Ever have to chase passenger out of your seat on airplane ?

[Dave Hess]

Ever have to chase passenger out of your seat on airplane ?
It happened to me today and I politely told woman this was my seat (first class, widow seat).

She promptly got up and moved to her correct seat as if she was hoping the seat would be empty and not booked.

I try to board as early as possible so this doesn’t happen.

 

[97prizm]

At least she got up. I've read of knock down drag out fights due to people being in the wrong seat.

 

[AZjeff]

We've had it happen at sporting events. No problem when flying Southwest.

 

[wwillson]

No, but twice I've had a mother ask me to give up my favorite seat on Southwest. Back row left side aisle seat, it's the best seat in the house. Both times there was a mom with two children and she didn't want to split up. I said sure and gave up my favorite seat to go sit in my not favorite seat. Both times the mom was gracious and happy that she didn't have to put one of her young children somewhere else. I was glad that both kids got to sit by their mom.

 

[4WD]

Yes

 

[AZjeff]

No, but twice I've had a mother ask me to give up my favorite seat on Southwest.

We did that last time we flew together.

Flying is no fun. Maybe not so bad in first class but I'll never know.

 

[edyvw]

Was asked to give seats to kids or parents, no problem, I am parent too, know the issues.
But, last August from Denver to Munich, the lady was sitting in my seat (aisle, right row) and my kids and wife were sitting in the middle row. So I wanted to be across my kid, as my wife and I will rotate sitting with them and plus, I paid those seats when making selection. I asked her politely, and her answer was literally: "I always sit next to my husband."
I was: I never created an issue out of this, but I will now."

 

[SC Maintenance]

Yes, a few times.

Back when I actually flew every week and was just about always in first, I always got on last, so it was usually someone trying to scoop a free first class seat. Not sure why first class flyers rush on ahead anyway?

 

[Imp4]

I’ve had to ask someone to move out of my seat.

I can also admit that I’ve sat in the wrong seat (a row or two off) and I’ve been called out too.

Accidents do happen. And people also try to game the system.

YMMV

 

[Hall]

I paid those seats when making selection. I asked her politely, and her answer was literally: "I always sit next to my husband."

That's just mind-boggling when seats are assigned and paid for.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I generally fly Southwest. I understand they are instituting assigned seating soon...
Most of my flights are short distance, so whatever; no biggie.

 

[walterjay]

That's just mind-boggling when seats are assigned and paid for.

Entitled Karen

 

[edyvw]

That's just mind-boggling when seats are assigned and paid for.

Sheeh, I have seen crazier stuff.

 

[BobsArmory]

Some airlines are charging extra for assigned seating these days. I "think" the airlines are purposely separating people to encourage paying extra to sit together. The cheapskates won't pay the extra fee and often try to bully people to switch seats.

 

[97prizm]

We did that last time we flew together.

Flying is no fun. Maybe not so bad in first class but I'll never know.

Hey at least ticket prices even with inflation are way cheaper than back in the 50's and 60's. I saw an ad for I think TWA when they debuted their 707 and I think the tickets were $500 round trip.... eeek.

 

[MRC01]

Ever have to chase passenger out of your seat on airplane ?
It happened to me today and I politely told woman this was my seat (first class, widow seat).
...

My perspective is that if the person doesn't comply when I ask politely, contact a flight attendant. I'm not going to chase them out of my seat, that's not my problem to deal with.

 

[GON]

Yes, someone sitting in the wrong seat happens somewhat regularly. More often than not, I find it simply to be an error on the passengers part- not a egregious act.

A supplemental story.

I was working OCONUS while being transferred to Salt Lake City (SLC). My wife was flying from PHX to SLC, and we were going to meet in SLC. I was flying in from Europe. My wife had a first class seat, second row, window. I was able to fly into PHX and surprise my wife, by securing the seat next to hers.

I waited to be the last person to board the flight- waiting to board until the moment the gate agent went to close the door. I boarded the aircraft and sat next to my wife. My wife never looked over, not even a peak- she is a avid reader and deep into her hardcover book. Went through the crews safety brief, pushed back, aircraft moving to the taxiway. Wife still has no idea I am sitting next to her.

Waiting to take off, I am getting a little worried my wife will freak out when she discovers I am on the plane. She has yet to notice I am sitting right next to her. Thinking quick, I decided to play a song on my smartphone of our grandchild singing. Wife hears the song, and immeditley thinks the person next to her has tapped her smartphone and is "stealing the recording".

She looks at me and is angry at me. I won't be pulling a surprise like that ever again...... Not everyone likes surprises.

 

[GON]

Hey at least ticket prices even with inflation are way cheaper than back in the 50's and 60's. I saw an ad for I think TWA when they debuted their 707 and I think the tickets were $500 round trip.... eeek.

One might need to define cheaper.

In the 1960s the seat pitch was often 40" in some economy seats. Many seats today have a pitch of 28". Checked luggage was free in 1960s. I often see people on a "cheap ticket" paying hundreds in unplanned checked baggage fees. Meals were provided in the 1960s on most flights, and a decent meal. Not so today in economy on many domestic flights. Seats were reserved at no charge in the 1960s. Not many flights in the 1960s departed before 7am, nor took off after 7pm. Today flights, especially the "cheap flights", often depart at 5am, meaning one has to arrive at the airport prior to 4am.

Flying in the 1960s was a very different product and service than flying in 2025.

 

[wavinwayne]

Ever have to chase passenger out of your seat on airplane ?

No but I've been almost chased out of what I thought was mine. I accidentally sat on the opposite side of the aisle from my seat, but in the correct row. The lady whose seat I was in at first asked me to move but then realized we were on the same row and both had the window seat so she shrugged it off and sat in my seat.

 

[y_p_w]

One might need to define cheaper.

In the 1960s the seat pitch was often 40" in some economy seats. Many seats today have a pitch of 28". Checked luggage was free in 1960s. I often see people on a "cheap ticket" paying hundreds in unplanned checked baggage fees. Meals were provided in the 1960s on most flights, and a decent meal. Not so today in economy on many domestic flights. Seats were reserved at no charge in the 1960s. Not many flights in the 1960s departed before 7am, nor took off after 7pm. Todat flights, especially the "cheap flights", often depart at 5am, meaning one has to arrive at the airport prior to 4am.

Flying in the 1960s was a very different product and service than flying in 2025.

Two pieces of checked baggage included in the fare was the norm for US domestic flights until maybe 2008? At least with the major carriers. I'm reading that's when American started charging even the first checked bag.

As far as seating assignment from that era goes, I don't think "reserved" would accurately describe how it worked. As a kid, I recall that with most airlines, seats were assigned at check-in by the airline employee, and only at the airport. You didn't pay for better seats, but it was more or less at the mercy of an airline employee at the check-in/baggage counter. There was also an incentive to check-in early to get the best seats. The ability to reserve assigned seats (generally at purchase) was mostly when people started purchasing tickets via the internet.

Examples of tickets from the 50s and 60s didn't include any place for seat assignment. There was no seat assignment except at the airport.

The worst that ever happened to me was being assigned a seat that didn't exist on the plane. When I got to the "row" I saw there was a vertical luggage rack in the space where the seat would have been. Found out from the crew that this particular plane was customized with that luggage rack even though all their other planes of this type had seating there. And somehow that wasn't known at the counter (or the ticketing system) when they printed up boarding passes. There were no empty seats in coach, so I ended in business class.