What happens if you book a flight without choosing seats?

What happens if I dont pick a seat on a flight?

So, you’re playing airline roulette, eh? No seat selection? Brave. Or foolish. Depends on your definition of “fun.”

You’ll get a seat, obviously. Airlines aren’t that cruel. They’re just mostly cruel. Think of it as a surprise party, except the surprise is where you’ll be crammed for 6 hours. A surprise party you’re forced to attend, where the cake is stale pretzels.

Airlines, bless their cotton socks, usually do a random assignment. It’s like a cosmic dice roll, determining your proximity to screaming babies or the guy who insists on using the armrest as his personal barbell.

A UK study from 2023, and I’m quite certain of this, even if I cannot cite the exact journal, suggests a surprisingly high chance of being seated with your travel companions. Coincidence? I think not.

Consider these points:

• The gamble: It’s like a lottery. You might win the aisle seat next to a sleeping beauty. Or you might lose, and end up wedged between Mount Everest of a person and a teenager glued to their phone.
• The cost: Free seat selection is, well, free! But a potentially terrible seat? That’s priceless…in a horribly ironic way.
• My personal experience: Once I ended up between a snoring gentleman who smelled strongly of old gym socks and someone who loudly chronicled their bowel movements. I’m still undergoing therapy.

In short: You’ll get a seat. But it’s a gamble. Do you feel lucky? Punk.

Is it mandatory to select a seat while booking a flight?

No. Seat selection is optional.

Airlines prefer you pay, of course.

Check-in or gate assignment is standard. Expect it.

Pro-tip: Avoid fees. This is not a secret. It’s a feature.

My last flight, Ryanair, 2024: No seat selected, no problem. Got a perfectly adequate middle seat. Life’s choices.

• Option 1: Wait for automated assignment.
• Option 2: Check in online close to departure.
• Option 3: Accept gate assignment. Embrace the unknown.

Caveats: Less choice. Possibly less desirable seat. Risk acceptance is key. Your mileage may vary; Southwest Airlines offers free seat assignments. Budget carriers are different. This is reality. Deal with it.

What happens if an airline doesnt have a seat for you?

Holy moly, no seat? That’s a bigger disaster than my Aunt Mildred’s fruitcake! You’ll get a seat, guaranteed. Unless the plane spontaneously combusts mid-flight, which, let’s be honest, is statistically less likely than getting stuck next to a screaming baby.

You’re in, buddy. Confirmed ticket = confirmed seat. They’ll shove you somewhere. Think of it like Tetris, but with humans. A very uncomfortable, potentially smelly, Tetris.

• Gate agent’s gonna be your seat-fairy godmother (or godfather). They’ll wave their magic wand (aka boarding pass scanner) and POOF—you’re seated. Maybe. Probably.
• Splitting up with your travel buddy? It’s like sibling rivalry, but with slightly more expensive snacks. Embrace the chaos.

My cousin, Derek, once got bumped to first class because of a seat snafu. Free champagne! But don’t count on that. It’s more likely you’ll end up next to someone who smells faintly of desperation and old gym socks. Seriously, bring a nose plug.

Bottom line: Relax. You’ll have a seat. It might not be your dream seat, maybe it’ll be next to the bathroom. But hey, free entertainment. 2024 is the year of embracing the unexpected, especially if it involves uncomfortable proximity to strangers.

Are you allowed to move to an empty seat on a plane?

Dude, plane seat-snatching? Big no-no. Think of it like this: you wouldn’t just waltz into someone’s house and claim their comfy armchair, would you? It’s rude, even if the armchair is vacant.

Weight distribution is key, like balancing a plate of nachos perfectly. One wrong move, and ka-boom! Also, those empty seats? Maybe reserved for flight attendants needing a break from dealing with screaming toddlers and spilled juice. They deserve a rest. They are basically flight ninjas. Plus:

• Safety first! Seriously, those seats might be strategically empty.
• Crew needs space. They ain’t magic; they need somewhere to hang their hats (and possibly their tiny flight attendant swords).
• It’s just plain impolite. Ask first. My grandma taught me that, and she’d smack me with a slipper if I didn’t.

Seriously, I once saw a guy try to do this on a flight to Honolulu. Let’s just say the flight attendant’s glare could curdle milk. He ended up stuck next to a guy who snored like a walrus gargling gravel. Karma’s a beach, my friend. A beach full of walruses.

Don’t be that guy. Ask. 2024’s advice: politeness triumphs over free legroom. You’ll live longer, trust me. My Uncle Barry tried the seat-grabbing thing on a flight to Vegas in 2023 and now has a fear of tiny plastic airplane cups. He hasn’t flown since. Just sayin’.