Has someone stole your airplane seat?

Has someone stole your airplane seat?

Author
Discussion

simoid

19,772 posts

157 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
V8forweekends said:
No - and I've been watching a row of airline seats the seller claims are from a 747 on eBay recently, I haven't bid cos I don't really have a use for them.
eek are they marked Malaysian?

I HAVE A STORY TOO! bounce

Internal US flight, with a US cheerleading team on board (not old enough to be described even as potential). Cheerleaders were already on the flight, one of them was in my window seat. She asked if I minded her sitting there, I thought "fk it I can't be bothered arguing" so said yes.

As the plane was filling up, all these girls were swapping about seats with each other so they could sit next to their mates. Girl in my window seat shouts up the plane to Mary-Ashley or equivalent about swapping seats, then some negotiation occurs, and Ashley-Marie who had been sitting next to me ups and fks off, after thanking me for the window seat. So I move across to my window seat as I like window seats.

Businessman appears next to me and asks for the window seat he's just traded, I say "nah mate this is my seat" and show him my ticket, so he storms off up the plane and goes UTTERLY BAT st CRAZY at most of the cheerleaders as he didn't have a clue who had 'done the dirty' on him as they all basically looked the same hehe

Cheered up my flight.

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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TEKNOPUG said:
It's a big issue on budget airlines. Because they charge for checking a bag into the hold, EVERYONE just takes all their luggage as hand-luggage. This then means that there is invariably more luggage than the over-head lockers can take - certainly no way everyone can have their bags stowed near them. I've often seen luggage taken off of the aircraft and put in the hold.
Yep. Fly budget quite often and am always amazed at the idiots who pack the biggest of strops when they are told that their clearly way too big for carry on is refused when they check in at the desk (we always book a hold bag between us if it is more than a night). Even funnier is when you are stood in the boarding queue and those that slipped through or checked in on line are challenged. Quite often though you see people trying to ram bags that they have managed to sneak through into lockers that are obviously too small for the oversized luggage. It is so sad to see the look on their faces when they are told that it's going in the hold.

As for the volume of luggage it is sometimes a bit of confusion. Ryanair for example allow a global limit of 10kg carry on in a maximum of two bags. Easyjet the same (iirc) but only one bag. As any fool who knows what the overhead stowage situation is like will tell you packing 150x2x5kg bags is way easier than 150x10kg bags.

Anyway - on topic I have had the odd person in my seat before now on a 'plane but as a rule so long as it isn't more than a couple of hours a seat is a seat, although if I am in the middle it is best that I am next to the Mrs as I'd rather rub up to her than A. N. Other smile. I also got lumped in the middle of a hen do once which was about the most scared I have ever been on a 'plane hehe

On trains I often find others in my reserved seat as I always try to book early and get a rear facing table seat by the window. If someone is there though I most often just grab one near by without discussion and only have a word if I am moved on myself. I am always ready and willing to move if I am not where I really should be, although woe betide the man who tries to move me from my correct seat unless they have a good back story for asking me to do so biggrin



Nimby

4,573 posts

149 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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TooMany2cvs said:
We got on an internal flight in the US (pre-9/11), to find people in our seats. They were adamant they were in the right seats, and produced their boarding cards to prove it. Yep, right seat numbers... Wrong flight...
Exactly the same happened the row in front of us - this was post 9/11, at Miami returning to LHR. Goodness knows how they got through all the checks.

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
It does seem reading through that people have a 'thing' about window seats.

I can sort of see it if you are the sort that flies once every blue moon but in my little world it's a supreme irrelevance. Being a big bloke (but no orca smile ) I always prefer window or aisle seats as it gives me more guilt free wiggle room - my shoulders are often at least as, if not wider than, your average 'plane seat.

I suppose it is the difference between those that see the 'plane as part of the holiday and the experience and those that see it as a means for getting from A to B and the chance for some reading/sleeping/film watching/music listening.

simoid

19,772 posts

157 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Rude-boy said:
It does seem reading through that people have a 'thing' about window seats.

I can sort of see it if you are the sort that flies once every blue moon but in my little world it's a supreme irrelevance. Being a big bloke (but no orca smile ) I always prefer window or aisle seats as it gives me more guilt free wiggle room - my shoulders are often at least as, if not wider than, your average 'plane seat.

I suppose it is the difference between those that see the 'plane as part of the holiday and the experience and those that see it as a means for getting from A to B and the chance for some reading/sleeping/film watching/music listening.
I'm usually on a dozen or so planes per year - not exactly frequent but still enough to mean it's not a novelty when I do. I just like looking out of the window, even when on the final approach to my home airport there's often something new to see.

Kills a bit of time and gives the eyes a wee rest from the constant football manager or film on the laptop/plane screen hehe

Also means you don't need to shift on account of someone else's bladder management!

so called

9,074 posts

208 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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Asterix said:
I think he means they weren't pre-booked online when sorting out the flights. Just what was assigned when he checked in.

My guess anyway.

I'm always amazed when people plonk themselves down wherever they feel like it and are then surprised they're asked to move when the correct person shows up. Then again I'm surprised how people are when going through the whole 'air travel' process. Haven't got documents out at check in, haven't got documents out when going through immigration, completely surprised at security that they have to take belts off, take laptop out etc.., get to the gate and the boarding pass and passport is at the bottom of their handbag, get to the plane and the boarding stub is at the bottom of their handbag or back in a pocket but they don't know which one.

I live in Dubai so everyone, pretty much, has traveled by plane to get here in the first place. Always surprises me how unprepared are.
This.

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
simoid said:
Also means you don't need to shift on account of someone else's bladder management!
Now that I will go with!

How the hell people can't have a wiz on the way to the gate and then go 2-3 hours (unless beer induced and you have broken the seal) I just don't really get. Nor does the Mrs, someone who freely admits there are bigger walnuts than her bladder hehe

Let's face it even the grimmest airport loo is often better than anything on-board unless you turn left!

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Not my seat but was on an American Airlines flight back from Texas in business class, having finally been allowed to board the plane several hours after it was supposed to have departed due to "enhanced" security at the airport (it wasn't long after 9/11, had to empty out hand luggage to be searched and all sorts) I settled down and started enjoying the complimentary fizz and nuts. Slightly whiffy old guy comes and takes up the seat next to me, also get going on the free booze and food. That's a shame thinks me having to injure the smell all the way back to the UK, then he asks me if this is first class, no business says I, very nice he says, didn't expect this.

A while later the steward turns up, asks for the old guys ticket and politely informs him he's in the wrong seat (i.e. not economy). Phew thinks me. Nice try though biggrin

Vipers

32,799 posts

227 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
J
simoid said:
V8forweekends said:
No - and I've been watching a row of airline seats the seller claims are from a 747 on eBay recently, I haven't bid cos I don't really have a use for them.
eek are they marked Malaysian?

I HAVE A STORY TOO! bounce

Internal US flight, with a US cheerleading team on board (not old enough to be described even as potential). Cheerleaders were already on the flight, one of them was in my window seat. She asked if I minded her sitting there, I thought "fk it I can't be bothered arguing" so said yes.

As the plane was filling up, all these girls were swapping about seats with each other so they could sit next to their mates. Girl in my window seat shouts up the plane to Mary-Ashley or equivalent about swapping seats, then some negotiation occurs, and Ashley-Marie who had been sitting next to me ups and fks off, after thanking me for the window seat. So I move across to my window seat as I like window seats.

Businessman appears next to me and asks for the window seat he's just traded, I say "nah mate this is my seat" and show him my ticket, so he storms off up the plane and goes UTTERLY BAT st CRAZY at most of the cheerleaders as he didn't have a clue who had 'done the dirty' on him as they all basically looked the same hehe

Cheered up my flight.
Love it.




)

spitsfire

1,035 posts

134 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Flying London - Singapore, boarded to find a bloke sat in my seat. He insisted it was his seat. I showed him my boarding card. He continued to insist, quite aggressively, that it was his seat.

Although it was a very busy flight, the seat in front was empty and I'd have happily sat there, but for the fact the bloke in the middle was hippo-sized, sweating profusely, and his rolls of fat were extruding above and below the arm rest.

With perfect timing, a one of the cabin crew appeared and asked to see his boarding pass. He then had a bit of a temper tantrum - Turned out the 2/3 of a seat in front had his name on it. Unlucky.

Within about 0.0001 seconds of the seatbelt sign going off, he fully reclined his seat. When the meal came, I had to ask the CC to make him put the seat up. As soon as they'd gone back to serving, he slammed the seat back again and left it like that for the rest of the flight.

There wasn't much I could do, so I went to sleep. When I woke up, a couple of hours out from Singapore, I could smell feet - he'd taken his shoes off and pushed them under his seat (on top of my feet). He was sleeping, as was the rest of the plane. I took his shoes, wrapped them in the plastic bag for the blanket, and discreetly relocated them between the last row of seats and the bulkhead.

I'm not sure how he got on at Changi Airport immigration wearing no shoes.


simoid

19,772 posts

157 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
rofl

It's nice to be nice, but more fun being a !

Asterix

24,438 posts

227 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
That is good although I'd have filled the shoes up with a couple of olives or grapes.

Capt Bravz

344 posts

159 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
spitsfire said:
There wasn't much I could do, so I went to sleep. When I woke up, a couple of hours out from Singapore, I could smell feet - he'd taken his shoes off and pushed them under his seat (on top of my feet). He was sleeping, as was the rest of the plane. I took his shoes, wrapped them in the plastic bag for the blanket, and discreetly relocated them between the last row of seats and the bulkhead.

I'm not sure how he got on at Changi Airport immigration wearing no shoes.
claprofl

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

260 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
spitsfire said:
I'm not sure how he got on at Changi Airport immigration wearing no shoes.
I think I'd have taken just one shoe to add to his confusion.


There was a case at Norwich airport a few years back when two flights with the same airline had adjacent gates, one to Ibiza and one to Palma. They both took off with the others baggage.

stu67

804 posts

187 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Asterix said:
That is good although I'd have filled the shoes up with a couple of olives or grapes.
Slightly off topic, but we did similar to someone I work with. We were flying in and out of Moscow on a project and he was always moaning how his feet swelled on the plane. Cue him going to the loo in his socks and us stuffing torn up napkins in his Timberland's. Even the stewerdesses were in on it. He didn't realise at all, hobbled through airport moaning to anyone who would listen and only found out in the hotel. Twas very funny.

Back to topic, I was on an emirates flight out of CDG once, brand new aircraft with digital seat numbers, which were all wrong with some software glitch. It ended up like Ryanair in the old days with the stewerdesses vainly trying to organise everyone. Dont think I've ever seen the system since and it defo wasnt a A380?

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Nimby said:
TooMany2cvs said:
We got on an internal flight in the US (pre-9/11), to find people in our seats. They were adamant they were in the right seats, and produced their boarding cards to prove it. Yep, right seat numbers... Wrong flight...
Exactly the same happened the row in front of us - this was post 9/11, at Miami returning to LHR. Goodness knows how they got through all the checks.
Heh. Ours was Miami, too.

I wonder if it was the same people?

Halmyre

11,148 posts

138 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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My missus was once asked by CC to move further back from her front bulkhead seat to let someone with mobility problems sit there instead. She was happy to do so anyway, but the attendant bunged her half a dozen mini wine bottles for her trouble - win!

stuttgartmetal

8,108 posts

215 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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Flying's not what it used to be.

jesta1865

3,448 posts

208 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Rude-boy said:
simoid said:
Also means you don't need to shift on account of someone else's bladder management!
Now that I will go with!

How the hell people can't have a wiz on the way to the gate and then go 2-3 hours (unless beer induced and you have broken the seal) I just don't really get. Nor does the Mrs, someone who freely admits there are bigger walnuts than her bladder hehe

Let's face it even the grimmest airport loo is often better than anything on-board unless you turn left!
i'm afraid this is me, i could piddle for england, mainly due to being diabetic. doesn't help that planes are the one form of transport i can't seem to sleep on either.

B17NNS

18,506 posts

246 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
BritishRacinGrin said:
Typical Russians, in my experience.
yes