It’s called Airline Etiquette –
**Window seat gets the window and the wall and one armrest
**Middle seat gets two armrests
**Aisle seat gets one armrest and a little bit extra leg room.
Seems sensible to me. So why is it that grown men will get into an argument over that teeny little skinny armrest? It’s all about personal space and let’s face it there is little enough of that when you are travelling economy class. Here’s the report on two men thrown off a Westjet flight – http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/10/17/duo-de-planed-at-calgary-international-airport-after-squabble-over-elbow-room
The frustrating thing is we don’t know where they were sitting. If you happen to know please advise. You see the Westjet flights typically have a seat configuration of 3 – 3. This has to be the worst configuration because any which way someone – in fact quite a few someones – end up being in the middle seat. And in terms of Airline Etiquette – middle seat gets both armrests. Why don’t they include that information in the pre-boarding announcement – or perhaps on the safety instructions. Then when the flight attendants do their rounds to check that safety belts have been fastened they can also check for armrest hoggers and chastise them accordingly. I would like to see them getting a good smack with a ruler (you can see that I was a grammar school brat) but I realise that isn’t politically correct these days. So maybe they could be punished by denying them their packet of Bits and Bites. Now there’s a punishment worth thinking about!
The Travel Lady's Blog 
I travel quite a bit and I did not know about this bit of travel etiquette, so whenever I have been unlucky enough to be placed in the middle, I have sat like a prim school girl, with both elbows off the armrests and in my lap. Quite terrible on a long flight. Now thanks to you, i will travel the enlightened way. 🙂 On one hand I look forward with great pleasure to informing passenger Mr. On my right and Mr. On my left or Ms as the case may be, of the rights of my elbows, on the other hand I hope never to sit in that dreaded middle seat again.
LikeLike
Oh do let us all know how you get on. I have all these big brave thoughts in my mind but am a coward when it comes to confrontation. I might just end up like your prim school girl. We have to be big and brave! Lesley
LikeLike