Have you ever experienced the awkward situation of being asked to switch seats by another passenger during a plane or train journey? It can be a tricky situation, and you may wonder if you’re a bad person for not giving up your window seat or asking someone else to switch. Fortunately, an etiquette expert has shed some light on the proper behavior in such situations. Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert at the Protocol School of Texas, has provided insight into the proper behavior when passengers ask to switch seats, reports LADbible.
She points out that there is only one acceptable scenario in which a fellow passenger can ask you to switch seats, and that is if a parent or guardian is unable to pre-book seats with a young child. In this case, you should consider a seat switch, but even then it is the other passenger’s responsibility to resolve the situation with the airline or travel company before boarding the plane. Gottsman stresses that asking a fellow passenger to switch seats puts them in an uncomfortable position and relies on their goodwill, so it is important that the person requesting the seat switch has exhausted all other options before resorting to it.
Gottsman also stresses that wanting to sit next to a friend or preferring a window seat is not a sufficient reason to ask someone to swap seats. Passengers should have considered this when booking their tickets, and being separated from their spouse or travel companion simply means they booked late or did not plan ahead. Gottsman’s advice comes after a video went viral on social media showing a man confronting a fellow passenger sitting in his seat on the train, LADbible reported. The confrontation began when the man boarded a crowded train and saw the woman sitting in his seat, which he had booked in advance. When he asks to give his seat back, the woman laughs and points to other empty seats on the train.
Even though she’s not in the right seat, she hesitates and tries not to slide down any further. The man, however, refuses to budge, explaining that he needs his seat. The situation in the video highlights the importance of booking seats in advance and following proper etiquette when traveling. Gottsman advises to always consider the other person’s feelings and not put them in an uncomfortable position. If you need to change seats, try to work with the airline or travel company to find a solution that’s acceptable to everyone. And if you’re the one requesting the seat change, be respectful and understanding of the other person’s reaction.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on April 28, 2023. It has since been updated.
