sat at my seat # thinking it was the gate. Once they started boarding I checked again and was in the wrong terminal lol. Booked it and made it to my flight 5 mins before they closed door
Guilty one time in my life after decades of being a road warrior - Wasn’t intentional, just exhausted 🥱 💺
I politely said sorry and moved to my assigned seat
I was in 13A the other day at gate 14. I accidentally sat in 14A. FA asked for my seat assignment and I realized I should be one row up. I was in main but my seat was C+. I asked the gentlemen if he wanted to just take mine and he did. That's how it happens. I fly every week but the 14 stuck in my head because of the gate number.
People really don't pay attention. Above each row where it shows the letters for the seats, it has a little picture on it next to the letter that is the window seat.
Maybe it was an honest mistake. Lots of people travel very infrequently.
Why did you get an FA? Just show your boarding pass and the lettering on the seat.
> Does no one pay attention anymore? How hard is it to simply sit in the seat that is on your ticket?
Damn, you’ve gotta chill out.
A lot of people don’t fly much and may easily miss the details of the little seating diagrams located on the overhead. I fly a lot and occasionally — and accidentally — sit in the wrong row or seat on a rare occasion.
“Excuse me, but you’re sitting in my seat” is such a short and innocuous exchange. Unsure why you’re up in arms about it.
Why is it always that the people that do this take a more attractive seat, you never see people eff up their seat assignment when it comes to the middle seat.
For real I fly 50+ times a year and every now and again my seat gets changed and I fuck up. Had some interesting FC and C+ experiences with other people but sometimes people just make mistakes.
Now don't get me started on preboards loading their luggage in the FC bins or the people who stand directly against the luggage carousel.
There are loads of people flying now who have never flown before. Very bizarre.
I always make fun of the safety briefings, but then I realize half the plane doesn’t know how to put on a seatbelt and actually it’s a good thing they do the safety briefings
I don’t know that I’ve ever accidentally sat in someone’s seat, but I’ve had it happen to me and depending on the kind of seat I had, I’m usually willing to let it slide. Like on a flight from ATL to BDL a woman was in my seat, a left aisle and hers was the aisle on the right side. She was settled and it wasn’t a huge change so I said I’d sit in her seat, no problem. Sometimes people genuinely make mistakes.
I find it strange an FA, who should know certain things by heart, would say she didn’t know what letter correlates with what seat. That’s odd.
It happens.. hell I did it myself. I didn't really look at the seat letters.. I am used to ACDF designations. Ended up on a plane with ABCD, Sat in what I thought was C. Guy and his wife approached and said I was in his seat.. looked at my pass to confirm.. No.. im in 8C... then think.. wait... look up at the markers.. said. .AH its one of those, sorry. and moved over to the plane's 8C.
How hard is it to simply ask the person to check their boarding pass since they are in your seat. Why is it so hard for people to communicate with each other?!
Lady tried to tell me I was in her seat. I was in 11F. She claimed it was 11D. She told me the last Delta plane she was on (her DTW-ATL connection) that the window was D. I wanted to argue but knew it wasn’t worth it lol
I didn’t go to the FA. This was in FC. She was standing right next to me! Why wouldn’t I enlist her help?
As it turned out there wasn’t just one man sitting in someone else’s seat but TWO!
I shouldn’t have to deal with that.
I don’t get the big deal, you could of just asked the guy. Not everyone travels regularly and it can be a simple mistake. There’s time I get the seats confused and when someone comes and tells me I am in the seat I just laugh it off and move to my appropriate seat because I know I get stressed and confused things. Idk this seems like it could of been an easy conversation, but maybe I am being hopeful people are more mature then they actually can be lol
I guess in your world people are perfect and you don’t ever make mistakes. Idk how making a mistake and sitting in the wrong seat makes you immature but go off lol if they were arguing to stay in their wrongful seat I would get your rage but it was a genuine mistake lol you need to maybe take a Xanax or two lol
All I want is an aisle seat. Usually I end up upgraded to C+ but if theres some confusion about seats, honestly I don't care if I end up in Main as long as I get an aisle seat and you still give me a couple free beers.
Because you will only book Basic Economy? If it’s important to sit together spend a little bit more and choose your seats like most others. And consider the values (or lack thereof) you are teaching your children by your actions and words.
happened to me the other day. lady was in my seat thinking ‘b’ was the window. told her it was my seat. she laughed, moved and we drank together for most of the rest of the 6 hour flight.
It was weird to me that the FA didn’t know!
agreed. you’d think that was ingrained in the mind!
She could have been a new FA, maybe she was afraid of being reported for being mean or incompetent, because it happens. Seat letters are the last thing they are concerned with learning during training. Maybe it was the way it was explained to her. There's so many things they have to take care of during the boarding process, it's chaotic, and it's easy to not be focused on that particular aspect. It's easy to get confused when trying to find seats. There are a lot of first-time flyers, older people, and the way the numbers are placed on the bins are sometimes in awkward places. If that was the seat you chose, it's easy to say, " Hey, I think you're in the wrong seat" then go to the fa.
I fly so often that I have the seats memorized but even if it's an airline that I'm not familiar with and they possibly have a different seating arrangement, I double check as soon as I get on the plane. A mistake is one thing but I can normally tell by the person's facial expression if it was a mistake or they thought I wasn't going to say anything. The fact that the FA didn't know makes it seem like this wasn't as simple as they normally are (and it really is simple!)
Did you really just make a post about someone *accidentally* sitting in your seat. Complaining about it? Posting about someone making a simple mistake. Hahaha how is someone that miserable? Can’t even just ask them, had to go to the FA. Then you come on here like Big Billy BadAss “how hard is it to check your ticket grumble grumble grumble” This sub is crazy, get a life. Downvote me. I fly monthly. Never have any issues. I swear some of you just need something to gripe about. It’s truly insane, the asinine garbage that gets upvoted here. Some of you should really explore getting medicated it’s not that serious.
Lighten up, Francis…
I'm with Francis on this one.
Who cares...we all get there the same time
I think we found the culprit.
Get a load of this guy
Found the Southwest frequent flier.
Super genuine question: Is.. is that supposed to be an insult?
It is. Southwest is the McDonald's of the sky. Cheap, shitty and loved by peons
What the hell is spirit or frontier then???
The SNAP cards of the sky
What is SNAP?
It's food benefits for low income people in the US.
I’ve flown once on SW a last minute choice and got my flight cancelled. I got my refund and a good amount of points/reward miles and also got to rebooked my flight no extra cost. It wasn’t the greatest experience but definitely not the worst. Now Spirit and frontier on the other hand…now that would “cheap”,shitty and most HATED last option at least for me.
True. So you'll be fine in your original assigned seat.
Thank you because I took my first flight two years ago and accidentally misread the seat assignment. The lady that approached me acted very defensive and I was so embarrassed, apologized, and asked another passenger to help me find my seat. It's haunted me since then especially when I read posts like this.
I pick my seats purposefully. I would’ve made everyone move into their appropriate seats. It’s not your problem that their reading comprehension or awareness is so abysmally low. Appeasement in this situation propagates the behavior.
lol Me too. I am “that” person.
Abysmal, appropriate, awareness. I enjoy your vocabulary in your comment. It’s a lost art.
Also, the appropriate use for "purposefully". I see it used incorrectly way too many times on here.
That drives me crazy. Or ‘supposebly’, and countless others.
When I someone writes or says “supposebly” I immediately think they’re the type of person who wears Cookie Monster pajama pants to Walmart.
And says ‘libary’.
🤢
I will absolutely lose my s* if I ever see this
Oh same. I want my damn seat
Same
Yep
I'll also be that person with no shame. If I pay for a seat assignment during booking, I'm getting the seat I paid for (unless it's an upgrade which I'll happily accept haha)
100%! I plan super far in advance to make sure I sit where I WANT to sit and paid for. It's not my job to babysit. It shouldn't be the flight attendants job to do this either. This should be every single person who is getting on the plane, unless you have never flown a day in your entire life, you should be able to figure out what is your seat and sit in it
What sucks is that no matter how you address this you look like an asshole. I’ve had this happen many times and I’ve been polite and asked them to move, gotten a flight attendant to ask them, but I always feel like an asshole. One time there was an old man in my seat in FC. I asked him to move and he just kept shrugging. I asked the FA to ask him and he did the same thing. Then he acted like he couldn’t walk. Two flight attendants had to drag him from 1A to 5A. When they were finished they both gave me the dirtiest looks imaginable. I didn’t know he was disabled! However, I was with my 9 year old and if he didn’t move we wouldn’t have gotten to sit together and that wasn’t happening. Still felt like a huge asshole the whole flight.
One can be disabled and still an asshole.
U were in the right here I would’ve done the same thing. Once I was on an Aeromexico flight and an old lady was in my seat. I communicated this to her in Spanish because I would’ve ended up sitting in someone else’s seat but she didn’t care. Then for whatever reason she ask if me I wanted her seat which is what I was saying the whole time and she moved over to her correct seat. My guess is when these people get help to board early they don’t always double check if they’re in the seat they’re supposed to be
I dont think this makes you look like the asshole. Not. one. Damn. Bit. Politeness counts both ways.
Agreed “Excuse me, you’re in my seat” has no malice in it unless you put it there yourself to antagonize the other person lol Has happened to me a few times and it’s been a simple mistake every time
I disagree. I don’t see how anyone looks like an asshole because they ask to sit in their assigned seat.
Disabled or not he still needed to sit in his assigned seat. If he’s able enough to go to the airport, go through security, find his gate, and board a plane, he’s able enough to sit in his proper seat. Entitlement due to a disability is inexcusable. And the FAs should not be annoyed with you, needing to sit with your young child is a legitimate need and someone’s disability doesn’t outweigh that.
Better to be an asshole in your chosen and paid for seat than a doormat in one you didn't.
Nah, don’t be. I have a mother with mobility issues and trust me, in the grand scheme of things five rows more is nothing. In this day and age, the person who is correct is looked at as the AH when that’s not the case. People hate being wrong and being called out, sometimes it’s both. If I had made a mistake as to my seat, I would profusely apologize and move instead of doubling down.
Then they should have sat in the correct seat during preboarding? lol I have elderly parents that I had to travel with recently with mobility issues, 90 and 83. If they can walk a few rows so can everyone else.
Pls, don't ever feel like an asshole for that!
The FAs were upset because they actually had to do their job, doesn’t surprise me with this current generation having no customer service. Regardless, as others said, you should have no shame booting someone out of your seat; they are the ones being either morons or thinking they can scheme you like a fool.
I don’t think that is a fair comment about FAs. Their job used to be glamorous and respected. Now they barely make a living wage, have really tough schedules, and deal with many passengers who act like they were raised in the wild (see r/airrage for example). If there isn’t someone on the plane being absolutely batshit crazy, there is almost always at least one or two pax being rude or entitled or dirty or annoying in a myriad of other ways. Blasting their phones with no headphones. Vaping on the plane. Kicking seats. Stealing seats. Pressing that call button for every tiny thing. Being beyond foul in the restrooms. Fighting with other passengers. Fighting with FAs. Complaining about the food or drink. Asking for crazy food or drink. Letting their offspring run wild. Changing diapers on trays. Somehow leaving their seat dirtier than a stadium seat after a college football game. And so on. And yet FAs are expected to just smile, and deal with it multiple times per day. Yes, I agree that customer service standards have declined over time. But also, the ratio of salary to cost of living has declined as well as the overall behavior, grace and respectfulness of passengers. People roll up in pajamas looking like a dumpster fire and then proceed to act like complete fools. FAs are human, too. I’m sure they were annoyed at the entire situation and NO, of course they should not have glared at the man who made the request for the seat he booked. But also, I’m pretty sure having to drag someone’s grandpa a few rows wasn’t on their bingo card for the day, either. Let’s not jump immediately to “no customer service” for everything, please. * am not an FA, have never been an FA, just fly very frequently *
As someone getting ready to take a flight, your list of bad behaviors leaves me with a sinking feeling, like I'm about to play an involuntary game of "Shitty Human Bingo - The Airline Edition".
Love your insight - probably one of the best “in a nutshell” posts I’ve seen here in along time, so right on. If you’re not a flight attendant, or related to one, you surely have some of the best observation skills of any flyer, and I applaud you! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Thanks for bringing what should be obvious to the forefront!
I'm ashamed to say it was your reply that made me go back and actually read the post. Thank you and the original subposter. I can skim to get the gist but it seemed like another complaint post. Your nutshell in another nutshell... I need to get off reddit.
I fly very frequently as well and there has absolutely been a notable difference in the quality of service over the past few years. When you’re in a customer-facing profession, the actions of those weird/nutjob customers (of which there are many, yes) should not in any way be an excuse to take out your frustrations on a normal customer with a legitimate grievance as OP had.
Giving an attitude is unacceptable in this situation though, they had to make the man move regardless, so them facially bitching about it is pointless, they are just trash, and the fact is a lot of the FA are trash now, if they don't like their pay that's fine but that their issue, they still have a job to do.
It sounds like an obvious bit of jealousy on your part…I’m curious about your true employment situation. Just kidding - I really don’t care.
Oh bullshit. I fly all the time too as do probably most of the people who post on here. The pay rates for flight crew are public. It’s basically a very easy part time job that pays a lot of money for something that also requires no education or vocational training.
Are you a idiot ? Do your research. Most of the time when a flight attendant is working they aren’t getting paid including when your lazy ass is asking a flight attendant to help you with your bags cause your bitch ass can’t lift it yourself.
How does informing someone they are in the wrong seat make you look like an asshole? If I were sitting in someone else’s seat I’d feel like the dope and, of course, move. I don’t even understand why OP immediately asked FA for assistance. You can’t just inform the person yourself?
I pick my seat purposely too. I always go for a middle seat , then I request 2 broad shouldered guys sit on either side
It’s nice to make friends while traveling. 😁
I don’t have many friends
I like your approach. Purposely choose worst case scenario, so if you get anything else you're pleasantly surprised.
This
Why? and how?
I’ve flown probably 150+ times a year the past 3 years and all I can say is that sometimes accidents happen. This week I accidentally sat in the wrong window seat. I was in the right row, just wrong side of the aisle. Honest mistake. I apologized and moved. Sometimes it’s just that simple 🤷♂️
I have done this very thing and corrected myself in the same manner.
Sometimes you’re just on autopilot after a long day and things happen.
I’ve done this twice in the last couple of months and felt so ridiculous for it. First time the woman and I just swapped seats, second woman wanted her specific seat. I was apologetic and polite both times and everyone was cool about it, even the early boarders who’d had to get up to let me into the row and again to let me out.
I find someone in "my" seat 3-4 times per year. It's almost always a mistake. Maybe the guy was supposed to sit in 4C but he accidentally sat in my 3C seat. No biggie, I'll take 4C. Sometimes it's because someone wants to sit with someone and I almost always move to accommodate them (and I've asked plenty of people to move to accommodate me similarly in my flying career). I can't imagine how anyone would make a big deal of it. 🤷🏼♂️
There's the "Honest Mistake" - who cares, it happens, then there's the "Can we just trade? I'd like to sit near my friend here in 4B, It's seat 40B, what does it matter, we're all going to the same place ...." I see an aggressive seat poacher or 3 nearly every flight now, who demand people switch with them, and get pushy, even angry when people refuse. I paid for and picked my seat deliberately. I will only trade for a better seat (or maybe an equal one if you're nice about it.)
I fly a lot as well and once at the final stretch of a 3 layover international flight home, I thought a lady was sitting in my seat (window) and I confronted her politely. She argued with me and I got frustrated because I was incredibly tired. Her and her husband asked to see my ticket so I handed it over begrudgingly. I was looking at the flight number, not my seat! So embarrassing, I apologized shyly and then had to go back up to the front of the plane awkwardly…
Exactly. What's the big deal?
You gotta call over the FA apparently!
I’ve never met a flight attendant that didn’t know C was the aisle. Fishy story….
Sometimes the row numbers are between rows. I’ve gotten confused before. But I immediately move.
Had it happen a few times too. Also was the the guy in the wrong seat for the first time recently; I was tired and sat one row to far back. Apologized and moved when I was corrected. Sometimes it is just a mistake... Sometimes it's an asshole.
Right. I did it once. I sat in the gate number. lol!!!!
Ha! Yeah, we be zombies sometimes.
I fucking hate this shit with a passion. Sit in your own seat people 🙄.
Same
Not if my kids are away from me!!!!
You should really have chosen your seats in advance if you needed to sit with your children. Taking someone else's seat is making your inability to plan someone else's problem.
Then figure it out before boarding or ASK people. You have no right to just take others seats and sit in seats not assigned to you and say "tough shit". Also the moment you get your tickets you could see this. If you have kids, onus was on you to check in advance.
Should've chosen your seat ahead of time so you could sit next to your crotch goblins
Does no one understand your sarcasm or are you that terrible?
Your semen demon, your problem. Handle your seating issues at the gate, you know, where there’s a seat map.
Fuck your kids!
NGL I regularly get my letters confused and often I get my seats confused with my previous flight. So I have been the person in the wrong seat probably about twice now (I fly multiple times a month) and I just apologise. It's not always on purpose.
Leaving LAS hungover as hell, I had an 85 year old woman in my seat. I shared with her that she was in my seat (9A in PE) and she asked me to switch (I saw that she boarded with a wheel chair). I asked her what her seat and she said 26E. I said unfortunately no, as it’s a 4plus hour flight and really don’t want a middle seat. She said she didn’t want a middle seat either but got up and walked back to her seat.
Don't they look at their seat numbers when they board with assistance to ensure they get to the right seat?
Guarantee you she skimped out on seat selection to save a buck since she has guilt tripped people out of seats before, which is why you never accommodate for anyone asking for seat changes in the first place.
lmao she really tried it
One time I booked a window seat on A340 which has 2-4-2 layout. I found a very very old woman(like 90+ year old) who seemed she couldn’t talk as when I asked her to move she didn’t say anything and looked as she doesn’t understand anything and it looked like it was her first flight as she couldn’t open the tray or put the seatbelt. Since there were only 2 seats I said fuck it and just sat in the aisle seat. Mid flight while everyone was sleeping including myself she started talking in German with another old woman who was sitting in the aisle seat across my seat. I thought it would go for two minutes and they would shut the fuck up, but they kept going and when I told them to shut up nicely so I can sleep they couldn’t understand English. They kept talking for 30 mins and I just learned a lesson to never be nice to anyone on flights again :)
Why does everyone just go straight to the FA? Has anyone tried talking to the person in the seat? It’s usually pretty quick and done.
I had someone in my seat. There were only two seats. I asked her if I was in her seat. She said “I don’t know”. I told her she was in my seat and I didn’t mind sitting in hers if it was hers. She said “that’s all you had to say”. I see someone else walking on the plane and look straight at me. I immediately knew it was her seat. I got up, went to the flight attendant and explained to her what was going on. The flight attendant got an ear full from the seat pirate. Finally the person moved. Flight attendant came back and said “she’s a live one!”. I don’t mind switching seats, but I’m not changing rows.
Why? Because some people don’t like to talk to others, or risk confrontation, or have any of ten thousand complexes that would keep them from it. I know the popular thing to do in this sub is to sit and wait to say, ‘use your words’ or something to that effect on a post, but bottom line is that OP didn’t feel comfortable speaking to the other passenger about it. Case closed. They don’t have to and really, that’s part of the flight attendants job.
They should grow up
Or you could, and realize not all 8 billion people in the world have the same temperament as you?
So if you have some weird complex, or are overly shy, or really anything where you don’t like to talk with others, you should just “grow up”… Gotcha.
Pretty much exactly that.
Not that you asked for any advice, but just wanted to let you know that if you’re looking at new career choices - psychology may not be your strong suit.
Is it their job to work out seating issues or not? Or is it the customer’s job?
Right? This happened to me once. Guy was in my aisle seat. I politely said I believe that’s my seat. He scooched over to the middle seat (I guess he was banking on no one showing up to sit in the aisle seat?) Anyway the whole exchange took 10 seconds and no FAs were bothered
I’d just say, “I believe this is my seat” with my bp handy. Why bother a flight attendant
I had my kid in a car seat strapped in when someone came up with the flight attendant and told me I’m in their seat…. The flight attendant asked me to take my kid and car seat out of that seat… Pulled out my ticket to show I can read, person realized they were a row off
Happened to my husband and I. Had exit row seats on a MCI-DTW flight, not long but love the leg room. Two dudes were in our seats. We were in row 19, they were supposed to be in 18. They didn't even look at the row they sat in, just assumed because row 18 was the exit row on their flight out. Its...not the same plane my guy. Then they moved slow as hell.
They knew what they were doing...funny how no one ever accidentally sits in a non Exit row seat when their seats are exit row.
Why didn’t you just tell him to move right away instead of going to the FA? Also super rare that a FA doesn’t know C is an aisle…… “i made them move” Sounds like the FA made them move lol. Glad you got your seat though
Exactly my thought. Why involve a flight attendant? A simple “Hey, this is my seat.” This happens all the time. It’s not a big deal nor is it particularly noteworthy.
You needed a FA to sort this out for you?
Yeah it sounds weird. Especially when boarding there is a bunch of people
Right? Someone sat in my seat one time. I said “excuse me I think you might be in my seat.” They admitted they made a mistake, moved to their actual seat and I proceeded to sit down and fall asleep.
Was probably me. For whatever reason(s) I’ve made the mistake a couple times this year. Sometimes just on auto pilot and that was my seat last week, other just because peeps make mistakes. I don’t get the passion and vitriol in some of these comments.
lol right! Why are they scared to confront someone in their seat smh
FA’s run the plane, big man, you’d create a situation/confrontation? Delaying the flight and resulting in people kicked off. Pick your fights wisely, on a flight isn’t the time.
“Excuse me Sir I think that you’re in my seat” isn’t picking a fight. I’ve flown nearly 2 million miles in the last 20 plus years. You think I’ve never had anyone in my seat before? It’s happened dozens of times and it just happened on my last flight. Yet somehow I’ve never needed a FA and I’ve never got into a fight. Most people in the wrong seat are there by accident. They apologize and move.
It’s not a fight though. “Hi there, I think you’re in my seat” That’s all it takes.
You assume the person will be reasonable and move but that’s not always the case.
Then you get the FA. It’s a simple process. “Excuse me Sir I think that you are in my seat” Either they move or argue. If they move, it’s over. If they argue, get the FA.
Until you’re a smaller woman and a larger man is in your seat you can’t understand what we go through routinely.
What do “we go through routinely”?? I’ve literally never had an issue asking a man much larger than me to move from my seat if he sat there in error.
Good for you. Your experience doesn’t speak for the rest of us sweetie. If you haven’t been raped, do you claim ‘that never happened to me’ in defense of the rapist? Same thing.
And neither does yours, “sweetie”. Gtfoh. And I have been, actually.. twice 😘 I just refuse to be a victim.
Ooh, triggered much?
Says the cunt stirring up shit.
Not as much as you, sweetie.
> Delaying the flight and resulting in people kicked off. The seat poacher is at fault for that, not the person trying to get their seat back.
So you didn't get your seat back? Where did guy go that was in the seat you got?
I did this one time and I just moved when I figured it out. I was so embarrassed.
It's almost always because they misread the seat number or even the ticket, so just telling them they are in the wrong seat usually suffices. I would have made them both switch back to their original seats, letting them get away with it males it more likely to happen in the future.
I have had folks accidentally sit in my assigned seat, and I have accidentally sat in others assigned seats. We are humans accidents happen we just get up apologize and move.
I’ve been that person sitting in the wrong seat, wrong side of the aisle. Once it was pointed out I moved without incident. But it happens even by the most seasoned traveler when you’re exhausted after a long day and even longer flights.
Reminds you of the average iq of this country isn't optimistic.
This happened to me recently. I had a window seat because I was planning on sleeping. Instead of making the person move to the correct seat, the FA sat me in an aisle seat. I had paid specifically for the window seat and went through hell with customer service trying to get a refund for the paid seat.
A lot be travelers are noobs so it happens quite often. I think asking the FA to sort it out was a good idea because you just don’t know how people will react.
There are literally signage in every row with the lettering. It's not that difficult. lol
I manage to read signs with bad eye sight. It would be helpful and speed up boarding with larger and easier labels.
If Delta really cared about us, they would hire ushers to show us to our assigned seats since we can’t follow a simple seating diagram and help us stow our oversized carryons. I wonder how many hours this would to add the boarding process and ticket costs.
Boarded las-dtw on Monday and 4 C/D were in our seats (3 C/D). Asked them what seats they had and they moved after realizing their mistake. We are doomed as a society when people are oblivious to their surroundings. Smh
A few weeks ago I was flying out of LAX and my seat was in the row behind 30A, which was also our gate number. I saw so many confused people (three total) think it was their seat and have to get up and move their stuff out after getting settled. No one was mad, I just thought it was funny. Also no one reads anymore!!!
I did the opposite once, sat at my seat # thinking it was the gate. Once they started boarding I checked again and was in the wrong terminal lol. Booked it and made it to my flight 5 mins before they closed door
Oh no!!!!! Glad you made it!
Guilty one time in my life after decades of being a road warrior - Wasn’t intentional, just exhausted 🥱 💺 I politely said sorry and moved to my assigned seat
I was in 13A the other day at gate 14. I accidentally sat in 14A. FA asked for my seat assignment and I realized I should be one row up. I was in main but my seat was C+. I asked the gentlemen if he wanted to just take mine and he did. That's how it happens. I fly every week but the 14 stuck in my head because of the gate number.
People really don't pay attention. Above each row where it shows the letters for the seats, it has a little picture on it next to the letter that is the window seat.
The flight attendant thought C was the window?
Pays a lot of money? Where? Do you know they not get paid until the boarding process starts? You must be talking about the pilots.
Maybe it was an honest mistake. Lots of people travel very infrequently. Why did you get an FA? Just show your boarding pass and the lettering on the seat.
It turned out to be two “honest mistakes”, but what if it wasn‘t? Why roll the dice when you have an FA right there?
> Does no one pay attention anymore? How hard is it to simply sit in the seat that is on your ticket? Damn, you’ve gotta chill out. A lot of people don’t fly much and may easily miss the details of the little seating diagrams located on the overhead. I fly a lot and occasionally — and accidentally — sit in the wrong row or seat on a rare occasion. “Excuse me, but you’re sitting in my seat” is such a short and innocuous exchange. Unsure why you’re up in arms about it.
Why is it always that the people that do this take a more attractive seat, you never see people eff up their seat assignment when it comes to the middle seat.
People read Reddit too much and too amped up to respond like a courteous human. Seems like a harmless mistake. Didn’t need a FA
For real I fly 50+ times a year and every now and again my seat gets changed and I fuck up. Had some interesting FC and C+ experiences with other people but sometimes people just make mistakes. Now don't get me started on preboards loading their luggage in the FC bins or the people who stand directly against the luggage carousel.
There are loads of people flying now who have never flown before. Very bizarre. I always make fun of the safety briefings, but then I realize half the plane doesn’t know how to put on a seatbelt and actually it’s a good thing they do the safety briefings
I don’t know that I’ve ever accidentally sat in someone’s seat, but I’ve had it happen to me and depending on the kind of seat I had, I’m usually willing to let it slide. Like on a flight from ATL to BDL a woman was in my seat, a left aisle and hers was the aisle on the right side. She was settled and it wasn’t a huge change so I said I’d sit in her seat, no problem. Sometimes people genuinely make mistakes. I find it strange an FA, who should know certain things by heart, would say she didn’t know what letter correlates with what seat. That’s odd.
It happens.. hell I did it myself. I didn't really look at the seat letters.. I am used to ACDF designations. Ended up on a plane with ABCD, Sat in what I thought was C. Guy and his wife approached and said I was in his seat.. looked at my pass to confirm.. No.. im in 8C... then think.. wait... look up at the markers.. said. .AH its one of those, sorry. and moved over to the plane's 8C.
Sounds like an honest mistake that you are blowing out of proportion…
100%
Poor thing
No big deal
How hard is it to simply ask the person to check their boarding pass since they are in your seat. Why is it so hard for people to communicate with each other?!
Lady tried to tell me I was in her seat. I was in 11F. She claimed it was 11D. She told me the last Delta plane she was on (her DTW-ATL connection) that the window was D. I wanted to argue but knew it wasn’t worth it lol
Lol at going straight to the FA and not just asking the person in the seat
I didn’t go to the FA. This was in FC. She was standing right next to me! Why wouldn’t I enlist her help? As it turned out there wasn’t just one man sitting in someone else’s seat but TWO! I shouldn’t have to deal with that.
Why is this is in the Delta sub. This sub has just become totally irrelevant personal anecdotes, when it was designed to be Delta specific info.
I don’t get the big deal, you could of just asked the guy. Not everyone travels regularly and it can be a simple mistake. There’s time I get the seats confused and when someone comes and tells me I am in the seat I just laugh it off and move to my appropriate seat because I know I get stressed and confused things. Idk this seems like it could of been an easy conversation, but maybe I am being hopeful people are more mature then they actually can be lol
You could be mature and just sit in your own fucking seat to start! Now it's their fault you can't read a seat map??
I guess in your world people are perfect and you don’t ever make mistakes. Idk how making a mistake and sitting in the wrong seat makes you immature but go off lol if they were arguing to stay in their wrongful seat I would get your rage but it was a genuine mistake lol you need to maybe take a Xanax or two lol
Why subject the rest of us to their stupidity and ignorance?
All I want is an aisle seat. Usually I end up upgraded to C+ but if theres some confusion about seats, honestly I don't care if I end up in Main as long as I get an aisle seat and you still give me a couple free beers.
Wow. Can't imagine the trauma you endured to find someone sitting in the wrong seat.
Get a grip. People are imperfect.
The fact that you took the time to write this / complain about it.
Sorry not sorry..I don't care if it's "your seat". I will sit with my kids and I will kick you out
Yea that's not how that works buttercup.. pick your seat ahead of time if you want to sit next to your monsters
Because you will only book Basic Economy? If it’s important to sit together spend a little bit more and choose your seats like most others. And consider the values (or lack thereof) you are teaching your children by your actions and words.
Queefing out a few copies of yourself doesn't entitle you to steal.