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Home » Travel » Is it Acceptable to Spread Out When There are Open Seats?
Travel

Is it Acceptable to Spread Out When There are Open Seats?

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 8, 2018November 14, 2023 14 Comments

a row of seats in an airplane

We hope for them, rarely get them, but once in awhile run into flights that depart with many opens seats. What is the protocol for claiming those seats?

I wrote about my recent flight in SWISS First Class that went out with 5/8 seats filled. Even though we had only paid for an infant ticket for my son, the FAs invited us take one of the extra seats for him. But I probably would have taken the seat without asking.

Why? Because I assumed, based upon past practice over the last decade, that’s just what you do. Why do I assume that? Because that is the standard protocol I have witnessed time after time. I’ve been on many first class flights with many open seats. FAs have always encouraged passengers to spread out.

But we know what happens sometimes when you ass/u/me, so you I thought I would put the issue out for discussion.

When Is it Okay to Spread Out and Occupy Extra Seats?

The way I see it, spreading out is perfectly permissible:

  1. Within your cabin of service
  2. After the aircraft door has closed
  3. With the stipulation that it is a privilege and not a right

I wrote about my recent flight from Frankfurt to San Francisco on United…a flight that was only about 25% full in economy class.

While I secured a row to myself prior to boarding, most passengers staked out their claim after boarding. I personally do not like that approach to avoid the embarrassment of accidentally sitting in someone else’s seat, but I don’t see anything wrong with spreading out in this manner.

It’s all within a cabin and at least the passengers were using their United apps to view open rows in the rear of the aircraft.

When Is it NOT Okay to Spread Out and Occupy Extra Seats?

There are instances in which claiming open seats is simply not permitted or extremely rude.

  1. Self-upgrading
  2. Exclusively claiming a shared open middle seat

If economy class is full and business class is empty, you cannot just take an open business class seat. Even if economy class full and extra legroom economy class seats are available, you cannot take those. Put simply, any seat that has an upcharge you should not take without permission from a FA or gate agent.

Another thing I hate is when you’re sitting in a section of three, the middle seat is open, but one of the passengers claims the middle seat (the seat itself and/or underseat) for himself. The underseat storage should be split and it is rude to drop your coat and electronic devices on the middle seat to the detriment of your seat mate. It is even ruder to sit “Inidan style” (is that even a PC term anymore?) and put your feet on the middle seat or lean over and rest your head on the middle seat if you have a seatmate on the other side.

CONCLUSION

Those are my thoughts on the issue, now I welcome yours. Generally, I think that spreading out within your ticketed cabin is not a problem. While asking FA permission is always best, it probably is not necessary.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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14 Comments

  1. Zebulon Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 12:52 pm

    I agree with your assessment.
    With respect to saying “Indian Style”, I would generally call it sitting cross-legged (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cross-legged)

  2. LAXJeff Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 12:59 pm

    I’ve seen all variations of those from flying over the years. I had an El Al flight years ago where I was the only person in the exit row and someone self upgraded themself to the aisle seat, I had window. That person was kindly escorted back to their seat and I was able to lay across those seats.

    I had a Qatar Air flight two years ago from KGL-DOH and the flight attendant saw my size and upgraded me to exit row. We had a stop in EBB and she told me if no one claimed that seat I was welcome to it, which I was able to keep.

  3. Garrett Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    As long as you’re not inconveniencing another passenger and you stay within your class (as you say), I think it’s fine. All of that being said, I can’t remember the last time I was on a flight that didn’t feel full.

  4. Alan Brint Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    I agree with most of what you said, though I think its also rude to take any seat in an occupied row. What I mean by this is that even if its a row of 4 or 5, if someone has it to themselves, no unassigned seats in that row are fair game. If someone asked to sit there, I would in turn ask to know their assigned seat, and would politely refuse or ask for money if they want to sit with me unticketed. I also think that if someone needs it more than you, give it to them. A big person, pregnant woman, someone with a disability, they might have tried to get good seats and not been able to get them. If able, let them get first shot at open rows if you can. To me thats just the right thing to do.

  5. Erica T Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    What happens if you have a row of three to yourself, and someone tries to move to the aisle seat?

    IMHO, if you win the travel lottery, you get to use the seats in your assigned row if you would like them. However, I am a petite woman (meaning I can sleep in that whole row) and more than once I’ve had aggressive people determine I didn’t need all of that room and sit in a seat. When I asked them to move they refused, and flight attendants sided with them to avoid a confrontation. I’ve gotten smarter and will move to the aisle (usually I’m a window) when I think the row will stay empty, and will just pretend that I was confused if someone ends up sitting there (not all airlines have current seat charts on the app).

    • Greg Reply
      January 8, 2018 at 2:44 pm

      @Erica T – I don’t understand why should you ‘get to use the seats in your assigned row if you would like them.’?

      Person sits in the aisle, there’s a middle between you.

      That person has more room than before (had someone directly adjacent before). You have more room than you paid for.

      It’s a win win. The aggressive thing is asking an FA for help when someone is sitting in a seat you didn’t pay for.

      If someone moved from regular economy to a premium seat, then sure. But I don’t get the sense that’s what’s going on.

  6. MeanMeosh Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    I agree with your approach. Usually if it’s an empty international flight and I’m in coach, I’ll wait until the door has closed, scope out empty rows, and then move after the seat belt sign is turned off. That’s worked for me most of the time. Worst case scenario, my wife and I end up splitting a row of three or four between the two of us.

  7. Dale Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 8:20 pm

    I would also say don’t go to Economy Plus/Comfort/Main Cabin Extra or whatever else it is called unless you’re already there. Otherwise spreading out within your class of service should be fine.

  8. Darrell Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 9:41 pm

    I was on a flight recently from LAX > YYZ with an open row of 3 behind me.

    Someone else moved in faster than I and took the empty middle seat — perhaps to deter people from sitting in that row. I politely asked her if she could move to the aisle seat and share the middle seat. She hesitated but then relented. I see it as a win/win as the people in my row got to spread out and her and I got some extra space as well.

    Question #1: Would you sit in the middle seat of a empty row of three seats to deter people from sitting there?

    Question #2: Has anyone booked the middle seat online of an empty row of three on a half full airplane, hope to get the entire row? Risky?

  9. Sexy_kitten7 Reply
    January 8, 2018 at 11:27 pm

    I agree with you and others that people should not poach E+ seats!

    With that being said, they are not upgrades or a different class/cabin of service (with the exception of 3 domestic routes). For DL C+ is a different class of service without being a different cabin IIRC. So the upcharge test works quite well but class of service doesn’t. And I’m sure that still not perfect. Maybe legroom? Must move to same or less legroom seats.

  10. 121Pilot Reply
    January 9, 2018 at 6:48 am

    Your spot on I think.

    As to the empty row of three I don’t fee the person in the window is entitled to keep the row to themselves. It would be one thing if someone moved into the empty middle
    (That’s not cool) but taking em empty aisle when the middle stays open is ok. I can certainly understand the desire to have a row to yourself and the best way to get that is to take the aisle seat because often seat jumpers won’t jump into the window and if they do you can move back.

    An empty middle is shared space but given the underseat storage space sharing that is less of an option. Generally first come first served.

  11. Russ J Reply
    January 9, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    I have been on a few domestic flights in Australia where the plane was not carrying it’s capacity of passengers and after take off passengers freely moved around and occupied seats other than those assigned. The cabin crew didn’t seem to mind but did insist that passengers resumed their assigned seats before landing.

    • Matthew Reply
      January 9, 2018 at 6:49 pm

      That seems odd to me. Why move back?

  12. Marissa Reply
    January 10, 2018 at 5:05 pm

    @Matthew: Morbid thought: maybe it’s because if there were to be a plane crash they would know how to identify dead people from their assigned seats?

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