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In reply to the discussion: Airplane Etiquette [View all]

More_Cowbell

(2,190 posts)
7. Yes, I would have said no, too
Mon Apr 1, 2019, 12:07 AM
Apr 2019

I said no once to a father and his son, maybe 16 or 17 years old. The father was berating me that he had to sit next to his son. Someone else agreed, and the son put on his headphones and didn't say one word to his father for the whole flight.

Airplane Etiquette [View all] Vdizzle Mar 2019 OP
I would have said no nini Apr 2019 #1
Agree with you. Dan Apr 2019 #2
Same here Retrograde Apr 2019 #24
I agree. Mariana Apr 2019 #28
Ditto malaise Apr 2019 #57
+1, it's their problem not yours mitch96 Apr 2019 #117
Agree djg21 Apr 2019 #147
Me too. LuvNewcastle Apr 2019 #155
It wouldn't have been rude True Dough Apr 2019 #3
My advice customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #11
Southwest doesn't have first class wryter2000 Apr 2019 #101
And I would never fly Southworst customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #142
This is NOT a very bad time to be flying. pangaia Apr 2019 #106
I've used miles to upgrade to business class. mnhtnbb Apr 2019 #135
No way I can plan that far ahead pangaia Apr 2019 #145
This is not based on simple hysteria customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #143
I would have said no and have different times Thekaspervote Apr 2019 #4
They have assigned seats for a reason WA-03 Democrat Apr 2019 #5
I did inform the flight attendant of the change Vdizzle Apr 2019 #8
I fly a lot... dhill926 Apr 2019 #6
Yes, I would have said no, too More_Cowbell Apr 2019 #7
Mutter something in a made-up foreign language customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #9
That's a good one! Vdizzle Apr 2019 #10
Do a Latka Gravas customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #12
I would look puzzled and say: Aristus Apr 2019 #20
I just say "I don't speak English" Retrograde Apr 2019 #25
If you know a foreign language customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #41
It is funny that more Germans speak Doreen Apr 2019 #51
Brilliant idea! I once faked Polish when someone wanted to pick me up in Mexico. fierywoman Apr 2019 #31
And on a plane in the US customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #36
(thanks for the midnight giggle!) fierywoman Apr 2019 #50
Why bother with the theatrics? Just tell them, firmly, "No". Dave Starsky Apr 2019 #82
LOL treestar Apr 2019 #98
I lived in NY for over ten years customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #140
Talking in a made up foreign language will get you kicked off the plane nowadays. TeamPooka Apr 2019 #133
Only if it sounds Middle Eastern customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #141
Smart after the fact, of course, but I would have suggested that if he wanted to sit question everything Apr 2019 #13
I don't think it was rude to ask. I don't think it's rude to say no California_Republic Apr 2019 #14
Maybe the wife picked the seat to finally get away from her husband for 4 hours. TheBlackAdder Apr 2019 #39
Haha I thought I was the only one... a la izquierda Apr 2019 #69
"....especially if it's a three holer. " pangaia Apr 2019 #107
Of course it is rude to ask obamanut2012 Apr 2019 #58
I don;t agree at all.. pangaia Apr 2019 #108
The OP RobinA Apr 2019 #160
i hate seat switchers. i book early, they didnt, then they come for my seat Demovictory9 Apr 2019 #15
I've only been asked once, and it worked out ok. NutmegYankee Apr 2019 #18
intl flight. family had sat child about 10 in my seat next to her older bro. parents where no where Demovictory9 Apr 2019 #21
I'm a window seat guy customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #37
Iguana! lunatica Apr 2019 #89
Yeah, it adds customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #144
maybe they couldn't book early enough.. pangaia Apr 2019 #109
i really can't fault someone for asking around to see if they can sit next to their spouse. unblock Apr 2019 #16
The problem is if they're both in middle seats, neither has a seat that anyone would want in trade. pnwmom Apr 2019 #49
i recognize that, and that's too bad for them. unblock Apr 2019 #62
I've seen plenty of people volunteer when a flight attendant asks bernie59 Apr 2019 #73
I can fault them -- it is rude to ask, period obamanut2012 Apr 2019 #59
i don't think it's rude to ask per se. unblock Apr 2019 #63
I would have told him no ... if he had a window or aisle seat, sure SFnomad Apr 2019 #17
OK, would probably--and have--moved to help accommodate families. Laffy Kat Apr 2019 #19
If you don't lay down customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #38
Sitting by his wife probably wasn't his real aim. Kablooie Apr 2019 #22
Practice saying, "Sorry I have a bad knee. I need to be able to stretch my leg during the flight." politicaljunkie41910 Apr 2019 #23
That's an easy one for me. I DO have bad knees. DFW Apr 2019 #27
Yep. I've gotta be mindful of my knees also. calimary Apr 2019 #114
I have three arthroscopies notched in my belt DFW Apr 2019 #115
I know someone who has DVT so they always book an aisle seat. llmart Apr 2019 #72
It's honestly not your problem. I'm sure married people, even codependent ones can get by UniteFightBack Apr 2019 #26
I have switched in the past, but don't any more. My knees are both problem cases. DFW Apr 2019 #29
Could be that if u had refused the wife might thanked u profusely, 5X Apr 2019 #30
There is no good answer. PoindexterOglethorpe Apr 2019 #32
Some children are easy, some are incredibly difficult. hunter Apr 2019 #134
Oh, yes, I absolutely believed that PoindexterOglethorpe Apr 2019 #148
Mohawk was the MAD MEN airline. Love that. TeamPooka Apr 2019 #136
Alas, they had the Mohawk account for about twenty minutes. PoindexterOglethorpe Apr 2019 #149
They got them back later and went through a mechanics strike with them in the series too TeamPooka Apr 2019 #157
I don't recall them getting Mohawk back. PoindexterOglethorpe Apr 2019 #163
they used them quite a bit actually... TeamPooka Apr 2019 #165
No additional charge for premium seats assigned at the gate. Ms. Toad Apr 2019 #161
Not gonna switch for a middle seat madville Apr 2019 #33
Tell 'em you're coming off a case of explosive diarrhea and need the aisle seat . . . Journeyman Apr 2019 #34
I would have said no. madaboutharry Apr 2019 #35
Say no. Your seat is your seat. roody Apr 2019 #40
did he lie about that being his wife - why didn't they book together EveHammond13 Apr 2019 #42
they probably booked late and there were no open seats next to each other JI7 Apr 2019 #46
Years ago this happened to me marlakay Apr 2019 #43
Here is what I would do. Lucid Dreamer Apr 2019 #44
it would NOT have been rude for you to say no . as some others said, make up an excuse JI7 Apr 2019 #45
Curb Your Enthusiasm: betsuni Apr 2019 #47
Go with the silent treatment.... safeinOhio Apr 2019 #53
No, it is their problem to book their seats together treestar Apr 2019 #48
Seriously jberryhill Apr 2019 #83
Hahaha blaze Apr 2019 #88
LOL treestar Apr 2019 #96
It's silliness jberryhill Apr 2019 #146
LOL treestar Apr 2019 #171
For a four hour flight? Sgent Apr 2019 #52
I would have said no. we can do it Apr 2019 #54
I would have said no. Jim__ Apr 2019 #55
I really am claustrophobic, and have refused to change seats as well. I have said "no" several Nay Apr 2019 #80
It isn't a dilemna at all -- you just say no obamanut2012 Apr 2019 #56
You are not being a jerk. mnhtnbb Apr 2019 #60
I agree with you. It is pushy and rude to ask someone to move MaryMagdaline Apr 2019 #61
You reserved that aisle seat on purpose. secondwind Apr 2019 #64
imagine if it were some other scenario with assigned seating (that you selected and paid for) anarch Apr 2019 #65
Very good point! Vdizzle Apr 2019 #124
No, would have been my answer HAB911 Apr 2019 #66
You're only feeling irked because you didn't have the cojones to say No at the time ! OnDoutside Apr 2019 #67
By "big guys" I didn't mean overweight Vdizzle Apr 2019 #125
Sacrificing vs resenting vs being a doormat lostnfound Apr 2019 #68
Poem, "Skywriter" lostnfound Apr 2019 #71
It depends upon the flight melm00se Apr 2019 #70
Regardless of whether it was rude to ask, or whether you resent what happened, bernie59 Apr 2019 #74
I wouldn't have changed snowybirdie Apr 2019 #75
Ask the guy to show you his wedding license FakeNoose Apr 2019 #76
Why be so confrontational? Tipperary Apr 2019 #77
The OP doesn't indicate which airline he was on FakeNoose Apr 2019 #119
It was Alaska Airlines Vdizzle Apr 2019 #126
My spouse and I paid extra to book seats together once frazzled Apr 2019 #78
LOL treestar Apr 2019 #97
We always book early and pay extra for it.. to get an aisle seat for me Peacetrain Apr 2019 #79
I wish there was more of a spirit of ...... LAS14 Apr 2019 #81
It was a rude, and touching someone you don't know is creepy obamanut2012 Apr 2019 #91
Thank you. Tipperary Apr 2019 #120
Southwest Smackdown2019 Apr 2019 #84
A polite no would be appropriate. dem4decades Apr 2019 #85
You were not wrong!!! He had one hell of a nerve! 50 Shades Of Blue Apr 2019 #86
Interesting dilemma. You said the other passengers were MineralMan Apr 2019 #87
What irritates me are the families that are late arrivals on southwest Buckeyeblue Apr 2019 #90
I've probably been on a couple of hundred air flights in my life. Paladin Apr 2019 #92
Many a times I had to shove the seat back up Dazbog Apr 2019 #168
Well said. Paladin Apr 2019 #172
you did the right thing Demonaut Apr 2019 #93
I never move, it baffles me why couples can't be separated for a few hours... HipChick Apr 2019 #94
You are under no obligation to change seats or feel guilty about it... brooklynite Apr 2019 #95
The flight attendants should do that sort of thing. aikoaiko Apr 2019 #99
My nightmare: Baitball Blogger Apr 2019 #100
Oh, when my lady and I do that customerserviceguy Apr 2019 #158
I would have at l least lied and told him I paid the seat fee... PeeJ52 Apr 2019 #102
I would have kindly said "No thank you" Catherine Vincent Apr 2019 #103
Perhaps the wife should have asked the person next to her husband to relocate? Firestorm49 Apr 2019 #104
You should have kept your seat randr Apr 2019 #105
Flying is like riding a Greyhound bus these days. redstatebluegirl Apr 2019 #110
I always book an aisle seat. Period. Grandma's getting old. calimary Apr 2019 #111
I was on a plane one time when an obnoxious guy ran up and complained he was sitting next to a woman DFW Apr 2019 #112
Was it Pence? Totally Tunsie Apr 2019 #123
LOL!!! DFW Apr 2019 #131
It's the incident that turned Pence's hair white. Dave Starsky Apr 2019 #170
I was told once by a flight Attendant (a friend off duty) itcfish Apr 2019 #113
That's why I informed the flight attendant of the change. Vdizzle Apr 2019 #128
That doesn't make much sense if you think about it Retrograde Apr 2019 #129
My one experience turned out to be delightful. planetc Apr 2019 #116
I have a weak bladder, so I need aisle seats so as to not disturb anyone else. Yavin4 Apr 2019 #118
I say, ask all you want musette_sf Apr 2019 #121
Sounds like that family tried to scam the system. Reader Rabbit Apr 2019 #138
I recently flew with my wife TheFarseer Apr 2019 #122
I would consider this handmade34 Apr 2019 #127
No kids were involved nini Apr 2019 #162
While it is always a good thing to be polite, politeness doesn't mean agreeing with the other person Dankasaurus Apr 2019 #130
I share your discomfort about telling someone "no" ProfessorPlum Apr 2019 #132
It isn't rude to ask. It isn't rude to say no. fishwax Apr 2019 #137
If sitting together was that important, they should have booked in time to choose seats together. Arkansas Granny Apr 2019 #139
The appropriate response... FreeJoe Apr 2019 #150
plane etiquette pamdb Apr 2019 #151
Flyertalk has over a thousand posts on seat swap horror stories in one thread. Pope George Ringo II Apr 2019 #152
Next time, just say you need an aisle seat for personal reasons, sorry... problem solved. InAbLuEsTaTe Apr 2019 #153
I hate flying. It is a huge phobia of mine. blur256 Apr 2019 #154
I would have said no. roamer65 Apr 2019 #156
I would have said yes if it was another aisle seat. demmiblue Apr 2019 #159
I'm surprised at all the DU members suggesting using fake excuses to say no! GulfCoast66 Apr 2019 #164
I would have said no to a middle seat Horse with no Name Apr 2019 #166
For flights over 90 minutes, never give an aisle for a middle seat. discntnt_irny_srcsm Apr 2019 #167
as someone who flies every week on long range flights, peacebuzzard Apr 2019 #169
Politely decline, plug in the headphones and sip on your low end blended scotch... Baconator Apr 2019 #173
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