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.
@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!!!