Virgin shifting me out of my seat.

[ERICSMUM]

I’ve travelled solo for years and was often asked to move so people could sit together. After a while I would refuse, because I always ended up in a poor seat. Once I had reduced recline, or a large metal box under the seat in front -nowhere for my feet or bag, near the toilets so people were forever leaning on my seat-back while queuing. Etc

Once I had to sit next to a man who must have been 30 stone. He overhung half of my space, then dozed off, snored and kept dropping his head onto my shoulder. I assume whoever asked to be moved did so after seeing this bloke. If it happened now I would complain and ask for my original seat back ! I was timid back then 😱

After a few times of being moved, I refused. I really don’t care if people want to sit together - tough !

I’m lucky enough now to go Club World and even if moved I wouldn’t mind.

[scoobydooby]

Originally Posted by ERICSMUM

Once I had to sit next to a man who must have been 30 stone. He overhung half of my space, then dozed off, snored and kept dropping his head onto my shoulder. I assume whoever asked to be moved did so after seeing this bloke. If it happened now I would complain and ask for my original seat back ! I was timid back then 😱
.

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I’d you take up more than one seat you should pay for more than one seat IMO. We had this one year. We upgraded on the way home checking in to ELR seats. Me and DH two together and the kids on a row of three. Now that was my fault I wasn’t paying attention. However. Their third person sat on the end seat and more than half of my DD’s seat. Fell asleep with his head leaning on the tray having taken a sleeping pill after take off and didn’t move for the whole flight. Most miserable flight they’ve ever had! DD did climb over him twice with my permission. Not easily I might add 😂

[duchy]

Originally Posted by ABZDisney

If it happens, stand your ground & suggest that the person sitting next to you offers to swap his or her seat with the person sitting next to their friend / partner / husband / wife etc.
Very rarely do people want to swap their seat for a worse seat but they do expect you to do it.

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I've actually overheard this scenario and the man asking for the swop actually had the brass neck to say "but that's a worse seat I'm not sitting back there". He got the reply from the lady he wanted to move "Oh I agree ... I don't either " smiled at him stuck her headphones on and picked up a magazine.

I've had the experience of a man sitting in my seat dismissively tell me I need to sit in his seat just in front (he wanted the empty seat next to mine as well as his own guess he hadn't noticed my son standing behind me whose the "empty seat" was , although as he was six foot then it's hard to understand how). I asked him to return to his seat again, he refused , so I got the cabin crew to do it . Soon as we took off he violently reclined slamming the seat back . Temper, temper !

Another time on a very light flight I asked the cabin crew if I could move to an empty row, she agreed and another passenger started shouting because HE wanted that empty row (there were others available). "She needs to move I'm a Gold Medallion" (fairly high Delta frequent flyer) I was tempted to whip out MY Gold Medallion card and shove it in his face , but just smiled at the FA and pointed to where it said Gold in large letters on my boarding card. I kept my row, he took another with poor grace.

People are very odd.

[Kraken]

Originally Posted by duchy

I've actually overheard this scenario and the man asking for the swop actually had the brass neck to say "but that's a worse seat I'm not sitting back there". He got the reply from the lady he wanted to move "Oh I agree ... I don't either " smiled at him stuck her headphones on and picked up a magazine.

I've had the experience of a man sitting in my seat dismissively tell me I need to sit in his seat just in front (he wanted the empty seat next to mine as well as his own guess he hadn't noticed my son standing behind me whose the "empty seat" was , although as he was six foot then it's hard to understand how). I asked him to return to his seat again, he refused , so I got the cabin crew to do it . Soon as we took off he violently reclined slamming the seat back . Temper, temper !

Another time on a very light flight I asked the cabin crew if I could move to an empty row, she agreed and another passenger started shouting because HE wanted that empty row (there were others available). "She needs to move I'm a Gold Medallion" (fairly high Delta frequent flyer) I was tempted to whip out MY Gold Medallion card and shove it in his face , but just smiled at the FA and pointed to where it said Gold in large letters on my boarding card. I kept my row, he took another with poor grace.

People are very odd.

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Delta Medallion - my girlfriend (a Virgin Flight Service Manager) has no end of hassle from them, particularly on the MAN-ATL route that used to be operated by Delta, but is now operated by Virgin.

It seems that on internal US flights, Delta have a policy in place to upgrade Medallion frequent flyers on a "space available" basis from Coach [Economy] to First. As such, some Medallion customers target flights they know are likely to have a light load and book in Economy (way cheaper) safe in the knowledge if there is space in First they'll more than likely get a free upgrade.

My girlfriend has been summoned by a passenger [with his Diamond Medallion card - the highest level] in Premium Economy whilst on the ground at MAN. He said he could see an empty seat in Upper Class and he should be given it. Unlike Delta, Virgin have a policy of no operational upgrades unless needed. She just advised him that when she looked, the outside of the plane said Virgin Atlantic & if he prefers Delta upgrade policy he should fly with them - from London. A rather deflated passenger who put his Medallion card away pretty fast.

[TGT]

I 'chose' to move on a flight last year - I tend to book aisle, OH books window as he likes to control the blind and I like to get out. Sometimes we get lucky and the teddy bears we travel with get the middle seat if it stays empty.

Aisle seats have smaller under-seat space, so my bear-filled backpack was underneath the OH's window seat as more room when a young male of a religious order took his seat between us on a full-flight. He, and the male people he was travelling with, then endeavoured to get me (a female) moved as he couldn't sit next to a female under his religion. One of his party negotiated an aisle seat 3 rows back with a man in it - we could just swap, right? Well, no, my backpack is under the OH's seat and I'm not sitting too far from the bears and I wasn't sure they'd fit under the aisle seat. Things got a bit heated among them - they were on standby, the Flight Attendant's were lovely - "It's HER seat and she doesn't have to move. If you'd care to be left behind feel free to get off now." I had booked it almost a year earlier. OH just knew folks were trying to get me moved-he hadn't grasped why.

So, we took off as the FAs were not prepared to delay the flight any longer and we took off - poor religious chap leaning towards my OH's seat, totally not looking at or towards me and pretending I wasn't there.

Now, on the one hand the egalitarian in me was incensed that in 2018 a man - of ANY religious order - could NOT sit next to an unrelated female? Seriously? This was probably a little of my motivation NOT to move, that and being separated from the bears.

However, the nicer part of me, felt sorry for the guy having to suffer being sat next to ME (crazy bear lady) for the next 8 hours. So, after we'd taken off I called over the FA and said IF I could get my bears under the seat, I'd be okay with moving. They were very apologetic, no, I didn't HAVE to move. I said, I knew I didn't HAVE to move, but it would make their flight easier if I did and I didn't care that much as long as I had an aisle seat.

So, I got OH to give me the bear-bag and headed to the sit 3 rows back, while the chap from there moved up. As it was the bears were fine under the aisle seat.

FA: But I thought you wanted to stay near your other half they said
Me: Oh, no, I just wanted to be near my bears! haha

Have to say it worked out well for me as, later on in the flight I was offered 10,000 miles for being so co-operative, well worth it. As I was sitting next to a stranger anyway.

After we landed and I explained what had happened the OH said if they'd just spoken to him, he could have swapped places with the religious chap so he'd be at the window and protected from being seated next to me. I didn't think OH would want to move so hadn't suggested it, but in hindsight it would have been the easy option. Wouldn't have earned me any miles however.

[lizzie145]

I've seen this before and it really annoys me and they were removed from the flight as they refused to sit down.

I would have refused to move as they should book seats to ensure this does not happen

[arabella]

last time flying with virgin, booked the bubble, sadly not dibb row, but the one in front on the left, got there and there was a lady settling herself into my booked and paid for seat!
i always carry my boarding pass in my hand and when i politely stated that the window seat was mine she said no it was her seat
i had booked the window, my sister was in the middle and this lady was the isle.
i did not move, and as i am apple shaped no one was getting round me
the cabin stewardess came over i showed my boarding with the seat number on it
the stewardess was a bit scary, she took one look at my seat number and turned to the interloper in my seat and in a scary voice said "move", to be fair they were racing to get every one sat as not to loose the take off slot so they were not messing around.
which the woman did apologising as she thought that was her seat! chancer!
dont know why she wanted the window as her 2 children were in the 2 seat on the other side which if i was daft enough to sit in the isle i would have been closer to her young kids than her!
the rest of the flight never heard a peep out of her even when both me and the sister had to get out to use the loo.

[Gill H]

One time I did get moved, on a BA flight home from Madrid. We had done OLCI the night before and chose two seats at random. I didn’t notice they were exit row seats until we got on the plane. As I am more Baymax than Baywatch, I had asked for an extender seatbelt. When the crew member brought it, she said the extenders were not allowed in exit rows because they could trail on the floor and be a danger.

She politely and discreetly asked if we would mind moving, then found a couple further down who were willing to move (they both had long legs so were delighted!)

All very smooth and I was in awe of her tact and diplomacy!

[Powlay]

There will always be a chance you will be moved and unfortunately you agree to the terms and conditions that they can do so.

Despite booking 300 or 3000 days in advance its not your seat. Its the airlines.

Obviously if its a downgrade they will pay compensation as the terms and conditions say.

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by Powlay

There will always be a chance you will be moved and unfortunately you agree to the terms and conditions that they can do so.

Despite booking 300 or 3000 days in advance its not your seat. Its the airlines.

Obviously if its a downgrade they will pay compensation as the terms and conditions say.

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Most people accept that this could happen, especially to accommodate someone with a valid need - illness, mobility issues or family with very young children.

But if it’s for the simple convenience of or to pamper to a whim of someone else who did not pay to reserve their chosen seats, then sorry, tough !