Airport seating - a request

[bavaria]

I've never seen this topic come up but as a very regular flyer I am going to make a request/observation. (And I expect that this simple request may create some controversy but here goes!)

Many airport terminals have limited seating at the best of times, and during delays and peak travel times seating is at a premium.

Too often I see travellers taking up multiple seats for their luggage, laptops, etc. When I approach and politely request if I may sit down, the answer is usually 'no.' Sometimes I am told 'someone is sitting there' but when I stand and wait to board, 'someone' never returns, and the traveller gets up to board. (ORD TED gates seem to be especially bad for this, with a large number of travellers squeezed into a very small gate area)

I'll admit that my laptop case is currently on the seat next to me, but there are at least 100 open seats around me. I just tried to eat lunch at the food court; no seats at all, yet one party had their own table, plus their 'stuff' on all the chairs at another table, and one of the bar stools. This for a party of two.

and please don't think that the frequent flier lounges are often much better. At Frankfurt last week, I tried both the Senator and Business lounge to no avail. Many of the travellers not only took multiple seats, they had their feet up on the coffee table.

I did tell the lounge attendant on my way out when she questioned why I left so quickly, and she was disgusted (hopefully she did do something about this)

So, as we start the very busy travel season, please consider your fellow travellers and free up some seats.

Thanks

[safetymom]

Thank you!!!! I can't tell you how many airports I had to stand in the gate area because of this.

[Brian Noble]

When I get the "someone is sitting there" line, I always smile and say, "why then of course I'll get up as soon as they return!"

9 times out of 10, there's no "someone".

[seashoreCM]

But a laptop or backpack sitting in the next seat won't seize the armrest.

Ah, the advantages of traveling together with others, BIL can help you claim some seats.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I walk through airport terminals 5 days out of every week, and what Bavaria says is true. People can be downright rude when it comes to setting up their personal space within a very public, transient space. Maybe they just have too much stuff to carry onboard, or maybe they are taking up as much space as they can before they board into a much smaller seat. I think the heightened security encourages people to get to the airport earlier, making gate seating a real issue. The only time this isn't an issue is the gates for Southwest... as everyone is lined up to be first, or as close as they can get, in their boarding group..

[tjmw2727]

Yes - I see it in the airport, movie theater and lately more than I wish to see it even in church. We don't have pew's as its a new church so there are cushie chairs to sit on. Despite the many people standing for Mass, I am always amazed at how many chairs are taken by coats or Mass books. Even when people ask specificly "how many empty seats are next to you"? some still reply "none" - even when its just a coat on the chair that remains empty during Mass.

So I guess if someone is ok with taking an empty seat and lying about it at church an airport is not going to be an issue with them either

TJ

[NotUrsula]

It's especially an issue in food courts -- seats are often at a serious premium there. MDW is a prime example. It's the same argument that it is at WDW; should you grab a table when you can while waiting for someone else to get the order, or wait patiently until everyone has food and then it rapidly cools while you stand around and wait for a seat?

All I ask is that if you don't have food and don't expect to have it for at least 10 minutes, consider giving up seating to those who do have food in hand -- or at least letting people take your table's unused chairs. This is the airport; people tend to be trying to eat quickly and get where they are going if at all possible -- not like at WDW or the mall when half the reason for being there is to rest your feet. Conversely, if you are eating in a *busy* airport food court, please don't dawdle at the table. When your meal is finished, clear away and free the table -- you can finish your drink elsewhere.

[bavaria]

Originally Posted by NotUrsula

All I ask is that if you don't have food and don't expect to have it for at least 10 minutes, consider giving up seating to those who do have food in hand -- or at least letting people take your table's unused chairs. This is the airport; people tend to be trying to eat quickly and get where they are going if at all possible -- not like at WDW or the mall when half the reason for being there is to rest your feet. Conversely, if you are eating in a *busy* airport food court, please don't dawdle at the table. When your meal is finished, clear away and free the table -- you can finish your drink elsewhere.

NotUrsula, I'll pay for you to come to my home airport and recite this..... seriously, I usually stop for a meal at the Japanese place which shares seating with Tim Hortons and Timmy's often has a line down the concourse (don't ask me why, I'm not a fan ) Trying to get a table away from the loiterers is almost impossible, and frustrating when there are rows and rows of empty seats behind the tables (and no, I don't want to balance my hot food and drink on a lounge seat when there are tables which would be free if people were a little bit more considerate of each other.....(

[bavaria]

I am disgusted (but not surprised) to report that this weekend in Denver with significant amounts of delayed passengers Mr. Laptop, Ms. Knapsack, and their relatives were comfortably seated on chairs in gate areas, while human passengers sat on the floor.

I got a very black look from a couple when I approached them cheerfully and asked 'excuse, do you mind please moving your bag so that I can sit down?' Mr Black Look had one seat for his knapsack, Mrs Black Look had another for her bag - total 4 seats for 2 people.

[safetymom]

Sorry to hear they wouldn't move their stuff.

[delilah]

Now, on the other hand, I have had the experience at the airport of having a person needing to sit down right next to me when there were empty seats across from me facing the opposite direction, and, actually, I was saving the seats for my husband and son, who were off to the rest room. Since at the time, I was alone with everybody's carry on, I said nothing, but when my guys returned, we moved. This is rude, too. I am not sure what the attraction to that particular seat. Perhaps it was that it was facing the check in counter, or that you could see the planes. Anyway, we found easily another set of three seats facing the same direction without crowding anybody.

[bavaria]

That was Brian Noble who sat next to you, planning to get up when 'someone' returned.

Seriously, at least you HAD a 'someone' who was coming back for those seats; as noted before most times 'someone' is a little character about the size of Tinkerbell, or a figment of that person's imagination used to prevent a stranger from sitting next to them.

[delilah]

Originally Posted by bavaria

That was Brian Noble who sat next to you, planning to get up when 'someone' returned.

Seriously, at least you HAD a 'someone' who was coming back for those seats; as noted before most times 'someone' is a little character about the size of Tinkerbell, or a figment of that person's imagination used to prevent a stranger from sitting next to them.

Well, if I had known that, I would have offered to buy him a Starbucks, of course, after my guys got back.