Airline Tests Mood-Based Seating: Smart or Silly?

by SodaHead News Posted 2012/06/08 13:00:00

Related Topics: Airplane, seating, Mood, airbaltic, seatbuddy, Tickets, Family, New York, Odds, Smart, Media, Plane, Social Media, Ticket, Tests

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914 votes
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	Smart	614 votes	67%
	Silly	300 votes	33%

Any time you buy tickets for a plane flight, unless your family reserves an entire row, you're putting yourself at great risk. We're not talking about the plane going down -- the odds of that happening are absurdly low. But the odds of sitting next to someone you don't want to sit next to are much, much worse. That's why airBaltic is experimenting with a mood-based seating system, to give passengers a chance to narrow down their seating buddies.

According to The New York Daily News, "SeatBuddy" gives passengers four different "flight moods" to choose from: business talk, easy chat, work, and relax. A seating algorithm then takes those choices into account when assigning seats. The program also offers optional detailed matching by age, language, career, interests, etc. It's like a temporary social media profile, just for that flight. Does it sound like something you'd want to try?

+33

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BOOGIE-WOOGIE-MUSIC-MAN-ROC... 2012/06/08 15:15:19

Smart

+15
This is to satisfy their guilt. so, give me back my smoking section. dammit.
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Ryan 2012/06/12 00:01:24

Silly

+1
I don't fly with the intention of socializing. If a conversation comes up, so be it. Just put me with someone who isn't big enough to require two seats, has proper hygiene, and doesn't have a crying infant. That's all I want.

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Nicole 2012/06/11 23:41:00

Smart

Now if only they had a section for those with strong stomachs who don't get plane sick.....one of my biggest fears is that somebody will throw up next to me. It'd be nice not to worry about that. (Then again, the plane sick section would be disgusting...nobody would want to sit there. So this probably is a bad/unrealistic idea.)

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Eoghan 2012/06/11 23:32:42

Smart

They are geniuses!! I bet they make a ridiculous amount of money off this!

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Forgina 2012/06/11 22:56:25

Smart

I would love this for my trip to California! (Sadly, I already bought my tickets.)

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disclaimer 2012/06/11 22:26:16

Smart

I've sat next to some total dumbasses on planes. This would be nice.

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mario 2012/06/11 22:25:39

Silly

As long as I have my I-PAD I dont't need any company.

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Everett Thompson 2012/06/11 22:07:38

Smart

I'd like that. Except they shouldn't put sex requests on there, because we all know there are nasties out there, who would just love to get a seat next to a member of the opposite sex, just to try and do something...well, nasty!

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Hungry Guy 2012/06/11 21:51:04

Smart

+1
Yes! That's a wonderful idea! But please add an option that I don't have to set behind a child who stands on his seat staring at me expecting me to keep saying "hi" back and forth the whole flight!!!

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sherie to Hungry Guy 2012/06/13 04:17:35

Or kicking the back of your seat the whole way......

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skyebrand to Hungry Guy 2012/06/14 11:03:00

That's the fault of the parents for not doing something about it! I travel with kids all the time & we have always been complimented by other passengers for their good behaviour & my forethought for packing games & activities to keep them entertained as well as requesting bulkhead seating (makes it easy to get them in & out to the toilet without having to ask other passengers to stand up).

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Kurt 2012/06/11 21:48:53

Smart

+1
The success of any flight longer then 30 minutes is making your own environment in your own space. I invested in high-end NC headphones and a good mp3 player and tablet.
I settle in my seat best I can given the insane confined space provided and go into my own personal little world. Just me and my headphones and my media. If you feel the need to shut out mass sunlight get a window seat so you have control of the shade. If not invest in sleep like eye blinders. I know that 51/2 hours to the west coast in coach is horrible and making my own space it all I can do to keep sane.

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Linda 2012/06/11 21:36:50

Smart

I wouldn't want to sit next to someone that's angry or has an attitude problem.I think it's a great Idea.

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Sally 2012/06/11 21:30:41

Smart

+1
It's an ok idea for what it is I guess, though I'm not sure how much of a difference it will really make, and I'd be very wary of airlines tacking on extra costs down the line when it got going... What I find funniest here is so many people saying things like "Oh it's a great idea, now I won't have to be stuck next to some fat/smelly/crazy person..." Do ye really think there's going to be an option for fat/smelly/crazy people to declare themselves as such and all be seated together!? Like everyone else, they'll get to choose from business talk, easy chat, work and relax, and give basic info about themselves so this doesn't greatly affect the type of person (physically or mentally) that you will be seated with, just whether they're likely to want to talk to you or not, and what you'll talk about...

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poprocksandcoke15 2012/06/11 21:15:11

Smart

Sounds good to me. :)

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HipJipC 2012/06/11 21:05:29

Smart

+1
I don't travel by plane often and I've been pretty lucky to book seats with people I'm traveling with. But this sounds great for those who travel regularly as long as ticket prices don't go up because of it.

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Jackal 2012/06/11 21:00:08

Smart

Awesome means of business networking! Especially being an animator, networking is the biggest part of our job!

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Royo 2012/06/11 20:49:37

Smart

That would be the best thing to come to airlines since... well.. the invention of airplanes.

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Mark Mercer 2012/06/11 20:37:05

Smart

If they can improve the experience without raising costs, Good move.

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HipJipC to Mark Me... 2012/06/11 21:02:11

+1
Thumbs up! Sodahead won't let me give you one so I typed it : )

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JOMO 2012/06/11 20:31:55

Smart

+1
Actually I think it is both "Smart" and "Silly"..., It is smart in as much as it separate moody ass people away from "Normal" passengers. Silly if you stop to think that means all of the moody people will be seated together.

Who knows what might happen as a result of their moods clashing with each others, maybe we might want to consider putting them on a plane for moody people only, piloted by a moody pilot. And let them get on the nerves of those that is of like kind..., I'm just saying...JOMO

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Momma244 to JOMO 2012/06/11 23:13:50

+1
and make SURE 2 give them pre menapausel woman as flight attendents!!!!

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Tara 2012/06/11 20:31:44

Smart

At first I was going to say silly because plane rides usually aren't that long but if it makes customers happier then i'm all for it.

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alex 2012/06/11 20:29:14

Smart

i mean hey if i am going to be on a plane for 8 hours id rather not want to hang the person next to me by their toes.

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clh1 2012/06/11 20:20:41

Smart

That's the best thing I've heard of!! Please oh please don't sit me next to someone I don't like... It won't be good!

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mary 2012/06/11 20:14:52

Silly

+1
Along with the morbidly obese,count me out on person with stinky feet(that takes their shoes off) Recently I sat behind a huge dude that did a free fall into his seat right after beverage service , showering me in my coffee! So just prepare to suffer when you get on a plane. if it turns out pleasant it is a win

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John 2012/06/11 20:04:38

Silly

Work and relax are the ONLY choices that MIGHT work

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MetallKaos 2012/06/11 20:02:54

Smart

Well, despite how poorly it is likely to work, I think it is a great idea. In a few months, I am going to be stuck on a 24 hour flight to Australia, and I have wondered many times what my single serving friend is going to be like. They could be nice, they could be grumpy, we could have nothing in common, who knows? If there was a way to give me a single serving friend that I would at least not hate, I would be THRILLED.

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Everett... to MetallKaos 2012/06/11 22:15:01

I wonder if there's a CRUISE that goes from the USA to Australia? You might investigate that option, where you would enjoy the food, the ocean (especially sitting quietly in a deck chair, watching the ocean go by!), and the other amenities those wonderful ships have. I've been on 9 cruises, and there was only one that I was disappointed in, and that was Disney.

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MetallKaos to Everett... 2012/06/12 19:23:36

Thanks for the advice, but a cruise is more than a bit out of my price range... besides, I am going to Australia for permanent residency, I need all the money I can get, and cannot afford any sort of vacation. Maybe someday though, thanks.

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Fay 2012/06/11 19:58:29

Smart

I think that is a great idea as long as I don't have to pay extra for that service.

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Marxy 2012/06/11 19:27:52

Smart

Sounds like it could be a good idea to try. But maybe they should put in a weight option too so you don't end up being stuck in between some really overweight people. :P

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John to Marxy 2012/06/11 19:56:42

Now that's a great idea. That's the one thing that's important. I had to sit between two hippos flying to Japan and that's 12 hours.

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☆FritzW☆ 2012/06/11 19:26:00

Silly

+1
Either answer fits as it all depends on how honest the ticket buyers are when they choose that mood. Not to mention, perhaps I was in one mood when I made the choice, but now that I'm being seated on the plane.. my mood changed. Does happen; some more than others. :) Now I'm stuck sitting next to someone 'easy chatting' away about their last vactions (thank God minus the slides) when I really really want to relax and be left alone.

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John to ☆FritzW☆ 2012/06/11 19:59:38

+1
Hey, you're right. Easy chat is a bad idea. You never know what they will want to chat about. Not only that, but your seat mate may never shut up.

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Mud 2012/06/11 19:19:22

Silly

+2
I kind of like the randomness of seating, meet random people from all walks of life, however, there should be a weight limit, if you weigh over 250 lbs, you should have to buy 2 seats. Cause a huge fat smelly dude does not make for pleasant travel

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Marxy to Mud 2012/06/11 19:28:46

That's for sure

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John to Mud 2012/06/11 20:02:32

I wouldn't want to sit next to a huge fat smelly DUDE either. I also wouldn't want to sit next to a huge fat smelly BROAD either

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Tony Bensley 2012/06/11 19:17:41

Smart

I could see this being of most benefit to individual passengers. For families and those travelling in pairs with predetermined seating, it likely won't make any significant difference.

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Salonje 2012/06/11 19:16:27

Silly

In my opinion, I feel like this could end up being a disaster, especially if someone may experience a change of mind between the time they book a ticket and board the plane.

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us 2012/06/11 19:03:46

Silly

what happen no want to sit next anyone,

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