Airline Seat Preferences need to update

[albatross710]

Hi,

The more I think about this idea, the more it is starting to annoy me the way they allocate seats on aircraft. In these days of consumer preferences it couldn't be too hard to expand the seating preferences beyond Window, Aisle, Forward, Rear My idea out there for consideration is to allocate seats based on what you intend to do on the flight: for example

Social: They've had a hard day and are looking to have a chat with the adjacent passengers. Put all of these people together on the flight and they will have a great time.

Work to do: These people have a presentation to give 39 minutes after the scheduled landing time. They want to tap away on their keyboard and not be interupted.

Readers: These guys click on the seat belt and bury themselves in the latest tome.

Sleepers: They've just landed late from London overnight and are on a domestic connection. They don't want food, don't want company, just want sleep. Put these people all together, recline all of their seats and leave their window shutters closed.

Fidgets: You know the ones, up to their luggage, off to the toilet, out with the laptop, no read a book, off to chat to FA, they don't sit still. Put them together and they can all fidget together.


At the moment I'm sure many spend time in a row with the sleeper on the aisle, the fidget at the window and the "work to do" in the middle.

Wouldn't the airline that gets this underway make a lot of happy customers.

How about making seat allocation more about the customer and less about seats?

Alby

 

[straitman]

Yes but where do you fit or how do you categorize :?:

At different times I fit several of these categories, so I couldn't state a time of booking which category I wanted or should be placed into.

 

[Keith009]

How about Recliners and Non-recliners...

[NOT an invitation to start the seat recline or not debate!] :shock:

 

[Hvr]

I mean if we want to get really picky how about farting and non-farting? They would complement the burping and non-burping crowd.

So do we put the socials and fidgeters together?

Work to do and readers also complement each other.

Sleepers can the back to themselves but where to put the children? We must think of the children. Is the next plane an appropriate answer?

Oh the permutations, the permutations!

Edited for spelling.

 

[albatross710]

Some good points there.

Perhaps only 20% of the seats are allocated like this. Maybe you get some flexibility the day before or at checkin.

I think the sleepers and fidgets know who they are. etc.

I was thinking of applying it to Qld Rail as well. Imagine how much more fun it would be on a crowded train for the socials, they'd be happy to be crowded in like a Paddington Tavern after State of Origin game. Then maybe another carriage for "singles" and another carriage full of cricket buffs etc. People would be flocking to public transport.

Cheers

 

[JohnK]

Some really interesting points there. But I would not want the airline to run out of seats for my chosen preference and then put me in with the recliners.

Not that I would want to start another reclining/non-reclining debate.

 

[cheap1]

I think just sleepers and non-sleepers would be a great idea. That way, people who like to get up and about can be in the same area (socials, fidgets)... The sleepers can all snooze away in a quiet area, and bookworms can be there too. Socialites might cause too much disturbance on a flight if they get drunk together haha...

The more categories there are the trickier it is... Imagine you're a sleeper / bookworm / non-social and you don't get your preference and end up next to the big jolly guy who wants to tell you his life story