Yesterday I was on a long haul flight (15 hours) from San Francisco to Dubai. I booked the tickets a month before and made sure to select my seat on the plane – aisle – because I have a bladder the size of a lemon and while I don’t mind getting up a million times for people on the inside, I do not want to be the one to shake the sleeping person next to me.
I had this experience before where I selected the aisle seat and was asked to switch for the window seat because the obese lady said she wanted to be able to move freely. I had to prod awake her and the lady traveling with her every couple of hours and lets just say it was the LONGEST FLIGHT OF MY LIFE.
Like any other day, yesterdays flight was filled with babies and I was bang in the centre of it all. There was a kid behind me, twin baby boys in front of me and the couple next to me had a toddler. Half hour into flying the lady beside me asked me if I could switch seat with her because her son liked to walk “up and down”. I thought for a minute and politely declined. I said I don’t mind getting up for you any number of times because I am alight sleeper but no, I do not want to switch seats. She was nice enough to understand and the gentleman on the other side gave up his aisle seat. That is when my conscious hit me hard and I FELT SO GUILTY.
I spent the remainder of the flight wondering if I had invited karma to come bite me in the rear years later when I travel with a child. But I also do not understand some passengers. If your really do prefer a particular seat then its super easy to select it while you book tickets (at least in most flights). And especially if you are traveling with a child wouldn’t you make sure of that as much as you can, rather than leaving it up to chance and God forbid if you sit next to a meanie like me?!
I honestly hope karma is kind to me and doesn’t return the favor.
Pros of traveling with me:
1) I bring snacks.
2) Will engage you in good conversation.
3) I don’t snore.
Cons of traveling with me:
1) I won’t switch seats.
Maybe In Madras 
I do this all the time. I always tell the people when I’m checking in ‘for the sake of the other fliers I need to be in an aisle seat’ because my bladder is so much worse when I am flying. I remember one time having to sneakily climb over a man to get to the toilet and his wife was in the aisle across giggling at me. at least they were nice!
Hahaaa! The worst part of that scenario would be if the man woke up when you were half across him!
I agree that people traveling with kids need to be more understanding. However, I am reminded of this time the husband and I were traveling back from Dubai to Singapore and for some reason (I don’t remember why, this never happens) we hadn’t pre-selected seats. I got an aisle and the husband got a middle seat on the row next to me across the aisle. So we were separated by this guy across the aisle, next to the husband. I asked him if he could switch with me so he gets my aisle seat and I get his aisle seat. Same row and everything. He refused and seemed very cranky that I would ask him this. I couldn’t imagine why. I got quite upset but then the nice guy next to me switched his middle seat with my husband’s middle seat (sorry if this is all confusing) and we got to sit together. I don’t think I can ever forget his refusal although I know he owed me nothing.
I wouldn’t ask anyone to swap seats unless I was giving them an equivalent one – aisle for aisle, etc.
I wouldn’t mind an equivalent swap too! Another thing that bothers me when we switch seats is how warm the previous person made his seat! I know that’s something that will get resolved once I settle in but that difference in temperature even if for a few minutes throws me off!!
I meant to say “people traveling with kids need to be more PREPARED”, not understanding :D
Fair enough. I can see most people not willing to give up their aisle or window seat. Two days ago on my Chennai to Bombay flight, I had a young gentleman who refused to move from aisle to another aisle just two rows down, so that mom, baby and I could sit together. Two minutes next to my talkative, loud toddler he hastily agreed to move down. I do agree to swap if it means keeping a family together. But the instance you mentioned for sheer convenience are ones where I would have probably refused too. Have another funny example of this on my mumbai – chennai flight and will need to blog about it maybe as this comment is already terribly long
Yes, yes do! I love reading your posts! They always seem so.. human. Hope you are having a good time! I will be leaving to Chennai too tomorrow!
tell me about it.
ive never been on flights as long as you have,
but on mine, i too, have no issues in getting
up a zillion times to let others go to the loo.
i am also super adamant to be on the aisle,
but that doesn’t apply to short flights.
window views are the best!
and i dont sleep on flights.
just dont seem to have the ability to LOL
keep blogging!
I get so tired by the time I get to my seat that I sleep at the drop of a hat!! Window seat + Aisle seat will be the dream!!