On a Friday night I took a United flight from Boston to Chicago. I was sitting in an aisle seat with extended leg room when this 20ish woman asked if I would change seats with her so she could sit with her grandmother who was sitting in the middle seat. When I asked her where she was sitting, she replied that she was sitting in the middle seat in regular coach. I told her that I wouldn’t.
The flight was delayed and they allowed the passengers to get up. The young woman then proceeded to stand over the top of me for 3 hours and chat with her grandmother. Once they opened up rebooking for the next day I was Out of there!
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like you CAUSED the flight from hell for two other people. Shame on you!
How lame. You caused your own problem by not being a gentleman and allowing that young woman to sit with her grandmother. You deserved every last bit of "torment" (and I say that word with extreme sarcasm).
Horrible story. Wasn't a flight from hell or anything.
I disagree with these comments.
The original poster picked out his seat in advance to take advantage of leg room and location. Why should he have to move for someone who probably showed up late at the airport and expected to find two prime seats?
I'm going to have to agree with letter writer and Neil's. If I pay for and reserve a seat, it's my seat. Had the grandaughter had a comparable seat, I'm sure there would not have been an issue. OTOH, this is not a flight from hell.
Agreed. Premium coach seats on UAL cost extra. It was not a fair trade the young woman proposed. I would never ask someone in an aisle to trade for my middle, anymore than I'd ask someone to give me ten dollars in exchange for five. I plan ahead so I won't have to sit in a (very uncomfortable) middle seat, but I wouldn't ask someone else to give up their comfort in exchange because of my poor planning.
You were technically in the right but that doesn't make you any less of a douche.
I think Anonymous' comment sums this up quite well, even while keeping my original comment in mind.
I don't think he's a 'douche'…why didn't the woman book their seats together? She has has much access to online seating charts as anyone else. Why does 'being a gentleman' have to involve making up for someone elses' lack of preparation?
Maybe the grandmother should of traded her seat with the lady/man sitting next to her granddaughter. :] problem solved.
So because you ass holes show up late at the movie theater, I have to move, because you ass holes choose to not book your flights in time, where your Grannie can sit with you, I have to move. Procrastinators suck and they make life hell for the rest of us.
I agree with the poster and other who agree with him:
lack of preperation/planning on your part, does not constitute an emergency/response on my part!
I can understand this poster's issue… if you pick a seat for comfort in advance, and someone else doesn't but then expects you to move for their convenience, yeah, that's annoying. I mean, depending on how nice the person is who asks, maybe you'd want to do the really nice thing, but that's totally up to you.
Still, this isn't quite what I'd call a flight from hell.
Why didn't Grandma give up the seat in Economy Minus to the person next to Granddaughter allowing them to sit together? Obviously, Granddaughter wanted the extra legroom seat. This person either paid extra for premium seats or flies enough to be elite on the airline.
There is absolutely nothing in this story that says the OP acted rudely or badly to these people. Would you give up your seat in First for the same reason? Please.