A Melbourne-based couple traveling on Virgin Australia couldn’t get seats next to each other in business class when they booked. Virgin’s Boeing 737 premium cabin has just two rows up front.
So they took a window seat and an aisle seat on the other side of the aircraft, and tried to switch with another passenger when they boarded.
- The husband with the aisle seat asked the man sitting in an aisle seat next to his wife if he’d switch. That man would just be trading an aisle for an aisle, but he refused.
- He did offer to switch with the wife, though, so that he’d take the window and she’d have an aisle seat – across the aisle from her husband.
- The husband pleaded to let him sit with his wife, noting the other passenger wouldn’t be giving up anything and it was her birthday. But the stranger wouldn’t budge.
A couple of things strike me as odd. While the couple couldn’t bear to be apart (but still in the same row) for this domestic flight within Australia, they did not take the man up on his offer to let them sit in aisle seats across from each other. (Explanation: she’s “super nauseous’ and needs to be near a window.) And – apparently – they choose to focus on this rather than being happy with switching passengers in window seats.
Swapping would have been ‘the nice thing to do’ but ultimately “will you switch seats?” is a yes or no question and the passenger whose seat you want can choose which one to say. The husband framed his approach the correct way initially – at least offering something of equal value – too many passengers offer up their worse seat and want someone to give up a better one. But really lost his cool when denied.
@jaykloss_ AM I IN THE WRONG?! #wow #seatselection #fyp ♬ original sound – JK
I was once asked to change seats so that a couple could sit together, only to learn that they were already seated together, they just didn’t like the bulkhead, and they stuck me with the bulkhead (I don’t like the bulkhead either!).
A reader once gave up his premium seat so that a family could sit together only to have the family sell that seat to another passenger and not actually sit together.
You should book seats together if it is at all possible, even if it’s more costly to do so. You shouldn’t impose a cost on other passengers to save yourself money, though sometimes you can get away with it. However if there aren’t seats together, or you lose your seats together for operational reasons (my wife and I were split apart on our honeymoon by an air marshal so we asked another passenger to switch), then it’s reasonable to make the request.
It is also reasonable for the other passenger to refuse that request. They have a property right (or, really, a usufructuary right) in the seat to which they’re assigned – at least in Western societies. (In Nigeria your seat may be considered to belong to your elders out of respect.)
If the passenger won’t switch for free, what about paying them for their seat? I once paid a young teenager $5 not to recline on a Cleveland – Los Angeles flight so I could work on my laptop (I had their parents’ permission). That’s a straightforward Coasian solution to the problem.
In the end a cabin with just 8 seats isn’t always going to accommodate people together, especially when not booking early, but fortunately such an aircraft usually operates shorter flights. So unless it’s a child you’re trying to sit with, who needs supervision, then splitting up may not be that big of a deal.
There are no middle seats in Biz class. Last Friday I was window bulkhead in first. Wife in window row 5 in first. LAS to ATL. Wife seat mate in 5B gladly switched with me. This has happened fairly frequently and about 90% of the time passengers have been accommodating. I have switched as well when asked for the same arrangement by others.
Am I the only one wondering why this idiot feels the need to be posting shirtless?
I despise the bulkhead and will never trade if the “new” seat is bulkhead. People should not be pushy if it is bulkhead.
Plenty of folks are superstitious – or particular- about where they sit on a plane, espicially in business class. Its not unheard of that someone wouldnt want to switch in this case, and I cant fault them. People should assume that that travellers chose their seats on purpurse FAR more often then they just play seating roulette and dont care where their asses land. If sitting together was so damnm important to this guy, he should have booked a flight that had two available seats next to eachother.
The whole “do you mind switching seats” gambit gets me red hot. Its completely unbfair to the innocent passenger whose just sitting in their assigned seat.They are practically forced to make the change or they risk a very unbcomfortable ride next to a disgruntled seat partner. And forget about it if its an unfair trade or miles away from your already stored luggage. Just a bad start to a trip all around.
Gary – I read this story on another source and there is a little more to it. At the end they said the person in the window seat next to the husband agreed to switch w the wife (window for window in the same row) so they did end up sitting together.
I agree people can refuse to move. I recently refused when asked to give up an aisle seat for a middle. Felt a little bad since it was a dad wanting to sit w her daughter but couldn’t do a middle for a 4 hours flight. However in this case the guy refused to switch from. An aisle seat to the other aisle seat in the same row. IMHO that is a BS move and no way should anyone refuse that request.
Gary’s examples (the bulkhead and the selling the switched seat) are one reason I will NEVER willingly trade seats with someone.
“You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the h___ else are you talking…you talking to me? Well, I’m the only one here. Who the f___ do you think you’re talking to? Oh, yeah? OK.”
(I only comply with flight staff direction. Given other passengers, I tend to channel Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver.)
I’m in this same situation tomorrow. Hope I don’t lose my cool. 😉 Business class 10.5hr flight with my wife one row in front of me in the center pair of seats. Even after a switch everyone will have an aisle and no one will have a window. Seems like someone will switch unless two people really have a preference for the right aisle.
Plot twist: the wife’s birthday wish when she blew out her candles earlier in the day was to not have to sit next to this piece of work on the plane
Am I the only person here who actually likes bulkhead? Then again, I mostly sit on the aisle. However, bulkhead is the only time I will ever take a middle seat. There’s a big difference to me to be trapped with five people surrounding me rather than eight.
LESSON OF THE DAY- I was today years old when I learned the word “usufructuary”.
Thanks, Gary
Why did he not book two adjacant seats when he made the reservation?
THat’s right. He left it until the last minute, expecting everyone else’s welfare to bail him out.
@Roman, @Gary. “usufructuary”: Gary finally got some payoff from studying all those SAT vocabulary words back in high school.
@ Thing 1 — Skin gets followers on the internet.
@ Gary — If the scenario is truly as described, the guy refusing to switch seats sounds like a jerk.
I just don’t understand it. My last trip on a 320 wife and I isle middle exit row. Window occupant shows up and starts crying that her husband is in the row infront. Not only did she want one of us to move to the husband seat, a middle seat that does not recline she got upset that we both said no.
She was saved by the window occupant of the row in front. He took our row window, and why not our seats were the 2nd row of exit row and reclined.
I just wish I didn’t have to put up with the fit put up by this woman who can’t tell that their borading passes had different row numbers.
I didn’t bother watching the rant…
However, I prefer aisle seats on the left side of the aircraft. I am unlikely to switch seats. I am totally deaf in my left ear and cannot effectively communicate with someone from that side. Therefore my right ear goes to the aisle to be able to communicate with the flight crew
this is the latest “How can we still the passenger” move from so called low cost airlines. They are all doing it, and purposely book two people who book together, apart. At the check in counter they pop the question “Would you like to sit together, its only $25.00 to do that ?”
A carrier tried that with me in Canada and I told them where they can stick their reservation. The flight was 60% full. Hopefully passengers will check this at booking and stay away from the perpetrators.
It’s his seat!!!!! He doesn’t need a reason why he doesn’t want to change.
No is NO!!!
I have seen some pretty egregious displays of dissatisfaction when people say no. Those experiences have prepared me for my answer which will always be no. I don’t owe them an explanation and I won’t even say I am sorry.
With one exception, come at me with money in your hand and a clear idea of what I would be trading for. Money is your only chance. Now the onus is on you to explain why you won’t pay to sit next to your new wife.
Asked once to trade in first to a bulkhead so a couple could sit together, I politely declined stating I did not like the bulkhead. The woman in the bulkhead seat next to her partner preferred bulkhead so she didn’t want to switch, so the couple had to spend 2 hour apart for the flight and of course I could hear them make some derogatory remarks later.
@Stan – fully understand but to not switch from a business class seat on the aisle to the seat directly across the aisle is very petty and frankly shows the guys is a horse’s a**. I can’t remember a time I didn’t switch seats in first (aka business on this flight) class if requested. Now in coach I am not doing it unless it is a comparable seat in the same general area but first just isn’t a big deal. Maybe you want an aisle and won’t take a window but that isn’t the case here. Just seems like someone wanted to be stubborn because he could.
There is a big difference BTW in having the RIGHT to do something and doing what is right. Too many can’t seem to understand that.
Frankly, this whole story seemed full of holes when I saw it. It seemed more like someone trying to get attention for his TikTok by using an issue that he knows is contentious than something that likely actually happened. First of all, he said it was Virgin Atlantic (rather than Virgin Australia) and Virgin Atlantic doesn’t have any such configuration (they haven’t had narrowbody planes since before TikTok existed.) Then his picture was of the empty plane. What did he do, wait onboard in the front 2 rows until the whole plane had disembarked to get the photo? Then the feigned outrage over someone not swapping the seat that they had selected with him just seems over-the-top. It just seemed a lot more likely to be the usual TikTok clickbait than something that actually happened.
For the information of non Australia readers – when you go through the process to purchase a Virgin Australia flight on their website you get to choose your seats before you pay for the booking.
(This is not the case with Qantas wherein your purchase first and seat select later).
On main routes there are many flights per day to choose from.
Obviously, these people could have booked through a third party.
@ vbscript2
That dude got global coverage…;)
@platy – it appears there weren’t any seats together when they booked
I had a passenger tell me once that she and her husband see each other everyday so it’s not a big deal to not be seated together.
Probably one of those wasted Aussie drunkards…. 5x vaccinated so is his ugly fat ass wife. Lol
Not my fault if you don’t plan ahead. I select my seats carefully. I hate when entitled people ask me to change seats. Even worse is when they try to get the FAs to ask. Like really? I selected my seat for a reason. Its funny I never get asked to switch seats when I have a crap seat. Not once. But if I have an optimal seat suddenly everyone needs to sit together or whatever. The husband/wife story is garbage. They wouldn’t swap the window seats, so clearly it wasn’t THAT important that they sit together. The only time I made a switch was because some mother was travelling with her child and she wanted to know if he could sit in the window seat instead of the middle. She was willing to move to the middle and give me the aisle. I selected the window seat because I like looking out the window. That being said this was a young kid and I have been on countless flights so I’d rather encourage his interest in flying and let him have the experience.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why a couple/friends/whomever cannot be separated for a few hours when they’re GOING TO THE SAME PLACE. You can’t put on your headphones and quietly watch a movie or take a nap? My husband and I never sit in the same row – he likes aisle row 1, I like window row 2. We live together. We’re going to be spending xx days together wherever we’re headed. We can be more than four inches apart for a few hours. Really, you’ll all live.
Here is one that drives me insane when asked to switch seats when I paid for Business or first and I specifically chose the seat that I’m sitting in by someone who just got a free upgrade with their spouse and then get pissy when no one will switch. Happened to me on a 6 hour flight to Hawaii. I prefer the bulkhead and was asked to sit 2 rows back in a window seat. I said no and that’s when the comments started to fly.
BTW, they were sitting together in coach.
I watched that guy’s video and he was dragged in the video comments! People don’t like these seat change requests these days. Personally, what I think happens a lot (not in his case) is couples book in Basic economy to save money and then just expect everyone to accommodate them when they are separated. Someone asked me at Christmas to move from my paid exit row to two rows up and I just said no and looked annoyed. I’m 6’2″ and flying already sucks for me so I try to minimize my discomfort as much as humanly possible when my budget allows!
I still don’t get why people think they can just willy-nilly change seats without clearing with airline staff; they need to approve all changes for emergency identification, ask any flight attendant!
@AC I actually have a bad shoulder and try to sit Aisle with that shoulder on the aisle side so I can move my arm a bit during flight without bumping my neighbor. Switching sides breaks that flexibility for me. Not saying I’d never do it, but it does matter to me which side I am on.
I get mad when upgraders ask me to switch. Upgrades clear late, so selection is limited, but it won’t kill you to sit apart. When I feel picky I buy first or business.
No. Sue me
People need to grow up and NO adults do not get to cry and complain about not sitting together. If you are unable to go about your day without being next to your significant other then maybe you aren’t old enough to be let out without a babysitter.
Just watch your own video and you should realise what you’re missing
Really getting tired of people booking seats then asking for forgiveness. Others planned ahead. Not that hard.
Pick your seat(s) as early as possible. If you don’t tough luck. I will only switch like for like and have refused multiple requests from people that obviously didn’t bother.
I’ve had multiple issues on AA where I was sitting in the last row of MCE and people from 1-2 rows behind asked to change seats. Whether they were ignorant or trying to intentionally self-upgrade is another whole question
Sooo, you wouldn’t pay the extra bucks on that saver fare. You know, the one that assigns seats at check in rather than you pre-selecting a seat.
Then expect everyone who probably did pay the extra bucks to accommodate you.
Ummm, no.
One ME carrier has business class saver with no advanced seat selection. The advanced system selection is around $500 more. We pay it to not get stuck somewhere nobody else wanted to begin with.
No sympathy. No Swap.
My wife and I were asked (on our first anniversary trip) if we would like to upgrade to first class with seats that are not together from our “together” seats in coach. You can bet we did that in a heartbeat!
Pay to upgrade for seats together or take what you get & STFU. It sounds like the guy was willing to swap with your wife so the two of you could sit together, but she liked her seat better than you.
How is this a story?
Sigh…..just bring out the Benjamin’s already…..sigh.
For those saying he should have booked together, he tried but there is limited business class seating so he just hoped he could get close as possible and some one would change. In sorry but I find it very creepy that the guy refused to change preferring to stay seated next to someone’s wife. Especially in the same row literary 1 foot over. I think I would have s problem with that
Dude is a complete and utter loser. Oxygen thief.
I have a bad knee, so I try to sit on the left side of plane if possible. Why should I move and why do I need to explain? I don’t, If I said no, try someone else or deal with what you booked.
@John: Exactly. Commenters like @Gene are just too stupid to understand.
In this case, I’m on the side of the couple. The guy was offered an opposite aisle and clearly had no issue with the row itself (so either wasn’t a bulkhead or he liked bulkhead). That’s an easy switch.
Just sit where you’re assigned! If you can’t be away from that person for a bit then maybe you should fly privately. I choose my seats with intent. If I have to pay extra then I do. It’s worth the extra bucks to me. My daughter and I both like aisle seats and on a flight someone was sitting in my seat because he wanted to sit next to his SO. I asked him to move and he said “don’t you work for the airline? You get your seats for free.” That is neither here nor there…it’s my seat. I then told him to MOVE! They made a big production about seeing each other when they landed. Come to find out he had a middle seat several rows back. I would never ask anyone to switch seats. I would take advantage of the solitude. *places earbuds in ears*
I will say that occasionally there is reason to change but this should be done by flight attendants (or better yet at the gate). We have had flights where we have booked seats together and the airline changed seats (usually due to aircraft change) once sitting our 3 year old by herself 20 rows away. It usually get fixed at the gate but you have to ask. At least once they had us board and make the flight attendants rearrange people. Not ideal, but it happens. But if I must be continously touching my spouse for a 3 hour flight, I should buy those seats and probably seek therapy.
Heck, my spouse and I usually don’t even book together as we often book aisle and window hoping to get lucky with empty middle