I was on a red eye flight from Long Beach to Washington DC yesterday..I even paid extra to have a window seat and extra leg room (around $50)..So I arrive at the airport check in my luggage and than board the plane..I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as I sat down in the plane..

The plane had not taken off yet so I get this nudge on the shoulder..I ignore it on purpose because I was not in the mood to talk to anyone..5 seconds later I get this nudge again so I open my eyes and this 35-40 yr old lady asked me "Would you mind changing seats two rows up to a middle seat so I can sit next to my son here". I looked at the kid and noticed he was too old (around 10) to be around mommy all the time so I said "Yes I do mind and sorry but I am staying here..I paid extra for this seat and I am really tired..Besides nothing is going to happen to your son 30,000 feet in the air"..Needles to say she got a little testy and walked up to her seat in the middle while her 10 year old son sat down next to me..

Needless to say 10 minutes into the flight that kid was sound asleep! So my question would you have done the same thing? And if you are a porn lady and you have kids please let them grow up!! This is why you have so many 20-30 year olds still living with mom and dad!

D

I travel all the time, and I have been asked to change from a "prime" seat to one thats not as good so people can sit next to one another.  I have no problem saying no, especially since I usually sit in an exit row or bulkhead seat.

Funny thing, its usually someone who clearly doesnt need the extra room, and is someone who bring so much stuff on the plane they cant lift their carry on to put it above.  Yea, thats the type of person I want sitting in the exit row.

You did the right thing.  Or you could have said, "Sure lady, for $100.00 you can have it"  LOL

Cheers

This is hard for me to answer simply because I don't pay extra for anything. As long as I'm not stuck in between two fat people I'm ok. And if the flight is not crowded actually prefer the aisle seat. But that's just me.

I would probably say I would've changed seats after looking to see where hers were and who they were next to. That being said, had I paid extra for the seat like you did I would be less inclined to switch so I can see where you're coming from.  And I agree, if the kids around 10 and they're only two rows apart I think it could've been a good way to let him be on his own w/o being alone and go from there.

I have moved the couple times I've been asked, but both instances involved a disabled person, so I had no problem making the switch.  In your case, I would have politely declined.

Unless she offered to make me a member of the mile-high club!

-- Modified on 4/27/2009 6:44:14 PM

If you were comparing apples to apples, then yes, you should have switched... but like you, I always pay extra for any chance I have for extra leg room or extra space.  You should have said "I'd be happy to change with you for $100". Or if the mother was really hot, you might have "negotiated" a mile-high experience for the better seat! lol.

Speaking of apples, this reminds me of a recent SouthWest Experience. There was no luggage fee, but they do not reserve seats.

Needless to say, I got stuck in the middle seat with a fat guy to my right who was sawing much wood and encroaching on my space.

I ended up spilling a cup of coffee on me and the guy to my left........

Next time......

Man I completely get that you paid an extra $50 but just imagine for one moment that - that was you at 10 years old and it was your first time on an airplane.  And you were scared shitless and the only person that knew it was your mother.  She then tries to get a seat next to you.  But the guy says NO because he paid an extra $50.  

Is that really the way you want to be remembered by some 10 year old kid?  $50 bucks won't change your life but it damn sure could have changed his on that flight.

For the naysayers maybe just maybe the kid fell asleep because he was full of anxiety.

I'd've checked out the woman next to his mother and got him to swap seats if she was hot!

I would not have given up my seat at all.  Not to sound like a bitch, but I paid for the seat I got, I even got to pick my seat when I travel, as most people do when they book a flight.  

This is the reason if 1st class is available, I fly 1st class.  I fly every 10 to 15 days, so I like to be as comfortable as possible when flying.

One thing I didnt see people mention was.  How rude was it for her to wake you up while you where sleeping, not once but 2 nudges.  That would have gotten to me, if nothing else

Memphis makesd a very good point. Waking you up, on a red-eye..Not right.  Who was sitting next to mom in her row? If she was that concerned she could have worked something out with a flight-attendant even if it cost her a few bucks. Bet the kid waqs glad to get away from her for a few hours.

You did the right thing.  Acceding to the request only promotes stupidity and selfishness.  

I had a similar experience flying with a woman who did not appear to be a seasoned traveler when flying into Long Beach.  

I just said no and suggested that there was an alternative solution.  The woman was evidently so shocked at being rejected that she couldn't figure out that she could have achieved her objective by moving her kid.

If I was trying to sleep and someone kept nudging me I would not have been polite at all. I had a rude experience myself today with some stranger thinking it's his right to interrupt me while I was talking to a lady friend to question me on something that was clearly none of his f-ing business. When he persisted with his views I told him he should stick to his business and he said I had "some attitude". Boy, sometimes people lie the lady in your story and this guy today, make me want to go back to being a practitioner of behavioral modification.

It took me a while to figure it out. I am not that sucker anymore.

The number of kids that get molested on red eye flights would astonish you. The perp will say, "Oh I was sleeping and didn't realize I was doing anything wrong...". I have a friend who is an Air Marshal and he gets the reports. He won't allow his kids to fly - period - unless he is at their side.

The lady should have made the proper arrangements in advance to sit next to her kid. You did nothing wrong, but understand her concern. It's not a matter of letting her kid grow up, it a matter of letting him grow up without being molested.

This mother dropped the ball at pre-boarding time. She simply could have gone to the agent and made the request. It would have happened behind the scenes with some late-arriving couple being split up.

Sounds like she was the one asleep at the wheel