12. “Is it okay if I move to that empty row?”
Seeing an empty row of seats can feel like winning the lottery, but you should never move without asking first. Aircraft are carefully loaded to maintain a precise center of gravity. This is called weight and balance, and it is critical for flight safety, especially on smaller planes. The flight crew has a manifest that shows where every passenger is seated, and the pilots use this data for their calculations.
Moving seats without permission can, in some cases, affect the aircraft’s balance. Furthermore, the crew needs to know where you are in case of an emergency or for meal service if you pre-ordered a special meal.
The correct procedure is to wait until the plane has reached cruising altitude and the seatbelt sign has been turned off. Then, find a flight attendant and ask politely. A good way to phrase it is, “Excuse me, I noticed that row 22 appears to be empty. For weight and balance purposes, would it be possible for me to move there?” Mentioning “weight and balance” shows that you have a basic understanding of flight operations and respect their procedures. They will almost always say yes if it is safe to do so.
