It’s been a years-long running joke that strangers don’t want to sit by me when I fly. I fly Southwest Airlines, which allows passengers to select their own seats instead of being preassigned. I always pick an aisle seat because I find it easier to use a laptop from that location. Hence, I have been on tens of “completely full” flights, yet the middle seat next to me remained empty. As I said, it’s a running joke with my family. On business trips, I text my family while awaiting takeoff and take bets as to whether the seat next to me will get occupied. The seat remains empty 99% of the time.
Yesterday, Sheryl and I traveled from Phoenix to Houston. We boarded our connecting flight in Las Vegas, and the flight was announced as ‘completely full.' Sheryl selected a window seat so she could rest, and I took the aisle seat in the same row. As other passengers boarded, the middle seat remained empty. We laughed about our running joke.
Eventually, a woman took the seat. She placed her small bag under the seat in front of her and sat down with her neck pillow. After standing to let her into our row, I sat down and buckled my seatbelt. After only two minutes, she asked to be let out because she “wanted to get something from the back.” I stood up and let her into the aisle. She departed, leaving her pillow and bag behind. As other passengers boarded, they asked about the unoccupied seat, and I had to explain that someone was sitting there. After a few minutes, the woman returned and asked me if I would hand her her bag and pillow. She was going to sit in the back with her sister. I gave her her things. The seat was once again open.
Only moments later, a boarding passenger asked if he could sit in the middle seat. I stood up, let him into the row, sat down, and buckled my seatbelt. After only a minute, he asked if I could let him out so he could “give his phone to his wife,“ who was sitting a few rows ahead. I unbuckled my seatbelt, stood up, and let him into the aisle. He exited our row, brought the phone to her, came back, and asked for his bag. There was an open seat by his wife. The seat was once again open.
Sheryl and I flew from Las Vegas to Houston with an empty seat between us even though the flight was “completely full.” And before you ask, “Yes, I did shower before the trip.” I always do. It is a mystery as to why I scare away would-be next-to-me seaters on a regular basis.
Musical chairs are alive in the lab.