This is a rather unfortunate situation that arrises on some trains when you've reserved your seat. Most trains will have a way of letting passengers know at what point along a journey a seat is reserved, this is usually with paper tickets or on fancy new trains it's sometimes on a digital display.With this in mind there is generally no good reason for somebody to be sat in your seat when you get on the train. However, it does happen, for example people don't see the reserved notice, they intend to leave the seat before you get on but fall asleep, there are no other 'spare' seats on the train etc. Whatever the reason for them being there it puts you in an awkward position when you board the train.
So, here are our tips for dealing with this awkwardness.
1. Be sure that it's the correct seat!
Having personally tried to ask somebody to leave a seat that was rightfully theirs I'm all too aware of this pitfall! Check and double check that you are in the right carriage and looking at the right seat before you engage the other passenger in a conversation.
2. Be polite and humble
You're much more likely to get a friendly response from the person if you use a line such as "Excuse me, hi, I think that this might be my reserved seat" or "Hi, I think we may have both reserved the same seat" as opposed to "Oi, get up that's my seat" or "Here's my ticket, read it and weep".
9 times out of 10 the person will know that they are sitting in a reserved seat and are probably just waiting to see if you turn up to claim it. With a polite request they will usually be on their way. It gets complicated however if it's a pregnant woman or elderly person! We'd recommend reading point 4 in this situation.
3. Show them your ticket
If they don't move on the first request it's usually a good move to politely show them your ticket and involve them in the problem, when it's presented in black and white they will usually just move or be confrontational and rude and tell you to find another seat, this rarely happens, and there is a solution, see point 4.
4. Seek assistance from the conductor
This is the last resort, the conductors on European trains are pretty much always no-nonsense kind of folk who will happily tell a 95 year old lady to get out of your seat. If you can't resolve your seat issues amicably then we'd recommend that you always get them involved rather than try other means!
We hope that's of some use. As we said it's rarely a problem but it does happen, especially on busy routes.
FAQs
How do you politely tell someone that they are in your seat without being rude? Say excuse me but I think you are in my sear. Pull out your paper and show person and look yourself too to make sure you are correct.
What to do when someone sits in your seat? ›
When you're sure, you bend down and say quietly, “Excuse me, but I think you're in my seat”. Usually then people leap up saying “Oh, I'm so sorry”, but if they start to argue, go and find an usher, show them your ticket, and they will sort it out for you.
What to do if someone is sitting in your seat on a plane? ›
You say “excuse me, I think you are in my seat”. Then you both check your boarding passes, and if that person is in the wrong seat, they will usually move. If they won't, or if you both were booked to the same seat, you call a flight attendant to help sort things out.
What is correct, seating arrangement or sitting arrangement? ›
We'll help you to understand the difference. Sitting means resting with the body supported by buttocks and thighs or being located upon when used as a verb. Seating means the provision of chairs or other places for people to sit when used as a noun.
What is a good sentence for seat? ›
He couldn't find his seat in the concert hall. The city recently built a new 1,000-seat theater. She booked a seat on the next flight to Rome. The stool's seat is broken.
Is it sitting in my seat or on my seat? ›
The original question is: Which expression is correct: 'on their seats' or 'in their seats'? Answer: It depends on the depth of the chair: if soft and deep, so the sitter sinks into it, then the proper preposition is “in”; if flat and hard, so the sitter perches on top, then the proper preposition is “on.”
What is slang for sitting on passenger seat? ›
But nothing is as important as knowing to call “shotgun” when you're about to enter a motor vehicle. “I call shotgun” is, at least in the United States, the widely-understood declaration that the speaker has claims on “shotgun,” or the front passenger seat.
How should you sit in a seat? ›
You should adjust your chair high and sit toward the front of the seat pan with your knees dropped much lower than your thighs with an open trunk to thigh angle. You should sit with your low back straight and your trunk held near erect- not bent forward.
How do you sit near your crush? ›
When you sit next to your crush, be sure not to intrude on their personal space. You want to be close enough so that you can easily carry on a conversation but not so close that your knees touch when you turn to face her. When choosing the desk next to your crush in class, don't pull it closer to hers.
How do you deal with rude passengers? ›
9 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Passengers
- Keep it on the down-low. If a passenger raises a concern or looks as if they're about to cause a scene, respond in a calm, quiet manner. ...
- Switch it up. ...
- Use distraction. ...
- Talk to a colleague. ...
- Show compassion. ...
- Stop serving alcohol. ...
- Answer questions. ...
- Be kind to parents.
They only recommend that you book an extra seat, but do not make it compulsory. Other airlines use the criteria that if the armrest won't go up or down, you won't fit in the seat. Or if the standard seatbelt does not work and you need an extension.
Can an airline bump your seat? ›
Denied boarding, or "bumping," happens when airlines overbook a flight. This means there are more passengers than available seats, and it's a perfectly legal strategy airlines use to optimize revenue.
How to answer seating arrangement questions? ›
Tip # 3: Candidates need to keep the following points in mind while solving the seating arrangement based questions.
- When A is second to the left of B: A – B.
- When A is second to right of B: B – A.
- When A is 2 places away from B: A/B – – B/A.
- When A is two places to the right of B or B is two places to the left of A: B – A.
The highest-ranked male guest sits to the right of the hostess. The man next in rank sits to the left of the hostess. The wife of the man of highest rank sits to the left of the host. (If the man is unmarried, the woman of highest rank takes this seat.)
What is the seating arrangement in business etiquette? ›
Seating Protocol
Guest of honor – to the host's RIGHT. Second highest-ranking guest – to the co-host's RIGHT. From there, seat in ranking order, alternating on either side of the host and co-host. Be mindful of balancing men/women, language ability, overlapping interest, or expertise.
What do you call someone who shows you to your seat? ›
He's called an usher. You most often see ushers at movie theaters and weddings. An usher is someone with the job of helping people find their seats. At the movies, ushers take your tickets and tell you where to go.
What can I say instead of taking a seat? ›
What is another word for take a seat?
| sit | be seated |
|---|
| sit down | take a pew |
| have a seat | install oneself |
| take the weight off your feet | park yourself |
| perch | set down |
16 more rowson seat in British English
West Africa informal. (of officials) in the office rather than on tour or on leave. the agricultural advisor will be on seat tomorrow.
How do you ask someone to get up from your seat? ›
If it's a reserved seat,then just go ahead and firmly tell them the following.
- This is a reserved seat and I have my name against it. ...
- If the person doesn't budge after this tell him/her that you will call the TTE regarding this.
