I accidentally sat in someone else's seat and he ended up taking mine. I wouldn't normally care to swap a window for a window, but it was an exit row. When I first sat down, I was initially surprised to find myself in a "regular" set because I thought I booked an exit row (and it turned out that I was right). I figured they just swapped planes like they did to me last week, but in fact, I mistakingly sat in the seat number from my previous leg. Anyway, long story short, I looked at my boarding pass, told him my seat number , and started to pack up to move. However, rather than waiting for me and without even asking if I minded, he sat down in my exit row seat, turned around and said, "Thanks!" He then giggled ... I was in shock and didn't know how to react. It was one of those situations where someone does or says something so blatantly rude that you're rendered speechless. In the end, I bit my lip, but what would you have done?
You're kidding right? I'd giggle right back and say "good try" and take my seat (or get the FA if there was a problem with the "gentleman"
Hi - a couple of questions clarified would make this easier to understand/opine on: 1-Was this other person standing in the aisle when this happened? 2-Did he approach the seat you were in erroneously? 3-Did you tell him what seat you were actually assigned? How did he know you had an exit row? 4-How long was the flight? (Nice blog you have going, too!)
Well, rude is sitting in the wrong seat in the first place. It happens to everyone. I know of the 50 flight segments I take a year, I'm bound to mess up at least once. Usually because some domestic F seats are different on some airlines. 2C is a right side on some, and a left side on the others. If it's a huge issue for you, tell him, no, I'll get in my correct seat. If he refuses, call a FA. Better than stewing about it for days and raising a stink here.
I wrote the post while I was on the flight, so I didn't let is sit for days. Anyway, I do appreciate your opinion. I'll chalk one under the "you're overreacting" column and I probably was, but that's why I posted. Thanks for keeping me grounded. I do have to say that I don't think it's rude to sit in someone else's seat if it was a mistake.
If it was a mistake, not rude. The "feigned mistakes" are obvious and rude, however. More than once, I've done it because of habit - flying ABCD F cabins and ACDF F cabins.
Perhaps rude is too strong. Perhaps saying, "Not reading your boarding pass is inconsiderate to the passenger whose seat you are occupying". A mistake, certainly. One that you can control, of course. I make the same mistake once a year, so I'm not casting stones on this one. I find people in my seat 4-5 times a year, so I'm one usually the one looking at someone in my seat.
As long as the person occupying the incorrect seat is getting up and not making a scene, I think it's a non-issue.
Total agreement. Twice this year I have had someone confuse Gate and Seat assignment. In both cases my seat was the same as the gate and the person in the seat was a row back. In both cases they were very embarrassed so it is clear that both were an honest mistake.
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