“I Paid Extra For These Seats And Would Like To Sit In Them”: Man Gets Into Argument With Entitled Old Couple Over Plane Seats
Entitled people come in all shapes and sizes. They’re not all obviously arrogant and mean. Some of them are all smiles and can seem quite sweet. But make no mistake, they still feel like the world owes them special treatment. For some reason, quite a few people think they deserve to have your seat on the plane…
Redditor u/churtothechur shared how they started a trip around the world with their partner and hopped on a long-haul flight from New Zealand to Los Angeles. There was only one problem, though: there was already a couple sitting in their seats, with all that already-purchased extra leg room. Check out the full story below.
Bored Panda has reached out to u/churtothechur via Reddit, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from them!
There’s something about planes that makes people really want to switch seats with complete strangers
Image credits: AZ-BLT (not the actual photo)
One person shared how they found an old couple sitting in the seats they paid for to have extra leg room
Image credits: amriphoto (not the actual photo)
Soon enough, a member of the flight staff got involved
Image credits: astakhovyaroslav (not the actual photo)
Image credits: churtothechur
The old couple was shocked that they couldn’t do exactly what they pleased
Image credits: marowl (not the actual photo)
The redditor’s story made a pretty big splash on r/ChoosingBeggars—it got 47.5k upvotes. Not only that, it reminded readers just how judgmental people can be. For instance, some internet users pointed out that nobody rushed to offer their own seats to the old couple, even though they were quick to give the OP “some stink eyes.”
The story also shows how many folks are completely not used to hearing the word ‘no.’ Broadly speaking, someone wanting your seat on the plane is barely anything like other situations, like someone asking for your seat on the bus.
We all pay large chunks of cash to fly in the sky. If you want a better seat with extra leg room, champagne, and first-class service, you can have that. But it’ll cost you extra! It’s a bit sneaky to try and grab someone’s slightly better seat. And it’s not like you can be all that sneaky: your name and seat number are on your ticket. It doesn’t take much sleuthing to figure out that someone is acting all entitled and nabbing better seats.
Airplane seats are hardly anything like seats on public transportation
Nobody’s forcing you to stand on a plane: everyone has a seat. Unlike on a bus where someone might not find a place to sit down and rest their weary feet. It is quite normal to ask a fellow passenger if you could have their seat on a bus. It’s incredibly weird to do so on a plane. With one exception: if a family’s traveling together and, say, one of the kids got assigned to a different part of the plane. In those specific cases, it’s worth considering switching.
However, in the OP’s situation, it’s not like the old couple was actually separated. And it’s not like they asked for the redditor’s permission to take their seats (with all that sweet, sweet extra leg room). They simply sat down and hoped they’d get away with it. This is a classic example of entitlement.
Some people feel entitled to what others have because they feel superior to them
Image credits: LesiaValentain (not the actual photo)
Entitlement is a personality trait where someone thinks that they deserve privileges or recognition that they didn’t earn. In short, they expect to be rewarded for doing absolutely nothing. Entitled people generally view life from the perspective that everything should benefit them, and they often lack empathy for anyone who’s not them or a member of their in-crowd (but they’re still a distant second).
They feel superior to everyone else, so they expect special treatment. It’s quite a sight to see how frustrated they become when someone pushes back and enforces healthy boundaries: they’re suddenly forced to face the reality that, hey, the universe doesn’t revolve around them!
If you ever find yourself in an argument over anything on an airplane—from seating arrangements to someone stealing your packet of peanuts while you were asleep—the best approach is being diplomatic but firm. Try to calmly talk to the other person and see if you can find a compromise that works. If that fails, simply reach out to a flight attendant or another member of the staff. They’ll be able to mediate the conflict and resolve the entire drama.
What did you think of the redditor’s story, dear Pandas? What would you have done if you were in their shoes and saw that someone else had taken your seat? Have you ever actually been in a similar situation? Share your thoughts below. Meanwhile, if you’d like some more stories about seat-swapping shenanigans, check out Bored Panda’s earlier articles right here and here.
Plenty of people had strong opinions about the situation. Here’s what some of them said
Book the seat you want and stop expecting people to accommodate you when you don't. A few years ago, the FA asked if anyone would be willing to come to the back of the plane for weight distribution. No one would volunteer. I did since it was my flight home and I was in no hurry to get off the plane. What I didn't know is that before the announcement the FA had asked 20 people and they all said no. When I sit down, the flight attendant said that since I was so gracious to give up my window seat for an aisle seat in the back, I would get first class service. You should have seen the faces of the other coach passengers when I was poured a glass of champagne before take out, then brought a hot towel, then snacks, endless drinks and then a REALLY good dinner and then I got to go up front to the ice cream sundae cart. However, if I pay extra for a seat, I'm not moving without a good reason and a refund.
I'm almost 6'3" and if I paid extra for a little leg room on a 13 hour flight, I can guarantee you that plane wouldn't leave until I was in my assigned seat!
I am 6'4", and I did pay for extra leg room on a California to New Zealand flight. I would have told those two that there's lots of leg room out there on the wing.
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I fly twice per week, 5 hours each leg. I also fly trans- continental every other month, 15 hour each way. I’ve heard every excuse manageable from seat thieves. I politely start with letting them know it’s my seat. Once that’s deduced, I get really stern & curt. I’ll straight up say, “don’t even try it. You had the opportunity to book a particular seat for whatever your excuse is going to be and you didn’t. I did. You need to move.” I’ve only had pushback a couple times and the FAs have always had my back. If the thief huffs & puffs or gives me the stink eye, I’ll straight up say, “No, you tried it and it didn’t work. Pull up your big boy/girl pants & go sit in your own seat.” If they’re going to be rude enough to intentionally take a seat they know someone else booked, you’re not obligated to be apologetic or even kind.
I love your strategy. Don't even try it. Perfect.
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Book the seat you want and stop expecting people to accommodate you when you don't. A few years ago, the FA asked if anyone would be willing to come to the back of the plane for weight distribution. No one would volunteer. I did since it was my flight home and I was in no hurry to get off the plane. What I didn't know is that before the announcement the FA had asked 20 people and they all said no. When I sit down, the flight attendant said that since I was so gracious to give up my window seat for an aisle seat in the back, I would get first class service. You should have seen the faces of the other coach passengers when I was poured a glass of champagne before take out, then brought a hot towel, then snacks, endless drinks and then a REALLY good dinner and then I got to go up front to the ice cream sundae cart. However, if I pay extra for a seat, I'm not moving without a good reason and a refund.
I'm almost 6'3" and if I paid extra for a little leg room on a 13 hour flight, I can guarantee you that plane wouldn't leave until I was in my assigned seat!
I am 6'4", and I did pay for extra leg room on a California to New Zealand flight. I would have told those two that there's lots of leg room out there on the wing.
Load More Replies... I fly twice per week, 5 hours each leg. I also fly trans- continental every other month, 15 hour each way. I’ve heard every excuse manageable from seat thieves. I politely start with letting them know it’s my seat. Once that’s deduced, I get really stern & curt. I’ll straight up say, “don’t even try it. You had the opportunity to book a particular seat for whatever your excuse is going to be and you didn’t. I did. You need to move.” I’ve only had pushback a couple times and the FAs have always had my back. If the thief huffs & puffs or gives me the stink eye, I’ll straight up say, “No, you tried it and it didn’t work. Pull up your big boy/girl pants & go sit in your own seat.” If they’re going to be rude enough to intentionally take a seat they know someone else booked, you’re not obligated to be apologetic or even kind.
I love your strategy. Don't even try it. Perfect.
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