Do you leave a seat between you and partner on plane?

Lady_Aga

On a recent trip back from NY, I noticed that there were a few couples who had the aisle and window seats, leaving the middle seat free. Extra room for free in effect.

When checking in online, do you take the chance and book your seats in this way?

Any views from people in the industry about this practice?

getmore4less

if you do the middle seat will tend to be the last taken, unless it is a desirable like exit/bulkhead

Couples want 2 togrther, solos want aisle or window.

if it is taken they will usualy swap with one of you.

gallygirl

Works great on budget flights if you don't think the flight will be full. I sit at window, Mr GG on aisle, if anyone starts approaching we start to argue. Works every time .

Friend and I tried it but both stifled giggles so much we each had a coughing fit. That worked too :cool:

Tojo_Ralph

Lady_Aga wrote: »

Do you leave a seat between you and partner on plane?

I try to ensure there are at least 10 rows between me and the missus.

Booking aisle and window seats in a three seat row is always worth doing for as noted either... a) You have an empty seat between you or... b) if you do have a solo passenger pitch up, 99.9 times out of a 100 they'll be only to pleased to move and take the window or aisle seat.

ferf1223

Tojo_Ralph wrote: »

I try to ensure there are at least 10 rows between me and the missus.

Booking aisle and window seats in a three seat row is always worth doing for as noted either... a) You have an empty seat between you or... b) if you do have a solo passenger pitch up, 99.9 times out of a 100 they'll be only to pleased to move and take the window or aisle seat.

From Virgin's website, as an example:

Q Can I leave an empty seat between passengers in my group?

A We make every effort possible to honour your advance seat assignment. When single seats are left between passengers in the same group, it becomes difficult to fill that seat at check in, often resulting in the entire group having to be re-seated. To minimise any delays to departure that re-seating may cause, and to allow those passengers that wish to sit together to do so, we have to insist that the entire group be seated together.

I'm sure I have read that some airlines, if there is a couple booked together but seated in a window and aisle, will be moved to be together...that may be the window/middle or middle/aisle in the row they are in...or may be somewhere else entirely.

We select our seats at the time we book - we do not wait for online check-in to do this so we can pick our preference early on (I know it's not guaranteed, but so far minimal instances of not getting the seats we originally selected)...we wouldn't risk being stuck somewhere completely differently as we tried to be clever in the hopes of getting 3 seats to ourselves.

That said we tend to choose airlines which have pairs of seats along the sides, that way it's just the two of us without the random stranger to worry about. we have on occasion gotten lucky and had the opportunity for one of us to move to the other side of the aisle when those seats were available after the doors closed...those trips are great.

Tojo_Ralph

ferf1223 wrote: »

We select our seats at the time we book - we do not wait for online check-in to do this so we can pick our preference early on (I know it's not guaranteed, but so far minimal instances of not getting the seats we originally selected).

Likewise and I always pre book my seating to ensure an aisle seat without an IFE box at my feet. If travelling with the Mrs we sit across the aisle from each other as neither of us take window seats or want to suffer the middle seat.

Enterprise_1701C

We were very lucky coming back from Canada, we had booked in and been allocated two seats, but at the bag drop the chap asked us if we wanted a central row if four to ourselves, nice bit of room to spread out (at least it was for my husband !).

dickydonkin

gallygirl wrote: »

Works great on budget flights if you don't think the flight will be full. I sit at window, Mr GG on aisle, if anyone starts approaching we start to argue. Works every time .

Friend and I tried it but both stifled giggles so much we each had a coughing fit. That worked too :cool:

Better still is for one of you to remove the sick bag from the seat pocket and strategically place it near your mouth in view of people who may wish to take 'your' centre seat.

With head slightly bowed as to indicate an 'iminent puke' - that should be enough to 'dissuade' anyone from wishing to sit in between you .

scheming_gypsy

Coming back from holiday a few years ago, the plane was pretty empty. After it had set off we claimed a row each, shoes off and just lay down for a sleep.

gallygirl

dickydonkin wrote: »

Better still is for one of you to remove the sick bag from the seat pocket and strategically place it near your mouth in view of people who may wish to take 'your' centre seat.

With head slightly bowed as to indicate an 'iminent puke' - that should be enough to 'dissuade' anyone from wishing to sit in between you .

Oooooohhhhhh.......... "bows to the master, I have so much to learn" :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:- though don't think Ryanair do sick bags, will have to carry my own

pennylane99

getmore4less wrote: »

if you do the middle seat will tend to be the last taken, unless it is a desirable like exit/bulkhead

Couples want 2 togrther, solos want aisle or window.

if it is taken they will usualy swap with one of you.

I know a group of guys that deliberately choose the middle seats if they see that window and aisles have been booked. And they wont offer to swap...lol