A United Airlines passenger flying from Newark to Phoenix got $500 for switching seats with another passenger. The flight was full – oversold even- and a gate agent called him up before the flight.
For $500 would you move from 21C to 24C”? Between the thoughtful way she approached me and the stress I saw on her face, I said “Of course”. Gave me a big hug and the $500 flight credit was in my account when I landed 🙂
Passengers are asked to change seats all the time. Usually they’re asked to give up something better (like the exit row aisle seat this passenger had) for something worse (like a middle seat in the back) all to help another passenger sit with their kids or spouse, when they failed to plan ahead and secure the seats they needed or were unwilling to pay to reserve the seats that they wanted.
Here, though, is the right way to resolve things. If you’re asking someone to give up something better compensate them for what they’re losing. In this case, they wound up with $500 towards future travel on United!
If you don’t have the gate agent willing to part with the airline’s scrip, consider offering your own cash. I’ve paid a child (with their parent’s permission) not to recline their seat on a Cleveland – Los Angeles flight so that I could work.
Nevertheless, if you don’t want to pay, I find that a great way to get what you want in seat swaps is,
- Ask nicely. Don’t be presumptuous.
- Offer a compelling reason for the request.
- Have a decent seat to offer in return. Make sure you get an aisle, or a window, but never a middle. You can’t expect someone to take a less desirable seat to help you.
Of course, money still helps! 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.
- The reader had paid $69 for the seat.
- They switched for free.
- And the passenger they switched with turned around and sold it for $100.
Another passenger once charged an obese seatmate $150 for taking up too much space.
I told the guy, “Look, I’ll put up with this if you give me $150 — that’s half the cost of this flight and that would compensate me enough for the circumstances.”
He instantly agrees, pulls out cash and pays me. He even told me he appreciated it.
For years I’ve been writing that one simple way to solve conflicts in the sky and get what you want is just to find a Coasian solution: you each have an initial set of rights (like your seat assignment). Those rights can stand in the way of another passenger’s preferences. So find a (cash) bargain that makes everyone whole.
These days, I’m finding it easier to just book that last-row middle seat right from the start. Saves a lot of drama for everyone involved, and helps with a “Is this flight really necessary” attitude on my part.
@Gary —> You wrote above that “Passengers are asked to change seats all the time. Usually … all to help another passenger sit with their kids or spouse, when they failed to plan ahead and secure the seats they needed or were unwilling to pay to reserve the seats that they wanted.”
Not necessarily. My wife and I travel frequently, and often book Window (A or F) + Aisle (C or D) in the Exit Row. Sure, we are hoping no one grabs the middle seat, but on those occasions when someone does, they are usually quite happy to swap middle for aisle as we can sit next to one another. Sure this wouldn’t be an issue if we just booked both aisle seats, but my wife is definitely a “window person.”
Canada is a crazy country. You have to pay for seat selection even if you’re not flying basic economy.
Recently, I was flying with my opposite sex spouse and wanted to sit together. Rather than pay 2 seat selections or beg to trade inferior seats with better seats, I paid for a nice aisle seat near the front. Wife got a middle seat sort of in the back to middle. With that, it was easy to ask the aisle seat passenger next to her to switch to a forward aisle.
Sorry, I’m not going to give up my premium seat or exit row seat or aisle seat. I paid for them to be comfortable!
Should I be approached, my response is, “I’m comfortable where I am.” If someone insists, my next response is, “Can I see your boarding pass?” This deflects the bluffers and entitled!!
I got played once in my early years. Once bitten, twice shy.
Should point out that the original 21C was a reclining exit row. So passenger was being asked to downgrade to non economy plus. Right move by the agent.
@Denver Refugee — I often say to ‘set low expectations, and rarely will you be disappointed,’ but, you found the true low-bar. You are ‘the bravest pioneer’!
“(Denver Refugee) doesn’t do what (Denver Refugee) does for (Denver Refugee)… (Denver Refugee) does what (Denver Refugee) does because (Denver Refugee) is… (Denver Refugee).”
@1990 – Fortunately (or unfortunately), the bulk of my flights are short-haul (under 2.5 hours) and usually short-notice. So I often get that short end of the seating chart no matter what.
@Denver Refugee — Well, since you appear to be based in Denver, you’re nearly the geographic center of the contiguous United States, so you should be able to fly to most of the country in under 4 hours as it is. Most folks should be able to handle a sub-4 hour journey in Economy, even in a middle seat, even at the last-row, with no or limited recline, and, yes, next to a smelly lavatory, so long as it’s not that overflowing one on the United 772 that Gary recently posted about. Bah!
@L737 — Did you get the reference above? (One hint: James Cameron)
I’ll switch a window for a window. No if they offered $500 bucks I’ll be more than happy to take a middle seat on a domestic flight.
@Exit Row Seat – I like your comment.
When asked to switch seats, my initial thought is I’m dealing with someone that failed to plan or someone that is trying to scam me. Definitely have them show you their boarding pass.
I’m also reluctant to give up the seat I researched, selected, and paid for.
However, I’ll consider adequate monetary compensation via CASH, Zelle, or Venmo.
@derek, that was a very logical way to get two seats together while only paying for one. I will keep that in mind.
Classy move by the gate agent.
$500 credit to move three rows back and keep the aisle? Yes please. Can’t remember the last time someone asked to switch seats for me but after reading the regular horror stories here I’ll be sure to verify which seat I’m being offered to trade for!
@1990 Wow that is a throwback but I’m proud to say I got it! Glad to see the South Park vibes live on here
Yeah… Unless I am being upgraded considerably, I never switch seats. Not unless there’s substantial compensation for my troubles. Firstly, I’m a window seat guy, cause I like to look outside AND I love to record the takeoffs and landings as well as the night sky (if on a redeye). It’s hard enough to get a window seat as it is, depending on when I’m booking the seat. I’m normally beating everyone else to the chase and book when the flight is nearly empty several months before the departure(s) to ensure I get what I want. My wife is an Aisle seat person.
If I am asked to move seats, It must never be over the wing, directly behind the wing, a middle, or aisle seat. IF I am asked to move seats and it is a window seat, I will charge the person asking for the move to pay me the FULL last minute ticket price for booking that seat. If it is above the wing, directly behind it, OR an aisle seat, I charge the last minute booking price of the window seat plus 2x the cost. Of it is a middle seat anywhere in the plane but business or first class, I charge last minute booking price of the window seat plus 5x the cost. If I am asked to move and it is FROM business or first, I charge last minute booking price plus 20x the cost. If I’m aske to move TO business or first, I normally try to get the window seat if I can. If not, I’ll still be content, but I won’t charge for that move regardless of seat position. Before I move, I demand payment by zelle, cashapp, etc (no paypal). No payment, no seat. This normally deters people from pushing the move. I’ve been bitten 1 too many times to care about other people’s sob stories.
While I generally agree with “when they failed to plan ahead and secure the seats they needed or were unwilling to pay to reserve the seats that they wanted” I also recently flew with my family and AA changed the flight #/time and reshuffled our seats. I had a full row MCE lockout even. Came to find we were scattered about. I called ex plat line and they refused to swap anything around, leaving me to be this literal thing we hate. It was an insane conversation with AA really ruined my feelings on any value of ex plat. I was left to do all the passenger negotiations as well. I did have cash, but shouldn’t have been my issue.
I love a happy ending . . . quite rare in many instances of seat changes/swaps or irregular operations.
I flew from Miami to Newark several years ago on United. I was sat in the back row. A very very tall guy came to the back and said “that ain’t gonna work” obviously.
Then next thing, some poor guy was turfed out of his exit row seat and made to sit at the back.of the plane (can’t remember if it was an aisle or middle seat).
He was obviously and understandably not happy with having to give up his seat for this tall guy. The flight attendants were very dismissive and just told him to deal with it and complain when he got to Newark.
This experience along with Dr Dao who was forcibly removed from the plane made me vow to never fly United again.
In view of the great difference in econ. and econ. plus seat pricing, cash is necessary (no flight credit if dealing with agent); it makes such a big difference on a long flight when you only
have a narrow 17″ seat on a 737 in econ., & maybe, 17.5″ seat in econ. plus.
Won’t name the airline but last summer cc, seemingly at random told me I needed to move to an albeit better seat in the exit row. Splitting me and She Who Must Be Obeyed’ up. I’ve taught myself to be a pretty good lip reader ( see where this is going) and I’d gotten enough to understand so declined what I mistook to be an offer or request.
A scowl appeared on her face as she barked at me what I shortly after confirmed with the good lady. She was barking at me that I wasn’t being asked I was being told I needed to move seats. After my wife gave the cc enough rope to hang herself with she suggested she check her manifest or iPad where she’d find me listed as deaf, unable to communicate without wifey being with me to bridge the signing gap. That disabled pax should always be the very last to be moved, as per the airlines policy and lastly that it’s not permitted for me to sit there under various regulations.
Red faced she backed down before being asked to explain why she was unaware of the seating location of a disabled pax as she should’ve been then found a new target but apparently took a much less confrontational approach with them.
I fly enough to understand things like weights and balances but I kid you not the flight was a 3rd full at best and well distributed.
On this subject though I probably beat you all for not having to play the game. I legitimately can’t even hear them ask!
My headphones keep people from approaching me so I’ve never had to tell them my price for moving: $100 x the number of scheduled hours remaining in the flight. Cash.
Some people boarding the plane came from a canceled flight so obviously they couldn’t select any seat in advance. They are stuck with whatever empty are still left.
Several years ago an eccentric old lady sitting next to me on a long haul flight got quite upset and wanted my seat as well as her own, she said that her dead husband always sat next to her.
Easiest business class upgrade ever.