You used to be able to take any open seat in your cabin once the doors closed. You might move closer to the front, grab an aisle seat, or head for an empty row in the back so you could stretch out.
As a kid I remember making a bee-line for an empty middle row on an American Airlines flight from Honolulu to Sydney, so I could lay down and sleep.
- Self-upgrading was never allowed. You couldn’t just move from economy to business class.
- Now, though, airlines charge for ‘premium’ seats in coach so they don’t usually let you go from regular coach to extra legroom seats for free, even if the seats are empty once the doors close.
- People might not pay if they knew they could take an extra legroom seat for free that was empty once everyone had boarded!
The norms have changed but passengers don’t always know this in advance, which makes for a stark clash of expectations. One American Airlines passenger was shocked to learn that nobody would be permitted to spread out into wide open exit rows on a recent flight.
Although he wound up in a bulkhead seat (he calls it an exit) and it’s not clear how. He proceeds to sully the privilege with his feet propped up on the wall.
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Years ago open seats were pretty much fair game. Now different airlines take different approaches. Southwest still has open seating, for a little while longer! And once you’re on the plane it’s Lord of the Flies complete with seat-saving and crumpled up tissues to keep people away from the middle seat they hope to save.
Sitting in an open seat that can never be sold (because the plane is already in the air) is not the same thing as taking something away from the airline or anyone else. The airline loses nothing. It’s even the same passenger weight carried, so no increased fuel burn.
Seven years ago American started offering free alcohol to passengers in their extra legroom coach seats.
Back then the ability to change seats took on added significance (and cost to the airline). Still, the policy allowing customers to move remained in place at the time.
That changed in 2022, with the airline telling flight attendants that they should police passengers moving from regular coach up to extra legroom seats (“Main Cabin Extra”). Not all flight attendants will enforce this, but some do.
It’s not unusual for Main Cabin (MC) customers to ask to change seats after they’ve boarded the aircraft – to sit next to a family member or get out of a middle seat, for instance. However, customers may not be familiar with our seat change policy; particularly when it comes to Main Cabin Extra (MCE) seats.
While you may allow a customer to move to an available Main Cabin seat after boarding is complete, they’re not permitted to move into an MCE seat unless they are booked in that class. So, if a customer asks to move to a seat in a different seat classification (i.e., MC ot MCE, MCE to First, etc.) politely decline their request unless there is a customer service or regulatory conflict present.
If a customer asks to change seats before the boarding door closes, work with the gate agent to accommodate the request. As always, please remain on the aircraft to avoid a minimum crew violation while assisting the customer.
The argument that works here is: we do not allow passengers to move to better seats without paying extra (except under our own terms, for our operational convenience or elite perks) because that would encourage passengers to take a chance of getting the better seat free instead of paying in advance on future trips. And it’s their plane, their rules, and they can change the rules even after many decades of forming passenger expectations.
Changing to an open seat nobody else is using can’t be stealing because the airline hasn’t given up anything, and claiming it harms other passengers isn’t right either because other passengers still got exactly what they paid for. It is against the airline rules, not theft, but it is still not allowed if a flight attendant decides not to allow it.
I have been told not to move to a different seat or to move to a different seat, usually on regional jets, for weight and balance reasons.
Good, because PAX complain if the FAs let them go into those seats since they had to pay extra!
The problem is, you will start having people fight over the one open MCE….all kinds of issues.
I’ve received far too many complaints from passengers who were made to pay to sit there. They claim it’s unfair. I stopped allowing free upgrades to those sections because of it. Passengers have no one to blame but themselves.
I disagree, if every seat and seat selection option has been monetized , then changing a seat after doors closed devalues the purchase those that chose to do have made.
It’s not about the airline costs, it’s about the perceived value of the paying customer versus the entitlement culture of squatters.
The only time it would make sense for the FA to move pax, is under the direction of the Captain for a weight and balance issue or if they are able to capture the payment at the POS.
Not sure why this is news. AA and every domestic airline has decided to charge for upgraded seats. You pay for the service you receive or you don’t get it. What’s so hard other than understand that you get what you pay for and you are NOT ENTITLED to a seat juts because it’s empty. There are no squatters’ rights on an airplane.
FWIW, every time I see someone with their dirty shoes on the walls (phrases like “disrespectful, entitled, disgusting pig” come to mind) I am reminded just how uncivilized people behave on airplanes. I wonder how many people sit at home in a chair with their shoes on and their feet planted against the wall. No respect for people around them and no consideration for other people’s property.
if the passenger really really want the Empty Exit Row Seat, he/she would pay up, wouldn’t they?
what’s the problem?
Volaris allows customers to upgrade to the exit row seats while in flight. The crew just pulls out the credit card terminal and you can pay for the upgrade on the spot. One time I saw a big guy try to grab a premium seat for himself but the flight attendant told him to pay up or go back to his original seat. The fact that he did that annoyed me because he was trying to take something that he didn’t pay for.
The people who try to do this are the same ones who scrolled past the $20 more fare to buy they ticket they did- while lamenting that “tHe GoVErNmENt sHouLd MaKe tHe AiRLiNes mAkE biGGer SeATs”
Nothing wrong with voting with your wallet. The market speaks loud and clear when you see so many of those coach-plus seats unsold but the someone with pewter quartz peasant medallion status in a minimum kneeroom middle seat is holding out hope for an upgrade. I got no problem with all that. It’s just funny to see the indignity when someone gets denied a self-upgrade, when they could have just paid $20 more for that seat.
It does seem like an easy fix to charge on the spot for an upgrade. You can already buy food and drink with a credit card after the door closes.
Kinda surprised we’ve yet to the the (incorrect) argument: “it cost the airline nothing once the doors close.”
The unhappy princess in the rust Lululemon joggers and OnCloud sneakers is Zako Ryan, a comedian who regularly performs in Chicago. Website is zakoryan dot com. Hilarious reading on that website, wherein she declares herself to be a rising national star and comedic virtuoso.
that would be a move to a higher (main cabin extra) class seat, no you are not allowed to upgrade yourself. quit being so entitled! just because you paid the lowest fare you can find, doesn’t mean you own the plane.
That’s only an ‘issue’ when the plane isn’t full. However, in most cases, there’s simply no open seats. In those cases, you’re more likely to see Standby, or even ‘Basic’ Economy (unassigned seat), getting ‘cleared’ to DL’s Comfort+, UA’s Economy Plus, or AA’s Main Cabin Extra–it’s kinda ironic, isn’t it?
The guy with his feet on the bulkhead is sitting in seat 1B in first class. You can tell by the seat and the lack of a third pouch where the safety card would be for the middle seat. Not sure why that passenger would post it.
The passengers know its more for an upgrade. The gate agents announce it and so do the flight attendants. Basic economy is what you pay for and thats what you get. Passengers try to get away with. It and not fair other people who pay for extra leg room and the dummies try and get it fir free.
hmmmmm it’s sad to read that so many of those commenting have acguiesed to the fact that you must pay to have a seat…..hmmmmmm that is what the “fare” should include
@FlyerEsq. — Counselor, you are partially-correct: That’s First Class, not an Exit Row.
However, whether that uncouth fellow with the feet up is in ‘1B’ or ‘1C’ is open for discussion–Yes, this is nitpicking, aviation-geek-edition. True, on some of AA’s Boeing 737s, the first row of First, 2-2 seat configuration, is indeed A&B (aisle) D&F. But, on most of AA’s Airbus aircraft and some 737s, first row of First, 2-2, is A&C (aisle) D&F. So, it depends.
His photo is grainy, and nothing specific identifies it, except maybe the shape of the window (which is more square, suggesting it’s a 737, not an Airbus). So, yes, it could be 1B, but it also could be 1C. Hmm. What a mystery! What a needless distraction! Yippie!
@Mark Gilio — No one is debating whether you get “a” seat–the question is “which particular” seat, and is that seat better or worse, subjectively or objectively, and does it cost more or less, which is all up for debate, and apparently, some seats come at a premium, even within the same class of service. If they’re all the same to you, then please take the last row, middle, no recline, next to the lav.
The airlines can do what they want. This is a capitalist country. The douchebag who puts his feet up the wall in retaliation doesn’t deserve a better seat. Everyone needs to be civil when flying. Everyone knew when they bought their seats exactly where it’s located. You should never expect to be upgraded or be allowed to move. Ever. Obviously the king of bulkhead thought otherwise.I hope his legs buckled when he finally stood up. People are so rude and entitled.
Unless this person was an elite they would not get that seat free so no they should not have been allowed to take it for free. Of course the FA would probably not know that passenger’s status, beyond EXP and CK. Those levels are visible to the FAs.
My understanding is that exit rows need to have qualified passengers in them and from time to time you will hear the GA offering them for free if they need to be filled. Presumably as long as one passenger is in the row that’s satisfactory.
My opinion is that this did not even take place,because he is sitting in first class in the bulkhead seat,he just wants attention,and unfortunately this article his giving it to him
This shouldn’t be about money, it’s a safety issue. Someone needs to be assigned to that exit door in the event of an emergency. No exit row should go empty. You need someone that has been briefed, willing and able to assist in the event of an evacuation. This should become a FAA CFR FAR.
Whatever happened to just being nice, and kind to one another?
This whole american “F#&k you, I got mine.” attitude is destroying this country, well that and trumps “winning.”
The only thing sitting in an empty seat hurts, is some wealthy persons sense of entitlement. How can we know he’s better than everyone else if they allow any riff raff just to sit in that seat?
It’s not just in air travel either,
I just watched a Walmart employee destroy thousands of dollars worth of food, food that was still petfectly good to eat, instead of giving it to people that actually really need it, or to a food bank.
I’m starting to hope that asteroid that was in the news a few weeks ago actually hits.
Give the next apex species a try, humanity has failed.
If airlines can take your money for a check-in while giving away free check ins at the gate, then they can give away free seats.
Stop defending greed. Y’all are literally the reason airlines have taken advantage of consumers post 9/11.
My wife and I buy the main cabin extra space seats for every flight. We pay extra to sit there. I’d be pissed if someone else got to sit next to me who didn’t have to pay extra. Last time flying AA there were open seats across the isle and the FA stopped someone from moving who did not pay extra. She did let me move across though. Sit in the section you pay for.
I know a lot of your readers will not agree with me but I think American or any other airline that charges a fee for a better seat or offers these seats as an upgrade for their elite frequent fliers has every right to deny the seat to someone who is trying to get this seat for free. In the event of an emergency, the flight attendants will assign able bodied individuals to these seats. That’s common sense. Let’s remember, accidents in aviation are still extremely rare events. People trying to stir the pot need to remember this.
If you walk into a 7-11 and want a bottle of water, you don’t just take it from the cooler and walk out. You gotta pay for it. If you were having a medical emergency or needed to take a pill, the clerk would offer water. This is a rare event, but it can happen. If and when it does, then common sense kicks in. Someone will help you. No different with the exit seats. Flight attendants will manage IF needed. If we are in danger, you’ll have people lined up volunteering to get out as quickly as possible.
With that said, if the customer had their feelings hurt because the flight attendant called them out on their shenanigans, they should spend time thinking more about seat selection when booking their next flight. Lesson learned.
I have flown American over 7,000,000 miles in my life.
Since Dec, 2024, I ha had 5 Prblems passing thru CLT to get to RDU.mostly Delays, one over 6 hrs. AA always stepped up to Ease the Pain. Until this past Tuesday. I was coming home thru Clt on a 1st Class Ticket. I arrive early into TPA, – CLT., called AA to see if I could catch an earlier Flt home, was Told Yes. PAID AN Up charge to move…to this earlier Flt. Which would get me Home 2 Hours early. BUT. When I arrived at CLT,ran to my next Gate, showed My Ticket, to board. GATE Agent said I was Not On this Earlier Flt to RDU. I produced and Gave him My Receipt, Clearly Showing the Change. He refused to let me board, and sent me to a Suoervisor who said Again, You are nit on this Flt. I Showed her the Receipt for the Change, and as I did, Saw My 1st Class Seats had been assigned to some else for an Upgrade. I pointed that out to the Agent. She did not care. Then I noticed the stand by list fill out. I asked if She would get me Any seat. She said….the Flt is now Dold Out. She refused to allow to get on the Flt, in the Seat I Paid fore. I walked from A8 – B8, my next, original Flt. I found a Supervisor there, showed here my receipt,who told Me “In the Computer System it Clearly Showed I was in 1C, on that previous Flt.. she noted these disturbing facts. I wrote Aa, all about the above and for the 1st time in my life asked for a Refund for the Whole Fiasco. They denied and Gave me a $100.00 Credit tiward another Flt. AMERICA IS SINKING…..I am Very Nice about this type of Stuff. The Agent in CLT had a Very Bad,SAD Attitude. I think, since the Seat I Paid for had been Upgraded to someone else and that person’s Prior Seat was given to a Standby. It was Easier to deny me ,because I was kind and Polite about than have to go tell Bith of those Seated people they had to move. American is Loosing Customers….very Sad.
Not news , comedian promotion , bs story
Is he the same jerk with his feet on the bulkhead? This is old news , so he should have known. When I pay for a premium seat, I dont appreciate a freeloader squeezing in next to men after takeoff
Self-upgrading definitely used to be allowed. Not usually, but often the attendants would invite people up to empty FC seats.
Setting aside the feet on the wall (drives me crazy) if he wanted to go from a first class seat to an exit row he should have been allowed to do so. It’s at the minimum a 1:1 switch. It’s not like he was shoved into 29B. The aisle bulk head seats IME are the worst in the domestic first class cabin but I’d still take 1E or 1D over an exit row seat.
Flight attendant on a power trip here.
I’m a retired Delta Flight Attendant. We allowed people yo move into the exit row after door closed but not more into Delta Confort . My crews were always laid back and were more Tham happy to accommodate passengers
The blog author, the guy with his nasty shoes on the bulkhead, and the person who wanted something for free, are all entitled d-bags that need a reality check.
If you want to sit in the exit row, pay to sit in the exit row. If self-upgrades were allowed, nobody would buy them & count on the self-upgrade option.
My first thought when I read the article and confirmed while reading comments is CONSISTENCY. If the policies, safety (w/b, exit row pre-screened, etc.) as well as maintaining a professional and organized flight so the Flight Attendants can efficiently serve all the passengers… are not being enforced. This creates confusion, thus can easily lead to anger and outbursts. The example I noted immediately was, what if 5 passengers wanted that seat. Per policy no one would be favored. I side with the Airlines, but policies are there for a reason. Not to be picked and chosen when wanted.
My 2¢s
God I hate your articles….
You have never been legally allowed to move after the door closes, despite what anyone says. Weight and balance is calculated for everyone being in their assigned seats. This analogy is no different than not allowing someone to sit in an open business seat that they DIDN’T PAY FOR.
If you want an upgrade or a better seat.. pay for it!
Don’t just expect to be allowed to move, because the better seat is empty!
That wouldn’t be fair to passengers like me, that we in advance pay extra for first class seats or even for the better seats towards the front of the cabin.
Those people can take their entitlement elsewhere…
I agree with the attendant and American Airlines. They should pay for.the.privelege.
if the seat is empty in the exit row, how is it fair for one.person to decide who gets it for free ?
I’m sure many more people in the cabin would like it.also.
Seeing this no-class, self entitled, woke prick with fuzzy pants putting his feet up on the bulkhead makes me believe the day has come that people like this should be beaten bloody with a bat by other passengers and then banned from flying on any airline for life… I COULDN’T TAKE AN EMPTY SEAT I DIDN’T PAY FOR…WAHHHHHH!!!!!
That’s a ridiculous rule.
Although people’s giant egos will fight over them, once the plane is in the air, everybody should just be cool about this kind of thing.
Pay up or scram
People who pay for the extra room in the exit rows, do so for the comfort and extra space. If anyone could just move into the exit row it would not be right for the paying passenger! There are reasons for this rule and it also saves the flight attendants from arguments about who should sit in the seats. Common sense if you understand how passengers are sometimes, it eliminates the drama and frustration . just sayin!
Next time I book a hotel I want a free upgrade to the presidential suite for free if it’s empty. Not one but difference
“Kinda surprised we’ve yet to the the (incorrect) argument: “it cost the airline nothing once the doors close.”
Explain how there is a cost to the airline if someone changes seats “once the doors close”.
If passengers didn’t like their seat selection they should have flown SWA. Plenty of opportunities to change seats on Dallas to Oakland “see an airport and land” fligh t (DAL-MAF-ELP-PHX-LAX- OAK) . . . but no more. Passengers wanted assigned seats, supposedly.
@John Smith – you wrote,
“God I hate your articles….
You have never been legally allowed to move after the door closes, despite what anyone says. ”
I literally posted internal American Airlines guidance which used to allow passengers to move sets after doors-close.
Airlines are going to be hit hard this year and since they have no loyalty or concern for their ticket holders they have no loyalty to fall back on. They definitely need to be regulated in regard to what they can sell so they can’t keep slicing bits off one price and selling it separately.
Simple, if you want a seat that is considered an upgrade pay for it. Stop acting like a child as if the airline is not losing something. Its their plane, their policy and their decision! I was a General Manager for an airline and this became the most entitled act of all.
If the flight attendant allows you to move no problem if they say no than its no.
” No is a complete sentence that requires no further explanation “. Don’t assume they will say yes, because when they don’t you get mad….Just be mad then.
Late stage American capitalism at work. The only thing that matters is the quarterly profit statement. Not customer loyalty, not good will, not long term revenue. Today’s companies can’t see past the ends of their noses.
Guy sounds like a white dude for cumala.
@bob, not letting people steal is not a negative. I know lefties can’t think logically or critically but please try.
My wife works as a Flight Attendant for an Airline that charges for the extra leg room seats! They are told by their employer that it is against company policy to “upgrade” passengers in any way including those seats, and can be disciplined up to and including termination for doing so without charging; or with the Gate Agents or Captains authorization! They are not willy-nilly making up the rules!
@Bob — I enjoyed your and @Patricia Sharkey’s references to economic theories–as if that mattered here. (It doesn’t.) The airlines are indeed ‘a business, not a charity,’ and they do certainly do charge extra for things, regardless of whether it’s in the USA, ‘communist’ Vietnam, or ‘socialist’ Scandinavia. The only airline I’m aware of that didn’t was Southwest, but they’re ending their somewhat-egalitarian, ‘no assigned seats’ policy soon anyways. So, it’s really not about any particular economic theory, but thanks for bringing that up anyway!
That’s company policy. This is not a democracy. It’s a private, for profit company.
Seems to me that if you are sitting in an exit row, the carrier expects you to assist the crew in case an evacuation is declared. Is the passenger paid to augment the crew? I think not! So if those seats are empty, would that not be an issue of safety for the passengers on board that aircraft?
I disagree with your reasoning about letting someone sit in a seat they didn’t pay for. This spring I was on Avelo and there were empty exit row seats next to me. I paid extra to sit in mine. A man helped himself to one and when he realized no was going to tell him to move back in his original seat, he went to the seat he paid for and brought all his things including a computer to watch a movie on. I was insulted because I paid $50 extra to sit in my seat and this chap just helped himself and sneaked into a seat. Very unfair.
This is a bad article, rules are rules,airlines are business to make money if you want extra leg room you have to pay for it! Is like going to restaurant and pay for tacos but you want lobster just because is there! Stop blaming flight attendant, agents and airlines passengers want everything for free!
I agree with @Ken saheki about recruiting a passenger to sit in each exit row so that they can handle the door as needed in an emergency. The few seconds of clearing the door may make a difference in an emergency evacuation. The passenger has to be fit enough to handle the job.
As someone who doesn’t travel often, I don’t see the logic of not allowing people to change their seats, even though they stay in their seat category. The plane door is shut, no more money to be made on seats. Just not very customer friendly. I find the charges applied to squeeze into a row, let alone a seat is insulting. Unfortunately, there are times we have no choice. Hoping businesses that directly serve the customer get back to putting the customer first and not gouge them for every penny.
@Marinela Calcerrada — Off topic, but now that I’m paying more attention to it I noticed your name on the upgrade list would be CAL, M. Very cool!
Feet on the bulkhead? He’s not only entitled, he’s also a pig.
This was just an issue on our most recent flight from Sacramento to Ft Lauderdale. The FA’S would not allow anyone to upgrade to empty exit row ,(2 empty exit rows) However, I believe it was the gate agent on board for whatever reason gave the OK. The FA’S said as long as she ok’d the move that was fine. They stated they themselves could not approve a seat change or they would face disciplinary actions.
One of.the problems with paying for a seat is you don’t always get what is advertised. Flight delays, cancelation or equipment swaps. On top of that you may think great I will pay the extra $75 for a.seat as the row is empty, only to find people with BASIC fares get seated in your row at departure.
Growth up. Ask nicely and highly likely you will get it. I did it few times and always got it. Dont be cheap and entitle.
Gary – So if two passengers have status or paid for an exit row and are in aisle and window you think the middle seat that would otherwise be empty should be given away as a freebie because everyone got what they paid for?
When I was a f/a they could move anywhere (except fc & bc, of course). We watched that like a hawk (more work for us in those cabins). We loved them stretching out & sleeping . That way they wouldn’t try to bug the shit out of us. The less interaction the better.
When I was a f/a they could move anywhere (except fc & bc, of course). We watched that like a hawk (more work for us in those cabins). We loved them stretching out & sleeping . That way they wouldn’t try to bug the shit out of us. The less interaction the better.
If 10 people ask and you tell them no then someone moves to a premium seat and you let them then you’ve got 10 angry people. Do it “the right way”, at the gate.
If I’ve paid for economy plus regard less of its location, why should you get that for free? I applaud the airlines for charging you the difference.
This isn’t exactly breaking news.
Yes – but if you deny people taking them, they might pay next time. Using the same argument – why not let people take Business class seats when empty.
Most people moving up – know the rules. United – the FA will come around and ask for a Credit Card since you moved seats.
Recently, I was on a very empty flight and the FA came to the exit rows – only 3 people sitting there out of 12 (me one). She said the is only supposed to be one person here. One woman had moved up. In my case – I was #1 on upgrade list but hadn’t cleared. I kept checking after all boarding was completed – but no upgrade. So when FA questioned me, I looked again and sure enough I was upgraded and then moved up front.
AA charges extra for those seats except Elites (same as First). If you want it then pay. Once a few years back on a transcom – sitting in the exit row, the middle was empty – very nice for two EXPs. But then a guy from the back – has a basic economy boarding pass – moved up. But the FA never said anything at that time. He knew what he was doing – by a BE ticket and as soon as the door close -move up.
I appreciate – AA starting to enforce this. But now I find that many times there is a non-rev FA put in that middle seat.
It’s probably unrealistic, but if they offered an app-based real-time auction right after doors closed, you would have perfect maximization of income and fairness to those who were interested in the seats and willing to pay the price.
In this battle between airline greed on the one side and freeloaders on the other side, taking any position apparently gets you yelled at in the comments. Despite that risk….
Hey Airlines: stop being so greedy and we wouldn’t even have to have this conversation. Heck, if you’ll wouldn’t keep making the back seats so cramped, you’d find that many folks wouldn’t bother to try to self-upgrade to MCE. Also, upgrade more of your loyal customers (versus the focus on selling first class for cash — or agreeing in a CBA that deadhead pilots get first class) and they’ll care less about the MCE self-upgraders.
Hey Self-upgraders: you’re freeloaders and no arguments about airline greed change that. Stop acting like this is a human rights issue. I get your point in theory, but you just sound selfish with the tortured logic arguing how it’s not unfair to the folks who did pay (or qualified) for MCE. In fact, I think the real issue here is that there’s no physical separation between the cramped seats and the extra legroom seats. No one here is saying I could upgrade myself from MCE to first class — I wonder if that’s because it just *feels* different when there’s no half-wall and thin curtain of separation between 25E and 10A.
I BOYCOTTED AMERICAN AIRLINES LONG AGO FOR THE B.S NONSENSE
On a short flight on Air New Zealand a few years ago, I was on the aisle of a full row of three ecom. The other side of three ecom only had its window seat occupied. After the door closed, I moved across the aisle to the empty aisle, and signaled to the middle seated stranger to take my aisle. A few min later, an attendant came to ask me to move back to my original seat. Then she showed the empty aisle to someone from back she obviously knew (a small country). She also did a few more relocations to a few more people before we took off. Later the middle seat person told me that the flight attendants have the power of relocation.
Exit seats require that the passengers must be qualified to occupy them. Flight attendants are required to conduct a briefing before the aircraft door is closed. Perhaps, independent of the air carrier’s policy about upgrades, they require flight attendants to comply with regulations about exit seat criteria and briefings. If the door is closed, the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign is on, and all passengers must also be seated, so there’s not time for a passenger to be reseated.
@L737 — Excellent callback! Keep CAL, M …and carry-on! …unless you’re in Group 8+, because then that’s probably a gate-check at best.
Um.. the seat the guy is sitting in is business class. Not sure what his beef is if this is real.
@1990 — Bah! Well played friend, well played.
It’s ok Gary, I didn’t get the CK invite either.
BTW, odds are Mr Feet half the way up the wall probably wouldn’t be ambulatory had he been needed to operate the door.
… so I could *lie down …
This type of article can easily encourage combative passengers and create dangerous situations for everyone on the plane. If the plane was booked to capacity people wouldn’t insist on taking someone’s seat, but the psychology of wanting it for free because it’s empty is pure consumerism brain rot. What an irresponsible piece. how entitled do you gave to be to have the nerve to sit down and write an article about how you deserve to break the rules and get what you want.
Airlines are definitely not what they used to be… the company used to be really nice and accommodating… not anymore people have been so rude airline personnel have to be strict and not exactly “ nice” anymore
If exit row is empty, don’t worry about it, FA will assign someone to sit in the exit row in case of emergency landing (before landing,evacuation).
Nothing in life is free. If you going into the grocery and a particular product isn’t selling do you ask to have it free?
Delta might have the right approach – they always upgrade loyalty members people to fill the premium seats. That eliminates people self-upgrading on the plane.
So glad I don’t have to deal with entitled people like this anymore. If you want an upgraded seat so much, book & pay for it like everyone else. And get your feet off the wall, petulant child.
Dang. I’m about 99 percent sure this article is about me on my recent redeye to Dallas from pdx. I certainly appreciated the offer from the flight attendant. The seat was nice. The entire exit row on both sides was empty in the row in front of us. That is ridiculous that she said no to someone moving there, but it is what it is. It was my neighbor in the middle seat that asked the attendant if I could move because my lack of legroom was bothering him. Thanks for the article even if it wasn’t about me, the same exact thing happened, so it’s weird that Google would share that with me…
You can tell which people here never owned a company before. No pay, no play.
All of a sudden, everyone wants to be a helper at the exit rows. Yet, no one looks at their safety card. No one even pays attention to the safety demonstration. Everyone shuts their window shade for takeoff and landing, therefore,.having NO idea of the plane is even landing rightside up.Your.devices are still plugged into the outlet and your bags are blocking the exit. But yet, YOU think you’re qualified because the seat is vacant.
Gimme a break with that entitled BS. Even Starbucks won’t let you use their toilets unless you buy an $8 cup of coffee.
I usually PAY for an exit row seat.Nothing pees me off more then when people take these seats when they haven’t paid for them…especially if I have an empty seat or two next to me then all of a sudden, I have some freeloader sitting next to me. If you want a nicer seat, PAY FOR IT! And people who sit in the bulkhead seat with their feet up the wall only show themselves up for being obtuse. Lastly, I have never known airlines to let you swap seats once the doors are closed. If they allow it at all, it has always been after takeoff…
It’s the airline’s policy so it’s not the flight attendant’s whether it’s allowed by one or not needs to be understood! It’s the same as someone upgrading another passenger to a business class or first class seat. That is not allowed regardless of who it is that someone wants to personally upgrade! The airline doesn’t allow that either and that fact needs to be understood also!
@1990 Proving once again that capitalist pig doesn’t come close to describing your relentless and humiliating on your knees deference to corporate airlines who screw the common man traveler.
How do you sleep at night, oligarchy boy???
They’ve have every right to leave those seats empty. If a 3rd row center seat on Broadway is empty when the curtain comes up, you just can’t run down from the balcony and sit in it. Why should these paid seats be any different?
Not just a money issue but a safety issue.
The gate agents have to vet the person to be qualified. The F.A. does not nor should do this.
At a car dealership – Bought a KIA, driving off the lot, sees a FORD F250 just sitting there empty. Stops, gets into the truck and tries to drive off. Well, it wasn’t being bought and it is a bigger.
Department Store – Bought a $25 shirt because it was cheap and didn’t want to spend more, walks past a $200 shirt. Takes that instead because it was just hanging there and no one was buying it.
If even one person has prepaid for the privilege of sitting in the exit row, then it is unfair to that person to move anyone else up for free.
And besides, the over wing exits are considered a “secondary” exit. In this case of an emergency FA’s would rather have passengers evacuating with the trained professionals at the forward and rear cabin doors.
What I don’t get is why none of these airlines, besides Spirit (AFAIK) aren’t set up to let passengers pay for an upgrade once on board. They see something they didn’t necessarily decide or know they wanted before, they want it, they pay for it. Everybody’s happy. Seems like a no brainer.
I don’t understand how most people don’t get that AA is a for profit company and this is now against their policy.
This is like saying to a hotel, I know you have a suite available, I’m going to sleep in it.
It’s not the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s anymore Gary, so you’re reference of how you used to do this is about 30 years late.
So I was at a seafood restaurant and they had leftover lobster but they wouldn’t give me one for free!!! SAME THING!! PAY FOR THE UPGRADE!!!
Geez. Pay up if you want exit row seats. As simple as that. I love how KLM enforces this. I wish more airlines enforces this. You get what you pay for. Of course the airlines lost money if you get an extra leg room without paying. Your last sentence is dumb. Same thing can be said about self upgrade to business class. Don’t serve me J food. It is not theft because airline will not lose money and other passengers still get what they want. What a stupid argument.
Good.
Why didn’t the person pay?
Guess they didn’t want the extra leg room after all?
So sick of entitled Karens and Darens. Why not try and walk up to first class too??
Bad article.
This is a clickbait piece because you already pointed out all the reasons for denying him the exit row seat.
So in the end the FA had every right to deny him the seat and is probably instructed to do by management.
Pointing out how it used to be makes you sound like someone with “good old days” syndrome.
Times change and people have to deal with that. Too many people think, it is all about them.
We just paid over $500 extra for exit row seats on 3 segments to Tokyo and didn’t receive a single exit row. Not only that American airlines also made us fly over a day late and in Dallas we almost missed the flight because they had the wrong gate posted on the departure board. And they stuck us in different middle row seats when the seat next to me was open, not even letting us seat together.
I’m just flashing back to the person who paid for an extra leg room seat with points and was mad when someone from regular economy made a mad dash for the open seats next to them when they remained open after the door was closed. Who is entitled to those seats more? To me, no one is, but it causes unnecessary drama. So I’m not surprised if flight attendants default answer is no.
I agree with the above comments. You should remain only in your assigned seat. No seat switching or moving to another seat allowed for any reason. You can not move to a business or first class seat even it it is empty because people who paid extra for those seats look dumb if airlines allow that.
Reread it. Did the article say that tou cannot pay to upgrade once in the air? Did it say seats left empty in a high priced exit row will result in a safety omission for passengers?
Actually, seat assignment algorithm is designed to optimize the longitudinal center of gravity of the plane: the closer it is to the optimum, the less the pilot has to use trim (reducing drag) to maintain the plane “flat”. So changing seat, even for the same category few rows up or down, still costs airline money. It’s a fact.
A left/right imbalance is less important, as the wing fuel tanks can easily be used to adjust center of gravity.
They have the same ability to upgrade as I do…no sympathy, they knew what they were doing or it was made abundantly clear
I used to move people until a guest wrote in and complained that they weren’t one of the chosen ones to move. If I don’t have 160 exits seats to move everyone else to, then no one gets to move unless you buy it.
This could have been a safety issue for weight and balance. People need to do their research for complaining. Weight and balance is life threatening.
First of all when you book a flight and you do not pay for a seat which I find absolutely ridiculous to begin with, but even still the airlines make it a habit when you book a flight to assign you a middle seat if you do not pay for one, this does not in any way help the customer, I have been on a plane halve the plane was empty so why was I assigned a middle seat, especially when the seats are assigned 20 minutes before boarding, and my opinion that is not customer service, now if the plane is full that’s a totally different story, kadus to all those airlines who act like an ex-wife
I’m thinking of the instances where a parent notices some random passenger. They sidle up to this unsuspecting person and ask/demand they surrender their seat so that a child may sit with them or near them.
Of course the passenger says no. And when that occurs, the self entitled narcissistic parent blasts everyone on social media about the “selfish” person who didn’t want to lose an upgraded seat due to poor planning , being late, etc.
How is it the airlines don’t step in and make the parent pay for their desire to upgrade?
If I paid the extra and you got it for free. I would ask them to make you move back. Also leard how to travel and not be a cretin, keep your damn feet off of the wall. People have to clean after you. I bet you took a piss right before boarding and stood in the urine on the floor in the dirty airport bathrooms. Dumazz.
Stupid article. I pay for the extra legroom. I’ll protest a seat stealer. I’m tired of these Karen’s and Daren’s.
When you go to a basketball game, do you help yourself to a courtside seat when the game starts becauseyou see an open seat available? What about taking the box seats at an opera because the regular patrons did not show up? You think in an emergency, no one is going to open the exit because they are not sitting there? Stupid article. Anyone who puts his feet up against the wall is a slob; the airplane is not your home.
There should always be at least one possibly two people in each exit row. Plane goes down are you going to care who paid for exit seats? Any delay in getting the door open is unacceptable and I bet lawyers will stick it to them. This is 100% money > safety.
First of all passengers moving around a plane can change the c/g and the weight and balances of the plane which has nothing to do with fuel burn but safety and control. That’s why passengers on half empty planes will have seats reassigned at the gate. I remember when people were far less angry or concerned with what others do but now people get so angry and cause conflict when they see someone upgrade themselves when they don’t have the same opportunity. Also remember that his cheap seat is as a result of the airlines able to get more for higher charges on more premium seats. If no one over all paid more for those seats then your cheap seat would cost more.
All above arguments are irrelevant.
Fly DELTA instead
They’re much more relaxed and accommodating. I was even asked by flight attendant if I wanted to change to an empty
row from 3 across
Oh, and if you have pre ordered a meal, tell the crew of your seat swap. Or you may not get your meal.
People will not say they didn’t order a special if it’s offered to them. They don’t care if they deprive someone else.
I don’t think this is about the airlines losing anything (money) or not, but it’s not fair for those pax that actually paid for the extra leg room.
The flight attendant didn’t deny her to move, she just told her she has to pay. Sooo the point of this article is showing the flight attendant did their job? SMH
So why do people still accommodate an airline that is obviously hostile to them? I stopped using united years ago because of experiencing surly stewards and getting chintzty resentful service. I would rather reorganize my time a little bit for a more pleasant encounter in the air.
“Explain how there is a cost to the airline if someone changes seats ‘once the doors close.’
We do not live in a single-period world. Those who paid extra will becangry. If Braniff lets people upgrade and Eastern does not, those people switch to Eastern. It costs Braniff to let them move. Also, people know the Braniff policy, so they are less likely to pay extra for a bettercseat, and Braniff loses money. I could go m on, but these two prove my poiht.
Don’t tell anyone, I can still remember eating a meal on a cross country flight … the sky is not friendly anymore … on one flight the flight attendant needed the row to stretch out, wish I’d taken the picture to share.
Funny! Of course a person that put their dirty shoes on the wall while setting at the bulkhead would complain about not being able to move to a better seat. If you wanted that seat, pay the extra money and stop looking for handouts. Those seats cost extra money so stop being cheap and just pay for the extra legroom. It’s not the airlines fault that you weren’t able to move, it’s yours because when you bought the ticket, you had the options to choose where you wanted to sit (1st class, main cabin extra and main cabin) and you chose the cheaper seats so deal with.
The Emergency exit row. LOL. This week on a 2 hour domestic hop, I observed two very frail, elderly folks, who were unable to lift their own bags to the overhead bin, occupy two exit row seats. On the other side of the aisle, a lady who had her right arm in a sling, siting shoulder surgery. Every man for themself!
“I could go m on, but these two prove my poiht.”
Nope, they prove nothing. Your “argument” is little more than speculation. Let’s see your facts to prove your contention. Sorry, there is no cost to the airline from “seat changers”.
That’s how ignorant everyone has become. EVERY airline had free checked bags before 911 and really the market crash and high oil prices of around 2004-2009. . Every airline accommodated passengers. Every airline had it where you paid the ticket for the flight NOT an additional charge for some seat. That’s greedy. If the seat is OPEN then they should allow someone to sit there. They didn’t sell it so why should they piss customers off any more?
And how idiotic not put someone in the emergency row. So all the sudden airline don’t care if there’s an emergency? Don’t want anyone “willing and able” to open that door in case of an emergency? Greedy bastards.
Exit row passengers must be briefed by flight attendants BEFORE the plane’s doors are closed. This briefing is mandated by aviation regulations and ensures passengers understand their responsibilities in an emergency, specifically, how to operate emergency exits if needed.
After the main cabin door closes, no one should be moved to the exit row.
Yet the seat in question has an emergency exit if I’m reading this right! Thus for safety purposes should it not always be occupied? If a stewardess has to take time away from her evacuation duties to open and man the exit all on board are put in increased jeopardy!
To Dave W: Maybe that’s why your two airline examples have long been outta business
Gary Leff keeps playing this same, tired old tune over and over. Gary, get over it. If there are 150 people in coach, what if they all went for the same open upgrade seats at the same time? How would the flight attendants decide who gets the seat? Wrestle off in the galley? I can say with certainty that if you attend a play, musical, opera, ballet, or any sporting event, no one will allow you to move from the third balcony to open orchestra seats after the show starts
This is a dumb article. The guy is talking about how he has his legs propped up… well he’s sitting in a first class seat on ann Airbus 319. So this is all a lot anyways and just a way to get clicks. A little pathetic.
Eliminate the drama of trying to move to a seat with 2 inches more legroom just do what seems to be the new trend and become a phoney wheelchair passenger they’re always one of the first to board and 90% of the time will get an aisle seat and if you pay attention when the flight lands the wheelchairs that are waiting for those passengers at their destination are mostly unused because those “wheelchair” passengers are running outta the airport faster than OJ Simpson in those old Hertz commercials, this along with the bogus support animal must be stopped
Your feet up on the wall, how inappropriate. You look like a jerk. Very unsanitary too.
I agree sit changing only if is within the same class and when the plane is not full. But a free upgrade thats a no no, you wanna be cheap then u get what u pay for plain and simple.
As most planes fly completely or close to full, weight balance is NOT the reason to not allow passengers to move.
@stephen rochman — Your comment “Fly DELTA instead” brought joy to myself, @Tim Dunn, and @Matt, who has been pitching us to ‘please consider Delta’ for months now. Keep Climbing (to better seating arrangements.) Bah!
@Mike P — Sir, it’s been a while, welcome back. I’ll debate you because we tend to be contrarians of each other on here (for fun? spite?) There is a cost (to the airline from “seat changers”) because they could have made more money on the upsell to the different seats. Not always, but it’s possible. Anyway, got any good quotes for us these days? Twain? (Dare I say… Sowell?)
Darn shame!!!!
You have to pay more because you are talk & sexy-handsome like me.
Sounds like another person who feels entitled to free upgrades. People who pay extra and use points for those seats. The extra leg room and free alcoholic drinks are part of the extra costs. The author’s reasonings on why he should have the seat for free is illogical, selfish, and arrogant. We are not condoning your “poor pitiful me” act because a flight attendant followed procedure and said no. Grow up.
@JimC2 – I am very late to the party here so odds are you’re not going to see this. I pay for revenue F domestically and have for years now. I also think that government absolutely SHOULD mandate minimum seat width and pitch in the U.S. domestic market for a number of important reasons. My politics are usually libertarian, but not on this particular issue. Airline seats are a finite resource, and they are a public conveyance no matter how much folks like you may wish to argue otherwise.
I am a flight attendant and this article is completely wrong. I always move people back to their assigned seat, when they decide to upgrade themselves. It’s not fair to those passengers who actually paid for the upgrade and extra legroom. Only moving passengers if the captain asks me to, due to weight and balance issue, which is serious. The writer of this article is not well informed. Stop spreading wrong info!!
The cheap bastard doesn’t want to pay extra for an empty row of seats. He shows his low class upbringing by putting his feet up on the wall, which generally shows you everything you need to know about this douchebag.
It’s always the low-class white trash flyers that complain about having to pay extra
I love how the entitled moron thinks if nobody is sitting in the exit row seat., NOBODY will open the exit in an emergency.
1. Flight attendants know their job. Passengers are way more likely to screw up.
2. If this guy thinks HE is the savior needed in an emergency… those passengers are doomed.
Pay up if it’s that important, dipstick.
I don’t mind paying an extra 45 bucks for a longer (3+ hr) flight
I book that for a guaranteed restful event
I remember booking an exit row window seat and getting absolutely smooshed bt two 300 pounder NFL size gentlemen. It was then I would have scratched someone’s eyes out for a middle seat in coach!
So, the guy and the writer want the passengers to just duke it out over the single seat with extra leg room that NONE of them wanted to pay for…? How exactly will that make flying more enjoyable or orderly.
People just like to complain about non-issues.
Gary Leff….dumpster diving for ‘news’ again!
No different than someone who wants to move to some other premium seat like a bulkhead or business or first!!!
You didn’t buy it you can’t have it.
As a commoner reading an industry piece, I’m fascinated by the difference in the tone of the comments. I don’t know anybody who likes the per-seat upcharges involved in modern air travel, but this comment section really skews toward the naked money grab. Interesting, how we really do have two different Americas.
The seats have never been free game unless on Southwest. The flight attendants on all their others duties did not generally enforce the assigned seats. The companies are now prioritizing this, now they can upgrade you to an exit row seat from their efad. Want a different seat ask the gate agent nicely before boarding. Otherwise sit in your seat. Seat row/zone can affect aircraft weight and balance.
If you want more room, pay for it. So much entitlement in our society. You got the seat that you paid for. Sit down and be quiet.
The exit row does come with additional requirements and duties should an evacuation become necessary. They are making me PAY for that?? Are they going to pay me if I have to do anything beyond sit there?? This is nothing but a BS money grab.
On the other hand, you may not be stealing from the airline but, if I just paid $80 for the extra leg room, I’m gonna be a little pissed that your cheap a$$ got it for free.
Same holds true for AirAsia.
Disgusting. I would be damn happy to have a first responder, a pilot, a crew member, an air marshall, or any active military in any exit row seats (without the need for them to purchase an upgrade.) All I know is that the current system is broken. $125 extra bucks to ensure your “chicken” meal and a recliner? Ridiculous.
Lmaoooooo this is me but that picture isn’t even me hahahahhaa. IM THE KING!!
Just ensure the pilot is happy & has his proper seat. The rest is not my business.
Yes. Airline has their right to do so. But that’s how passengers will choose other airlines instead of theirs. Sometime giving out extra little perks doesn’t hurt.
Why is this even a story? Who would go but a Toyota Yaris then try and drive off with a Lexus just because it’s not being used? This society of entitlement is out of control, and now we have people writing articles about it.
And Yes, this is definitely a cost issue. If you want an upgrade to anything in life it will cost you. And as for the putting people in the exit row to assist, that’s a bigger issue with more variables than I care to explain. Getting called in for a meeting and possible facing discipline to give someone a better seat is not worth it.