Has someone stole your airplane seat?
Discussion
Sorry all, misleading, the flights were connecting through From London, through Moscow to Thailand so we couldn't 'choose' a seat but we were still 'allocated' seating, as per all flying i've come across.
The Russians firstly don't like Brits, so that really helped our case, that and being on Transearo, which is a Russian airline.
At least the stewardesses were helpful enough.
Sorry though! I'm that guy on the train who sits in any random seat, using them so infrequenetly I forget about those who reserve, I will gladly (Slightly annoyed if it's empty) move if asked though.
Another story! Whilst in Thailand I did 3 internal flights, on one of these there was a German couple.
The flight itself, I think it was Chiang Mai to Phuket, was quite empty, it's obvious people were going to move around once we were up.
These two Germans spoke no English or Thai and decided to sit in the emergency seats mid aircraft. Queue the arguing, hands waving, would not move, plane actually delayed by 15 minutes. This is all because they could not understand the brief on how to open the hatch in the case of an emergency, plus were probably too old to do so. Fully on board (pun intended) to the idea that the stewards have to brief and be confident of the people sitting in the emergency exit seats so I was happily watching!
Eventually they moved to their allocated seats, much huffing and puffing later, the 2 hour flight was done and they stormed off.
Sorry again, i'm that guy on the train
The Russians firstly don't like Brits, so that really helped our case, that and being on Transearo, which is a Russian airline.
At least the stewardesses were helpful enough.
Sorry though! I'm that guy on the train who sits in any random seat, using them so infrequenetly I forget about those who reserve, I will gladly (Slightly annoyed if it's empty) move if asked though.
Another story! Whilst in Thailand I did 3 internal flights, on one of these there was a German couple.
The flight itself, I think it was Chiang Mai to Phuket, was quite empty, it's obvious people were going to move around once we were up.
These two Germans spoke no English or Thai and decided to sit in the emergency seats mid aircraft. Queue the arguing, hands waving, would not move, plane actually delayed by 15 minutes. This is all because they could not understand the brief on how to open the hatch in the case of an emergency, plus were probably too old to do so. Fully on board (pun intended) to the idea that the stewards have to brief and be confident of the people sitting in the emergency exit seats so I was happily watching!
Eventually they moved to their allocated seats, much huffing and puffing later, the 2 hour flight was done and they stormed off.
Sorry again, i'm that guy on the train
Business class to Dublin and I was sat in an aisle seat near the emergency doors - so lots of legroom. Guy sat next to me by the window is asked to move by a lady who has the ticket for that seat. Well apparently it was a mistake (how can you accidentally sit in Row 1 instead of 2?) but then he asks me if I'm sat in the correct seat(!) "YES" I retort waving my ticket at him! Bloody chancers - sounds like these cheapskates were trying it on as well.
jesta1865 said:
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.
Then you not only have a good reason, but also my sympathies. I have a kidney issue that means I have to drink like a fish unless I fancy peeing blood for a few days, the up shot is that whilst I can happily manage this by having a pee at the gate and then once off the 'plane on most flights it does catch me out from time to time.Most amusing is that the next longish flight I have to go on is to Moscow
fido said:
Business class to Dublin and I was sat in an aisle seat near the emergency doors - so lots of legroom. Guy sat next to me by the window is asked to move by a lady who has the ticket for that seat. Well apparently it was a mistake (how can you accidentally sit in Row 1 instead of 2?) but then he asks me if I'm sat in the correct seat(!) "YES" I retort waving my ticket at him! Bloody chancers - sounds like these cheapskates were trying it on as well.
"No idea, although I believe we have established that it isn't your seat either as yours is back there. Off you toddle, there's a good chap, I'm trying to read this book."Rude-boy said:
"No idea, although I believe we have established that it isn't your seat either as yours is back there. Off you toddle, there's a good chap, I'm trying to read this book."
I dress right down for flights so was sat their smugly in a Daily Mash t-shirt, no book and playing videos on my iPad ..heard him mutter something when he slumped down into his cramped seat!
On the train front, I reguarly travel at fairly short notice and end up with either no reservation or on a different service.
On some services such as the poxy 19:03 to Leeds - the first Super Save Off Peak service a lot of the seats are reserved - and a lot of people don't use their reserved seat. So you pick a seat and hope for the best. If you gambled well great - bad luck if not. Try not to unpack too much until the train leaves.
Which does remind me of one obstinate bloke. Imagine a train with 2seats, aisle and 2 seats in normal way. Two women had reserved seats - both windows with me and another bloke between. They asked if he would swap to allow them to sit next to each other. No way he said. Rude bloke. I swapped with the other girl so they still got to sit next to each other and I got a window seat.
On some services such as the poxy 19:03 to Leeds - the first Super Save Off Peak service a lot of the seats are reserved - and a lot of people don't use their reserved seat. So you pick a seat and hope for the best. If you gambled well great - bad luck if not. Try not to unpack too much until the train leaves.
Which does remind me of one obstinate bloke. Imagine a train with 2seats, aisle and 2 seats in normal way. Two women had reserved seats - both windows with me and another bloke between. They asked if he would swap to allow them to sit next to each other. No way he said. Rude bloke. I swapped with the other girl so they still got to sit next to each other and I got a window seat.
Back in the 80s or 90s my dad once boarded a BA 747 to the US East Coast, and found a tanned blonde gentleman in his seat - 1A for those in the know 
This gentleman was chancing that he could have 1A, and tried to convince my father that he should have it.
Unfortunately for the man, my father was followed in by the stewardess who kicked out the blonde man out - pointing out that it was Mr Puggit's seat, using my dad's name. The man slunk off back to his seat (also in First).
Later on in the flight, my dad had found out that the man was Greg Norman - and had a lot of fun explaining that BA black cards trump celebrity status.
True story, he really did have one of THOSE cards - by invitation only. He was CFO of a large company and flew 30x a year to the US.
So you could also say I grew up without a father!
This gentleman was chancing that he could have 1A, and tried to convince my father that he should have it.Unfortunately for the man, my father was followed in by the stewardess who kicked out the blonde man out - pointing out that it was Mr Puggit's seat, using my dad's name. The man slunk off back to his seat (also in First).
Later on in the flight, my dad had found out that the man was Greg Norman - and had a lot of fun explaining that BA black cards trump celebrity status.
True story, he really did have one of THOSE cards - by invitation only. He was CFO of a large company and flew 30x a year to the US.
So you could also say I grew up without a father!
otherman said:
Puggit said:
1A for those in the know
Well, I know the much-hated-by-stewardesses-Cilla will only travel in 1A. But that clearly ain't your point. Is it a general celeb favourite?In my experience, it's mostly a genuine error, where the miscreant has looked at the boarding pass and mistaken the departure gate number for the seat number.
Because I have to fly a lot, my status with several US domestics means I usually (though by no means always) get up-graded. I sometimes give up a biz-class upgrade if there are any deployed military on board, as a way of showing appreciation. It is always a crap-shoot where I'm going to end up on the plane and who I'm going to be seated with. Usually it ends-up being 2 or 3 hours of middle-seat hell, but once in a while it turns out to be really fun.
Because I have to fly a lot, my status with several US domestics means I usually (though by no means always) get up-graded. I sometimes give up a biz-class upgrade if there are any deployed military on board, as a way of showing appreciation. It is always a crap-shoot where I'm going to end up on the plane and who I'm going to be seated with. Usually it ends-up being 2 or 3 hours of middle-seat hell, but once in a while it turns out to be really fun.
I got on a plane out of Koto Kinabulu, sat down guy said I was in his seat, checked and it was my seat number, bit of confusion stewardess came up, said it was the airlines mistake and would he take the seat in front, no real problem every one polite, plane half empty.
Got of the plane and doing my expenses and found out I was booked for the next day, auto check in got my boarding pass, through passport on the plane a day early.
Got of the plane and doing my expenses and found out I was booked for the next day, auto check in got my boarding pass, through passport on the plane a day early.
Matt Harper said:
In my experience, it's mostly a genuine error, where the miscreant has looked at the boarding pass and mistaken the departure gate number for the seat number.
Because I have to fly a lot, my status with several US domestics means I usually (though by no means always) get up-graded. I sometimes give up a biz-class upgrade if there are any deployed military on board, as a way of showing appreciation. It is always a crap-shoot where I'm going to end up on the plane and who I'm going to be seated with. Usually it ends-up being 2 or 3 hours of middle-seat hell, but once in a while it turns out to be really fun.
Not to nit pick but why would deployed military be on an US flight? Did you mean travelling on leave after a deployment?Because I have to fly a lot, my status with several US domestics means I usually (though by no means always) get up-graded. I sometimes give up a biz-class upgrade if there are any deployed military on board, as a way of showing appreciation. It is always a crap-shoot where I'm going to end up on the plane and who I'm going to be seated with. Usually it ends-up being 2 or 3 hours of middle-seat hell, but once in a while it turns out to be really fun.
I have twice ended up in someone else's seat.
First time was SAS flight, CPH-ARN which was the second leg after LHR-CPH. I had checked in for the flight to CPH 24 hours in advance, so I checked in for the flight from CPH roughly 27 hours in advance. I took the exit window seat, over the wing.
Being a gold card holder on Star Alliance I boarded first, and took my seat. I noticed at this point that the economy plus section extended to behind me. Being gold I just assumed they had let it slide and allowed me to stay - after all I had boarded without any notification of change. Any way, a tall bearded Swede comes along and shows me he has the same seat allocated and fetches a stewardess. She then looks at me in a disgusted manner and points me to a middle seat in the last row.
On my return I complained about my treatment to SAS and was awarded a pittance in points.
The other time was on SA235, LHR-JNB. Again, I boarded first and took my window seat. Again someone comes along to ask me to move, and again we both have the same seat. This time the stewardess returns with a scribbled boarding pass for me - exit row 'upgrade'.
The nearest I have ever come to an upgrade, despite putting 100s of 1000s of miles in and holding gold for quite a while
First time was SAS flight, CPH-ARN which was the second leg after LHR-CPH. I had checked in for the flight to CPH 24 hours in advance, so I checked in for the flight from CPH roughly 27 hours in advance. I took the exit window seat, over the wing.
Being a gold card holder on Star Alliance I boarded first, and took my seat. I noticed at this point that the economy plus section extended to behind me. Being gold I just assumed they had let it slide and allowed me to stay - after all I had boarded without any notification of change. Any way, a tall bearded Swede comes along and shows me he has the same seat allocated and fetches a stewardess. She then looks at me in a disgusted manner and points me to a middle seat in the last row.
On my return I complained about my treatment to SAS and was awarded a pittance in points.
The other time was on SA235, LHR-JNB. Again, I boarded first and took my window seat. Again someone comes along to ask me to move, and again we both have the same seat. This time the stewardess returns with a scribbled boarding pass for me - exit row 'upgrade'.
The nearest I have ever come to an upgrade, despite putting 100s of 1000s of miles in and holding gold for quite a while
kev1974 said:
Yep had exactly the same with SAS, second of two connecting flights, found myself unceremoniously bumped to the back due to "a late change of aircraft type".
<shrug> The originally intended plane isn't available, but a different type is. Would you rather have the flight cancelled?TooMany2cvs said:
<shrug> The originally intended plane isn't available, but a different type is. Would you rather have the flight cancelled?
The replacement plane was bigger, so I should have been able to have a seat roughly where I was booked and given a boarding card for only a couple of hours earlier, but mostly SAS customer service in failing to tell me where I had been rebooked to, left a fair bit to be desired. First world problems yes, but regardless, they could still do better.
I used to think it was some bizarre Middle Eastern traveling good luck omen to sit in someones seat, to warm it and prepare your headphones for use.
Also, the hand-bagge debacle here is astonishing, I have no idea how many of them get luggage in that size and volume through security, let alone on the aircraft. And people - NEVER STOW HANDCARRY BEHIND YOU!!! (unless you want to wait until all PAX have disembarked) as walking back up the aisle while everyone is trying to walk forwards is not sensible, is it.
Now that I use the UK trains it seems that the majority of the general public either choose to ignore the seat reservations or just don't give a damn. I even had one tell me I should not mind as its only a 2 hour journey, the train was packed and no other seats in the carriage, I had just got off an overnight flight with very little sleep. I swore alot and got my seat
I guess being a seasoned traveler it is easy to judge the less experienced, but common sense seems to be missing in many of my experiences of wrong seat/hand luggage misadventures.
Also, the hand-bagge debacle here is astonishing, I have no idea how many of them get luggage in that size and volume through security, let alone on the aircraft. And people - NEVER STOW HANDCARRY BEHIND YOU!!! (unless you want to wait until all PAX have disembarked) as walking back up the aisle while everyone is trying to walk forwards is not sensible, is it.
Now that I use the UK trains it seems that the majority of the general public either choose to ignore the seat reservations or just don't give a damn. I even had one tell me I should not mind as its only a 2 hour journey, the train was packed and no other seats in the carriage, I had just got off an overnight flight with very little sleep. I swore alot and got my seat
I guess being a seasoned traveler it is easy to judge the less experienced, but common sense seems to be missing in many of my experiences of wrong seat/hand luggage misadventures.
The handcarry space thing isn't helped by the airlines though - on a full flight, if everyone shows up with the max allowable - it just won't all fit.
Priority boarding and a window seat is worth its weight in gold. Get on, stick the bag in the overhead bin, take your seat and watch the carnage unfold around you.
Priority boarding and a window seat is worth its weight in gold. Get on, stick the bag in the overhead bin, take your seat and watch the carnage unfold around you.
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