"Flight attendants have the authority to move people around and the flight attendant can ask someone," she says, emphasizing that seat trades should always be "equal." But Whitmore says there are two scenarios where it is “never” OK to ask for a switch.
"If someone asks you to switch seats, you are not obligated to do so or even consider it," she said. "You have the right to decline – politely, of course." Her pro tip: The other passenger may want to know why you won't move. But you don't have to give a reason.
Rosalinda Randall, an etiquette expert, told "GMA" no one is obligated to switch seats on a plane if asked to do so. However, she notes there's nothing wrong with asking “anybody anything.” “Also, be ready when someone replies to you with the answer that you weren't expecting,” Randall said. “So you can always ask.
"If there are not enough passengers who are willing to give up their seats voluntarily, an airline may deny you a seat on an aircraft based on criteria that it establishes, such as the passenger's check-in time, the fare paid by the passenger, or the passenger's frequent flyer status.
No need for any explanation. Simply say “ I'm sorry, no thank you! “ and go back to reading your book . Before I would think of declining, I might ask why they wanted to switch seats on this flight.
15 Airplane Hacks to Upgrade Your Flying Experience for FREE
Why would American Airlines change my seat?
We make every effort to ensure you get your chosen seat, but seat assignments are not guaranteed. We reserve the right to change seats for operational, safety or security reasons. You must check in at least 30 minutes before departure and be at the gate 15 minutes before departure or you may lose your seat.
“A cardinal rule of seat swaps is that you should never take someone else's seat before they board,” the blog states. As for how requests to swap seats should be handled by travellers, both Gottsman and The Points Guy say that passengers should feel comfortable declining if they don't want to give up their seat.
In case you haven't selected a seat at the booking time, random seats are assigned from the available ones, and the random seat assignment gets panelized as per the norms and rules of your preferred airlines so you must dial 1-802-341-3403 to reserve your seat.
Passengers who are denied boarding involuntarily due to oversales are entitled to compensation that is based on the price of their ticket, the length of time that they are delayed in getting to their destination because of being denied boarding, and whether their flight is a domestic flight or an international flight ...
If you have been allocated seats by the airline, the decision to give up your seat all comes down to your own judgement weighing up the circumstances and conscience to help someone who might genuinely need the move.
Can you ask the flight attendant to move to first class?
"You should ask the lead flight attendant or the flight attendant at the boarding door," said Bobby Laurie, a travel expert and former American Airlines flight attendant.
They can choose a home base airport: Some senior attendants may prefer particular routes and choose to commute by flying to their home base airport, though others may choose an airport close to home to reduce commuting time.
What happens if you don't select seats on a flight family?
It only states that it "can't guarantee that you'll sit with your friends and family" if you don't purchase seat assignments; it says that gate agents will work to provide adjacent seats for guests flying with children aged 13 and under whenever possible. There are ways to save money when purchasing your seats, though.
In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.
What does it mean if flight is confirmed but seat not reserved?
You probably would need to go to the vendor directly to pick a seat though. If you trip still says Confirmed, I would suggest contacting your company's travel agency as they will be the ones to process the trip and get it ticketed. They likely would also be able to help with picking a seat.
Currently, the world's longest flight is the 9,585-mile route between New York City and Singapore, operated by Singapore Airlines with a flying time of 18.5 hours.
The maximum height that a commercial airplane is allowed to reach when they fly is 42,000 feet, as this is the universally approved maximum altitude. This max altitude for airplanes is known as the “service ceiling.” Most commercial air jets fly at such a high altitude because it is known to optimize efficiency.
It depends on the manufacturer and plane model, but there are hidden sleeping compartments onboard that are usually located above the back section of economy class or up front, on top of first class. Most rest areas on long haul flights can sleep up to eight crew members at a time.
How do you ask someone to change their seat on a plane?
A polite way to ask someone to switch seats with you on an airplane is to start by introducing yourself and explaining why you would like the seat change. For example, Hi, my name is [name]. I'm traveling with a loved one and it would mean so much if we could sit together.
Would you mind if we switched seats? Explain the reason– My husband is sitting in that seat and I'd like to sit next to him if you wouldn't mind. Put the identifiable reason out there so that they can understand why you're asking in the first place.
Seat assignments, no matter the fare class you purchased, aren't guaranteed and could change without notice because of schedule changes, equipment swaps or other unforeseen circumstances.
Paid seating will not be refunded if you cancel your flight, are involuntarily upgraded due to over-sales, or are not suitable to sit in the seat type you have selected.
The total duty periods to which a crew member may be assigned shall not exceed: 60 duty hours in any 7 consecutive days; 110 duty hours in any 14 consecutive days; 190 duty hours in any 28 consecutive days, spread as evenly as practicable throughout that period.