The World of Travel

Over on Airfarewatchdog.com, they have a nice Q&A section from readers.  We pass along some of the interesting ones that could end up being helpful on futureso you can stay in your aisle seat right here and not have to move around the cabin.


Q. I just returned on a trip from Seattle to Air France. Prior to my flight, I was confirmed on an aisle seat. When I arrived at the airport, I discovered my seat assignment had been changed to a middle seat. Needless to say, I was upset. I mentioned this seat change to a friend of mine. She said the same thing happened to her group of passengers. Can the airline randomly change seat assignments once they have confirmed them with their passengers?

A. Unfortunately, yes it can, especially if there's a change of equipment or, in some cases, if the airline needs to rebalance the plane's weight. As you probably know, an airline can even take your seat away entirely (involuntary denied boarding), in which case they are required to provide cash compensation.