Woman Causes A Scene On A Plane After A Man Who Paid Extra Just To Be There Refused To Switch Seats With Her
Travel can be a draining experience for some. The planning, the journey itself, the days needed to recover—it’s a challenge in and of itself, but sometimes it’s a necessary evil to achieve greater things.
Whatever the case, there are ways folks can make it much more bearable. For example, if you’re flying, you can pay a tad bit more to get the seat you prefer, giving you more comfort… until someone attempts to ruin it for you.
Quite recently we discussed “adult only” flights after this woman sparked an online debate with her video, sharing how she had to go through a 3-hour flight with a kid crying and kicking her seat while the mom did nothing.
This time around, though, the setting is the same, except the mom is the one causing a ruckus.
A Redditor recently shared a predicament he found himself in, in which he was asked to switch seats by a mother, but refused and so she went ballistic on him.
More Info: Reddit
Flying is exhausting, but there are ways to make it at least a bit more comfortable, like paying extra for the seat you wanted
Image source: Frankie Roberto (not the actual photo)
A Redditor by the nickname of u/Unlikely-Strategy596 was recently traveling home from Greece. A 10-hour flight, plus it’s the season, equals chaos. So, in order to avoid some of it, OP booked a seat that was closer to the front of the plane. The closer to the front, the faster he’d be able to bolt out of there once the flight was over. This convenience came at a cost, though, as OP had to pay more for this particular seat.
Well, here comes the day to travel, OP is in his seat, and a wild family appears [cue Pokemon battle song]. The mother asks if he’d be willing to switch seats. OP explained that under regular circumstances, this would be no problem, but this time it was having to take a seat 20 rows back. This is anything but convenient in OP’s eyes.
But what do you do when someone tries to ruin the comfort of said seat by pressuring you into switching?
Image source: Unlikely-Strategy596
So, he declined. The woman took a U-turn in her attitude and started going wild on him, calling him an a-word over a very simple request. Apparently, this was also in front of her kids. “Respectfully, ma’am, your travel issues are not my problem. I am keeping the seat I paid for,” responded OP.
This led to a scene by the woman, seemingly trying to publicly guilt-trip him and instigate something. All OP said was that if she had booked things in advance, or perhaps if she had spent more, she wouldn’t have had this problem. “Grow up and get over it. I am not moving seats. End of story!” he concluded.
Image source: Unlikely-Strategy596
Image source: Paul Hanaoka (not the actual photo)
Once everyone was seated, the husband happened to sit next to OP. He low-key apologized for the whole drama, explaining that the wife hates traveling. And he could have stopped there, but he didn’t and then ruined it all by commenting that giving the seat up would have made things easier in the end.
The story soon found its way onto the Am I The A-Hole subreddit, put up for judgment by the community. And they ruled that OP had every right to decline and just leave it at a “no”.
Folks agreed that the family could have been more responsible with their flight bookings, and even more so, more respectful and accepting of the first “no”. There was absolutely no need for shaming.
Just like OP, folks in the community were having none of it, and said the woman was out of line
There were those who pointed out that the woman was more or less being unreasonable because she was trying to get “bumped up” to one of the front rows and not vice versa—not asking folks 20 rows back to move to the front so the family could be together.
Yet others also thought of the husband. They pointed out that he probably was to some degree happy the wife got told off, as he got some peace in those 10 hours of flight. But there were those who also bashed him by changing his dialogue a little bit to say that it would have been easier for the husband, not for OP.
Whatever the case, the post blew up, garnering nearly 10,000 upvotes with a handful of Reddit awards and several news media outlets picking up the story.
So, what are your thoughts? Should he have moved, should he have not moved, what would have been the optimal solution here? Share your opinions in the comment section below!
I am not trying to be a jerk, but I really cannot understand the mentality of these individuals with children. I have two daughters, and I plan accordingly. If for some odd reason I plan inadequately (like last minute plans) it’s not an other travelers’ problem. That is on me. Where are all these entitled parents coming from, or am I missing something??
I must be missing the same thing too, Laura. I have a child and when we traveled, we also planned accordingly. Even if the airline screwed up and we all three couldn't sit together, no big deal, one of us sat with our kid, the other sat elsewhere.
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Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
This can apply in other areas of life as well.👍
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NTA. Reserved seats are for the person who reserved them, end of. That goes whether you're on a train, on a plane, in the theatre, or on a f*****g space rocket. If you don't reserve a seat, you get the seats that are left over. Functional adults understand this.
I think asking is always okay - but you also have to take "no" as an answer.
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Really sick and tired of these parents who think the world should revolve around them and their children.
Agreed! And I'm a parent! I just don't get this behavior at all. You have a kid, great, that's *your* responsibility and *your* choice. I don't understand how people get to the point of acting like OP, I really don't.
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Idk who needs to hear this but JUST BECAUSE YOU PUSHED OUT A HUMAN OUT OF YOUR CROTCH, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO ANYTHING EXTRA, ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT AND YOUR LIFE IS NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYONE ELSES, EVEN IF THAT PERSON DOES NOT HAVE KIDS! It's great, you have kids.. you wanted them. That's good for you. But I don't fucken care. Nobody does. I don't give a s**t about u or your kids. They're not my kids. They're not my problem. You are not the first person to have a child. You did something that women have been doing since the beginning of time. You are not special. Having kids does not give you an excuse to act like an absolute d**k head. Or give you the right to expect & demand things from others. I do not understand how some people have kids & then they act as if they're part of the royal family & deserve to be treated like they're royalty. You're not. Nobody cares. Lol. Sorry. Not sorry.
Years ago, my mother-in-law and I traveled to France for a family wedding. I reserved train tickets from Paris to Marseilles months in advance. When I got on the train, two women had made themselves comfortable in our seats. I showed them our reservations. They got up, but they were furious, and they stood right next to us rattling off insults and being mean. Then an elderly gent across from us spoke up. "Excuse me, mesdames," he said. "Where are *your* reservations?" "We don't have any," one of the women snapped. He gave them a significant look. "I see," he said evenly. That was the last thing the women said for the remainder of the trip. I complimented the man on his gallantry. It turned out that he was part of the French Resistance during WWII, and he dearly hated a bully. He and his wife spent hours chatting with us about family, the war, etc. When we got off the train, they waved goodbye to us from the window. Lovely people.
I once gave up my seat for a family ... my seat was perfect and I was really tired but I did it anyway... my new seat was really bad... but I did not complain ... 5 min. after takeoff the stewardess offered me a seat in the business class. It was a good flight back home :)
I feel sorry for her husband, who just gives in to not get in trouble. Even Hyacinth with Richard wasn't this bad.
I’ve only moved once for a family with a new born. From the centre row seats where there was a shelf for baby bassinet to the window seat on the same row. No biggie plus they asked nicely. Another time I refused as some couple demanded I move to somewhere else on the plane so they could sit together. No kids involved that time but the “you have to” attitude just annoyed me. Their seats were nowhere near each other plus the person who had the seat next to me arrived after them. They took their seat and that was that.
As one of the Redditor commenters said; if travelling together was so important to her, why didn't she ask the people further back if they'd switch seats so they could all be together? Most people would be happy to upgrade. Sitting together wasn't the main issue, it's that she figured she could save money by guilting someone else to give up their seat for her much cheaper seat. He was right not to give up his seat.
Absolutely! Nobody who travels frequently will give up their good seat for a bad seat.
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The last time I flew I was on Southwest, where you can't reserve seats. You board based on when you check in. So the sooner you check in, the sooner you get on the plane and pick the better seats. A man and his family got on LAST and he threw a temper tantrum because all 4 of them couldn't sit together. He yelled "what kind of airline is this?" and the flight attendant replied "It's Southwest sir, first come first serve". LOL! Not a single person gave up seats for them, including me, but I had an open seat next to me and offered to make sure his kid was OK. I told him that I had been a professional nanny and would take care of him. The kid didn't care - he read a book the whole time and I appreciated how small he was, which gave me more room. :)
Sounds like a relative of mine who moaned bitterly that he couldn't get the emergency exit seat because when asked if he would help in the event of an accident he replied f**k off not my f**kn problem who dies as long as I live I don't care. So he whined and whined because he got a window seat rows back. He left his gf and 2 kids crammed near the back of the plane and payed for a better seat for himself so he didn't have to parent. He's a real winner.
I've had sort of opposite and the flight attendant was kinda the AH! I had the window seat, lady had the middle and a 10/11 yo kid (her son) had aisle. As soon as the plane took off she, very politely asked if I'd switch seats with her husband ("he's right in the front window seats" she said), I thought, well a window for a window, yeah, why not, of course I'll swap. Only then she said it was actually a business class seat, the husband was travelling for work so the company paid for it. I almost wetted myself that I'd get to travel business class!!!!! We called a flight attendant to let them know and she said it was absolutely not possible, even if we all agreed and the seat was paid for anyway, who cares who's sitting on it and we'd swap back for landing/unboarding. No play. In the end since the plane was not full they had an empty row so the husband moved over from business. I had a full row to myself, fine, but the business seat ended up empty!!!
I had this happen to me where someone wanted me to give up my aisle seat and take a window seat so they could seat together. I had paid extra to choose an aisle seat, so no, sorry, I'm not giving it up.
personally I would rather have an aisle seat. More convienent for me when I get off. I also need a cane to walk
Load More Replies... My line: "Sure, I paid extra for this seat though and if I was to rebook with the airline right now they would charge last minute prices. So let's say $1500 US cash and I'll move." Honestly I don't know why airlines let you change seats, it should all be booked ahead. If there was an "incident" it would make tracking down who was in which seat so much easier. Plus you wouldn't have this BS.
NTA. I feel like she would have been an issue whether she was with her children or not. As someone with Anxiety I plan well ahead to make sure I have a window seat near the emergency doors. There is extra leg room, I'm not in the middle of a bunch of tightly packed people, and if there is an emergency I can exit pretty quickly. I pay extra for that ability. I would say this woman isn't an 'anxious' traveler but an 'angry' traveler.
Same. I need a window seat and I will pay extra for it.
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This is why I started doing a little "costuming" on flights. I pay extra to have a seat on the aisle or in that front row of a section where there's more leg room. I'm not going to just hand it off to someone else. So I wrap my knee in tensor bandages and prop my leg up, wincing every once in a while to get the message across. Saves a LOT of hassle. And yes, of course i move my leg out of the way so other passengers can get to their seats next to mine. :)
If she hates traveling, she should stay at home. Everyone would be happier.
It could have been worse, the husband could have swapped seats with his wife, then they all could have spent the 10 hour flight glaring at each other 🤣
NTA but I’ll echo what some others have said about how planning doesn’t matter, the airlines do what they feel like (particularly American carriers). However, this lady is an A**hole for how she reacted to the OP.
as I said before; those who CALL for reservations get what they are given; try doing it online, and you have a better chance of picking where you can sit.
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Always a pet peeve of mine. Don't ask me a question if the answer can't be no.
I was in a similar situation recently - having paid £90 to choose my preferred seat on a British Airways flight from London to New Orleans - when my ticket was checked at the boarding gate I was told I'd been moved because there was a family "that wanted to sit together." Complained to BA, and got offered £50 voucher. So I essentially paid £40 extra to not choose my seat. BA are the worst, entitled families are the second worst.
I was recently sitting in bulkhead seat for the same reason. However, the passenger seated next to me politely asked if I would consider exchange seats with his friend in the back of the plane. He offered to buy me drinks for the entire trip. I laughed and declined the drinks but happily exchanged seats. Unlike the op I was not in a hurry. My point is you can ask once but be kind if the answer is no.
Okay, nta, BUT... no one is talking about the s**t show that is rebookings these days. Maybe that family was irresponsible. Shame on them. But consider this... our family of 4 recently just booked and PAID extra to reserve our seats. United decided to change plane types and rebooked all of our seats on the new plane separating my 5yr old from me. I called 3x and tried to get switched at both the counter and then gate... nothing. The only reason it worked out was because our flight was so delayed that others jumped ship. I was stressed AF! Is this every case? No... but it does happen. Jesus, being a parent in America is the WORST sometimes. These responses show zero empathy. She is NTA because she wanted to keep her seat, and that's fine. But honestly, the assumption that this was some case of entitlement is really shameful.
It seems like there is a story like this every week, when you travel with kids you need to PLAN. I always pay the fee sheckles extra to choose seats.
I must have one of those faces, because people don't ask me to do stupid shht like this.
I might have considered it if they paid me full fare for the seat, in cash!
I would have told her that I paid extra for that spot and asked her to make offer. How much is it worth to you, woman? She bids 2x what I paid it's hers. And this is the airline's fault for not seating the family together. I had a similar experience recently when flying with my wife to Spain. I bought the tix at the same time, we had the same confirmation #. At check-in the put her 3 rows behind me. We didn't ask anyone to move so we could sit together, frankly it was nice to spend 8 hours without hearing her talk. But it was bizarre. Why would they not seat us together? Just a complete lack of effort by the airline.
Definitely NTA if they offered to pay you the difference maybe you would have considered it but you paid for your seat and you are entitled to it not her. I deal with entitled people all the time and I don't give in to their demands. I have refused to switch seats and they tried to make a scene and I told them to their problems are just that... THEIR PROBLEM not mine.
I would have my seat. I paid for my seat up. Now anybody can make you move by being a fool. Where is cut off age for kids. So a mother is 57 yrs old her kid is 30 and I have to move. Don't think so.
Nice! The other side of the story, where she was trying to justify her behavior! Lol we saw right through it though!
I love how Karens IMMEDIATELY (within the same breath even) jump from not getting what they want exactly when they ask for it to calling people names. Like oh no someone asked me nicely for something, to which I said no, so them calling me names makes me want to do it sooooo much more.
By the same logic, she could have asked for a seat in first class. How come these people never think of refunding the seat? If I really had to ask someone with a paid upgrade to move for me, I'd at least offer to pay them back for it. But my kid is fine wherever we sit, just unlucky to have a mother who is teaching her she can't always get her way.
Airline Ticket Name Change or Transfer to Another Person? https://travelsort.com › Travel Tips I've called American Airlines and they say my girlfriend's ticket can't be transferred to anyone else and no name change is possible. Could be interpreted that the airline would not allow a seat transfer. Period.
Very possible. The airlines need to know who is in which seat just in case, God forbid, something terrible happens and they are responsible for notifying families.
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Why are there so many parents using their kid as an excuse? Seriously, if you wanted to be with your family, you should have booked seats earlier. Use your brain, but not to be a karen. The shame i would feel if i was traveling with her. She acted like a kid, this attitude is clearly not okay. And she even had the audacity to try to get people on her side? Wtf, girl??
Nobody who travels frequently will give up their good seats for lousy seats.
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The one time we flew with all three of our kids, we put the oldest kid with middle and the baby with us and switched it up at the layover/flight switch point. We planned for three to sit together and two to sit together. The bigger kids either were across from us or behind us.
I would never give up my set. After all they check the passenger manifest and setting plans first in plane crashes. I don't want to be buried as someone else
Why do they always ask the people who paid extra to switch? Why not someone in the same fare class?
I would have given up the seat if she reimbursed me the extra money I spent for the seat, plus an additional AH-tax, inconvenience fee, and rezoning fee. Wait...AITA for saying that?
We swapped seats a few times on flights up until the point where I read that families are deliberately booking awful seats along with one good one, and guilting the people near the good one into moving because...family. I paid attention the next flight and yup, its a scam. Needless to say, the hubby and I didn't move despite mom's passive/aggressive comments. She threatened to leave the kidling with us to take care of, and, in the same passive/aggressive manner insinuated that only a "bad" mom would leave her kidling with a total stranger. She got the hint. Someone from her crappy seat row ended up moving up to our seats and was grateful to get away from the kids. Win/win, at least for us.
Why is the wife accosting a strange man instead of her husband? Why aren't these requests being conducted by staff? The whole family should have been thrown off the plane for this woman's harassing behavior.
I'm glad OP didn't give up their seat. Because giving in to these kinds of entitled fúckwads only reenforces their bad behavior. It teaches them that acting like a selfish príck is the way to get what they want. Just like giving in to a child's tantrum teaches that child that throwing a fit is the way to get what they want. Giving in to these àssholes only perpetuates the cycle. Just like the immature little kids they are, when they act a fool, they need to get called out for it. They need to hear the word NO sometimes. And learn to deal with it. Good on OP. Feel sorry for that harpy bítch's husband, though, lol. NTA.
Remember meeting a lot of these “entitled mothers” on planes who for their own comforts sake made everyone else’s life miserable. Once in particular man was sitting at window seat and mother with infant right next to him. He unpacked his sandwich and juuuuust was taking first bite, when she took out her breast in a very rapid motion (not covering at all) and started squeezing it into child’s mouth. Mind, they were sitting shoulder to shoulder. Man was uncomfortable to say the least, beat red face. He put down his sandwich and couldn’t mutter a word. After he had a chance to get up, he asked flight attendant to change his seat, as he would like to still try having his meal. No matter the gender, I’d be same shocked to be forced to participate in this intimate moment while trying to eat… onboard they had blankets, as well there was space in last rows to have a private moment with a child. But who gives a damn.
Perhaps you should have asked from that lady that if _she_ can manage to upgrade your seat to 1st class, you would be happy to switch seates..
Am I the only one that would be ecstatic not to sit next to my kids on a 10 hour plane ride? I would look at my husband and that guy- smile.. then run to my seat 20 rows back.. lol!
We plan appropriately as well, and we have 6 kids. Honestly, the husband is TA because he didn't switch seats with the mom so SHE could have some peace and allow the husband to actually parent his offspring. That also makes the woman TA because she could've promptly asked her husband to switch so she could have some rest, instead of shaming OP.
You are NOT the a*****e, she is. Her husband is a bigger one. End of story.
I am not trying to be a jerk, but I really cannot understand the mentality of these individuals with children. I have two daughters, and I plan accordingly. If for some odd reason I plan inadequately (like last minute plans) it’s not an other travelers’ problem. That is on me. Where are all these entitled parents coming from, or am I missing something??
I must be missing the same thing too, Laura. I have a child and when we traveled, we also planned accordingly. Even if the airline screwed up and we all three couldn't sit together, no big deal, one of us sat with our kid, the other sat elsewhere.
Load More Replies... Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
This can apply in other areas of life as well.👍
Load More Replies... NTA. Reserved seats are for the person who reserved them, end of. That goes whether you're on a train, on a plane, in the theatre, or on a f*****g space rocket. If you don't reserve a seat, you get the seats that are left over. Functional adults understand this.
I think asking is always okay - but you also have to take "no" as an answer.
Load More Replies... Really sick and tired of these parents who think the world should revolve around them and their children.
Agreed! And I'm a parent! I just don't get this behavior at all. You have a kid, great, that's *your* responsibility and *your* choice. I don't understand how people get to the point of acting like OP, I really don't.
Load More Replies... Idk who needs to hear this but JUST BECAUSE YOU PUSHED OUT A HUMAN OUT OF YOUR CROTCH, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO ANYTHING EXTRA, ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT AND YOUR LIFE IS NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYONE ELSES, EVEN IF THAT PERSON DOES NOT HAVE KIDS! It's great, you have kids.. you wanted them. That's good for you. But I don't fucken care. Nobody does. I don't give a s**t about u or your kids. They're not my kids. They're not my problem. You are not the first person to have a child. You did something that women have been doing since the beginning of time. You are not special. Having kids does not give you an excuse to act like an absolute d**k head. Or give you the right to expect & demand things from others. I do not understand how some people have kids & then they act as if they're part of the royal family & deserve to be treated like they're royalty. You're not. Nobody cares. Lol. Sorry. Not sorry.
Years ago, my mother-in-law and I traveled to France for a family wedding. I reserved train tickets from Paris to Marseilles months in advance. When I got on the train, two women had made themselves comfortable in our seats. I showed them our reservations. They got up, but they were furious, and they stood right next to us rattling off insults and being mean. Then an elderly gent across from us spoke up. "Excuse me, mesdames," he said. "Where are *your* reservations?" "We don't have any," one of the women snapped. He gave them a significant look. "I see," he said evenly. That was the last thing the women said for the remainder of the trip. I complimented the man on his gallantry. It turned out that he was part of the French Resistance during WWII, and he dearly hated a bully. He and his wife spent hours chatting with us about family, the war, etc. When we got off the train, they waved goodbye to us from the window. Lovely people.
I once gave up my seat for a family ... my seat was perfect and I was really tired but I did it anyway... my new seat was really bad... but I did not complain ... 5 min. after takeoff the stewardess offered me a seat in the business class. It was a good flight back home :)
I feel sorry for her husband, who just gives in to not get in trouble. Even Hyacinth with Richard wasn't this bad.
I’ve only moved once for a family with a new born. From the centre row seats where there was a shelf for baby bassinet to the window seat on the same row. No biggie plus they asked nicely. Another time I refused as some couple demanded I move to somewhere else on the plane so they could sit together. No kids involved that time but the “you have to” attitude just annoyed me. Their seats were nowhere near each other plus the person who had the seat next to me arrived after them. They took their seat and that was that.
As one of the Redditor commenters said; if travelling together was so important to her, why didn't she ask the people further back if they'd switch seats so they could all be together? Most people would be happy to upgrade. Sitting together wasn't the main issue, it's that she figured she could save money by guilting someone else to give up their seat for her much cheaper seat. He was right not to give up his seat.
Absolutely! Nobody who travels frequently will give up their good seat for a bad seat.
Load More Replies... The last time I flew I was on Southwest, where you can't reserve seats. You board based on when you check in. So the sooner you check in, the sooner you get on the plane and pick the better seats. A man and his family got on LAST and he threw a temper tantrum because all 4 of them couldn't sit together. He yelled "what kind of airline is this?" and the flight attendant replied "It's Southwest sir, first come first serve". LOL! Not a single person gave up seats for them, including me, but I had an open seat next to me and offered to make sure his kid was OK. I told him that I had been a professional nanny and would take care of him. The kid didn't care - he read a book the whole time and I appreciated how small he was, which gave me more room. :)
Sounds like a relative of mine who moaned bitterly that he couldn't get the emergency exit seat because when asked if he would help in the event of an accident he replied f**k off not my f**kn problem who dies as long as I live I don't care. So he whined and whined because he got a window seat rows back. He left his gf and 2 kids crammed near the back of the plane and payed for a better seat for himself so he didn't have to parent. He's a real winner.
I've had sort of opposite and the flight attendant was kinda the AH! I had the window seat, lady had the middle and a 10/11 yo kid (her son) had aisle. As soon as the plane took off she, very politely asked if I'd switch seats with her husband ("he's right in the front window seats" she said), I thought, well a window for a window, yeah, why not, of course I'll swap. Only then she said it was actually a business class seat, the husband was travelling for work so the company paid for it. I almost wetted myself that I'd get to travel business class!!!!! We called a flight attendant to let them know and she said it was absolutely not possible, even if we all agreed and the seat was paid for anyway, who cares who's sitting on it and we'd swap back for landing/unboarding. No play. In the end since the plane was not full they had an empty row so the husband moved over from business. I had a full row to myself, fine, but the business seat ended up empty!!!
I had this happen to me where someone wanted me to give up my aisle seat and take a window seat so they could seat together. I had paid extra to choose an aisle seat, so no, sorry, I'm not giving it up.
personally I would rather have an aisle seat. More convienent for me when I get off. I also need a cane to walk
Load More Replies... My line: "Sure, I paid extra for this seat though and if I was to rebook with the airline right now they would charge last minute prices. So let's say $1500 US cash and I'll move." Honestly I don't know why airlines let you change seats, it should all be booked ahead. If there was an "incident" it would make tracking down who was in which seat so much easier. Plus you wouldn't have this BS.
NTA. I feel like she would have been an issue whether she was with her children or not. As someone with Anxiety I plan well ahead to make sure I have a window seat near the emergency doors. There is extra leg room, I'm not in the middle of a bunch of tightly packed people, and if there is an emergency I can exit pretty quickly. I pay extra for that ability. I would say this woman isn't an 'anxious' traveler but an 'angry' traveler.
Same. I need a window seat and I will pay extra for it.
Load More Replies... This is why I started doing a little "costuming" on flights. I pay extra to have a seat on the aisle or in that front row of a section where there's more leg room. I'm not going to just hand it off to someone else. So I wrap my knee in tensor bandages and prop my leg up, wincing every once in a while to get the message across. Saves a LOT of hassle. And yes, of course i move my leg out of the way so other passengers can get to their seats next to mine. :)
If she hates traveling, she should stay at home. Everyone would be happier.
It could have been worse, the husband could have swapped seats with his wife, then they all could have spent the 10 hour flight glaring at each other 🤣
NTA but I’ll echo what some others have said about how planning doesn’t matter, the airlines do what they feel like (particularly American carriers). However, this lady is an A**hole for how she reacted to the OP.
as I said before; those who CALL for reservations get what they are given; try doing it online, and you have a better chance of picking where you can sit.
Load More Replies... Always a pet peeve of mine. Don't ask me a question if the answer can't be no.
I was in a similar situation recently - having paid £90 to choose my preferred seat on a British Airways flight from London to New Orleans - when my ticket was checked at the boarding gate I was told I'd been moved because there was a family "that wanted to sit together." Complained to BA, and got offered £50 voucher. So I essentially paid £40 extra to not choose my seat. BA are the worst, entitled families are the second worst.
I was recently sitting in bulkhead seat for the same reason. However, the passenger seated next to me politely asked if I would consider exchange seats with his friend in the back of the plane. He offered to buy me drinks for the entire trip. I laughed and declined the drinks but happily exchanged seats. Unlike the op I was not in a hurry. My point is you can ask once but be kind if the answer is no.
Okay, nta, BUT... no one is talking about the s**t show that is rebookings these days. Maybe that family was irresponsible. Shame on them. But consider this... our family of 4 recently just booked and PAID extra to reserve our seats. United decided to change plane types and rebooked all of our seats on the new plane separating my 5yr old from me. I called 3x and tried to get switched at both the counter and then gate... nothing. The only reason it worked out was because our flight was so delayed that others jumped ship. I was stressed AF! Is this every case? No... but it does happen. Jesus, being a parent in America is the WORST sometimes. These responses show zero empathy. She is NTA because she wanted to keep her seat, and that's fine. But honestly, the assumption that this was some case of entitlement is really shameful.
It seems like there is a story like this every week, when you travel with kids you need to PLAN. I always pay the fee sheckles extra to choose seats.
I must have one of those faces, because people don't ask me to do stupid shht like this.
I might have considered it if they paid me full fare for the seat, in cash!
I would have told her that I paid extra for that spot and asked her to make offer. How much is it worth to you, woman? She bids 2x what I paid it's hers. And this is the airline's fault for not seating the family together. I had a similar experience recently when flying with my wife to Spain. I bought the tix at the same time, we had the same confirmation #. At check-in the put her 3 rows behind me. We didn't ask anyone to move so we could sit together, frankly it was nice to spend 8 hours without hearing her talk. But it was bizarre. Why would they not seat us together? Just a complete lack of effort by the airline.
Definitely NTA if they offered to pay you the difference maybe you would have considered it but you paid for your seat and you are entitled to it not her. I deal with entitled people all the time and I don't give in to their demands. I have refused to switch seats and they tried to make a scene and I told them to their problems are just that... THEIR PROBLEM not mine.
I would have my seat. I paid for my seat up. Now anybody can make you move by being a fool. Where is cut off age for kids. So a mother is 57 yrs old her kid is 30 and I have to move. Don't think so.
Nice! The other side of the story, where she was trying to justify her behavior! Lol we saw right through it though!
I love how Karens IMMEDIATELY (within the same breath even) jump from not getting what they want exactly when they ask for it to calling people names. Like oh no someone asked me nicely for something, to which I said no, so them calling me names makes me want to do it sooooo much more.
By the same logic, she could have asked for a seat in first class. How come these people never think of refunding the seat? If I really had to ask someone with a paid upgrade to move for me, I'd at least offer to pay them back for it. But my kid is fine wherever we sit, just unlucky to have a mother who is teaching her she can't always get her way.
Airline Ticket Name Change or Transfer to Another Person? https://travelsort.com › Travel Tips I've called American Airlines and they say my girlfriend's ticket can't be transferred to anyone else and no name change is possible. Could be interpreted that the airline would not allow a seat transfer. Period.
Very possible. The airlines need to know who is in which seat just in case, God forbid, something terrible happens and they are responsible for notifying families.
Load More Replies... Why are there so many parents using their kid as an excuse? Seriously, if you wanted to be with your family, you should have booked seats earlier. Use your brain, but not to be a karen. The shame i would feel if i was traveling with her. She acted like a kid, this attitude is clearly not okay. And she even had the audacity to try to get people on her side? Wtf, girl??
Nobody who travels frequently will give up their good seats for lousy seats.
Load More Replies... The one time we flew with all three of our kids, we put the oldest kid with middle and the baby with us and switched it up at the layover/flight switch point. We planned for three to sit together and two to sit together. The bigger kids either were across from us or behind us.
I would never give up my set. After all they check the passenger manifest and setting plans first in plane crashes. I don't want to be buried as someone else
Why do they always ask the people who paid extra to switch? Why not someone in the same fare class?
I would have given up the seat if she reimbursed me the extra money I spent for the seat, plus an additional AH-tax, inconvenience fee, and rezoning fee. Wait...AITA for saying that?
We swapped seats a few times on flights up until the point where I read that families are deliberately booking awful seats along with one good one, and guilting the people near the good one into moving because...family. I paid attention the next flight and yup, its a scam. Needless to say, the hubby and I didn't move despite mom's passive/aggressive comments. She threatened to leave the kidling with us to take care of, and, in the same passive/aggressive manner insinuated that only a "bad" mom would leave her kidling with a total stranger. She got the hint. Someone from her crappy seat row ended up moving up to our seats and was grateful to get away from the kids. Win/win, at least for us.
Why is the wife accosting a strange man instead of her husband? Why aren't these requests being conducted by staff? The whole family should have been thrown off the plane for this woman's harassing behavior.
I'm glad OP didn't give up their seat. Because giving in to these kinds of entitled fúckwads only reenforces their bad behavior. It teaches them that acting like a selfish príck is the way to get what they want. Just like giving in to a child's tantrum teaches that child that throwing a fit is the way to get what they want. Giving in to these àssholes only perpetuates the cycle. Just like the immature little kids they are, when they act a fool, they need to get called out for it. They need to hear the word NO sometimes. And learn to deal with it. Good on OP. Feel sorry for that harpy bítch's husband, though, lol. NTA.
Remember meeting a lot of these “entitled mothers” on planes who for their own comforts sake made everyone else’s life miserable. Once in particular man was sitting at window seat and mother with infant right next to him. He unpacked his sandwich and juuuuust was taking first bite, when she took out her breast in a very rapid motion (not covering at all) and started squeezing it into child’s mouth. Mind, they were sitting shoulder to shoulder. Man was uncomfortable to say the least, beat red face. He put down his sandwich and couldn’t mutter a word. After he had a chance to get up, he asked flight attendant to change his seat, as he would like to still try having his meal. No matter the gender, I’d be same shocked to be forced to participate in this intimate moment while trying to eat… onboard they had blankets, as well there was space in last rows to have a private moment with a child. But who gives a damn.
Perhaps you should have asked from that lady that if _she_ can manage to upgrade your seat to 1st class, you would be happy to switch seates..
Am I the only one that would be ecstatic not to sit next to my kids on a 10 hour plane ride? I would look at my husband and that guy- smile.. then run to my seat 20 rows back.. lol!
We plan appropriately as well, and we have 6 kids. Honestly, the husband is TA because he didn't switch seats with the mom so SHE could have some peace and allow the husband to actually parent his offspring. That also makes the woman TA because she could've promptly asked her husband to switch so she could have some rest, instead of shaming OP.
You are NOT the a*****e, she is. Her husband is a bigger one. End of story.
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