#229 Asking to Change an Airplane Seat｜French Travel Phrases

When traveling by air, you may wish to change your seat for various reasons, such as sitting in a quieter area or being closer to your companion.

If you need to request a seat change at the airport check-in counter, it is important to explain your situation clearly and make your request politely.

In this article, I will explain useful French expressions for inquiring about changing your airplane seat, following the flow of a practical conversation example.

Dialogue

A

Excusez-moi, serait-il possible de changer de siège, s’il vous plaît ?
（Excuse me, would it be possible to change my seat, please?）

B

Bien sûr. Quel type de siège préférez-vous ?
（Certainly. What type of seat would you prefer?）

A

Si possible, un siège au hublot.
（If possible, a window seat, please.）

B

Je vais vérifier les disponibilités.
（I will check the availability.）

A

Merci beaucoup.
（Thank you very much.）

B

Il reste un siège à l’arrière. Souhaitez-vous changer pour celui-ci ?
（There is one seat available at the rear. Would you like to change to this one?）

A

Oui, parfaitement. Merci pour votre aide.
（Yes, that would be perfect. Thank you for your assistance.）

1. Requesting a Seat Change

When you wish to change your seat, I recommend using a request in the conditional mood, as it creates a more polite and natural impression.

The word “serait” is the third-person singular of the present conditional of the verb “être.” The conditional mood conveys a courteous and tentative nuance, similar to “if possible” or “if it would not be inconvenient.”

The expression “Il est possible de ～” means “It is possible to ～.” Here, “il ” functions as an impersonal subject rather than referring to a specific person.

By combining this structure with the conditional — “Serait-il possible de ～ ?” — you can phrase your request politely and indirectly, creating a respectful impression.

2. Indicating Your Preferred Seat

If a seat change is possible, you should specify your preference clearly.

The phrase “Si possible” means “if possible” and is commonly used in French as a polite softening expression.

Rather than stating your preference directly, it shows consideration for the listener and respect for the circumstances.

The expression “un siège au hublot” means “a window seat.” Here, the preposition “à” combines with the definite article “le” to form “au” (à + le = au), indicating position.

It is also worth noting that “hublot” refers specifically to the small round window of an aircraft or ship. Therefore, it is more appropriate than “fenêtre” when discussing airplane seating.

3. Confirming the New Seat

If a seat matching your request is found, the staff member may confirm it with a sentence like the following:

In the first part, “il reste + noun” uses the verb “rester” and means “there remains” or “there is still.”

This expression is useful not only for available seats, but also for other situations where something remains available.

In the second part, “souhaitez-vous ～ ?” is an inverted question using the verb “souhaiter” with “vous.”

The verb “souhaiter” means “to wish” or “to prefer.” Rather than sounding forceful, it leaves the decision to the other person, which is why it is often used in customer service and formal guidance.

The expression “celui-ci” is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “this one.” Here, it refers to the specific seat being offered by the staff member.

Because it refers back to “un siège,” which is a masculine noun, the form “celui” is used. In addition, “-ci” means “this one here,” while “-là” means “that one there.”

As you can see, demonstrative pronouns help you avoid repeating a noun that has already been mentioned, making the sentence more compact and natural.

Summary