Woman Makes A Girl Cry By Asking Her To Sit In Her Correct Plane Seat
Interview With Author
Experts already warn us that flying will never be the same after the pandemic. Flight prices are nowhere near as cheap as they used to be, many airports are often still understaffed, and planes are packed to the brink. No wonder airlines are charging insane prices for the good seats.
Speaking of seats, a 22-year-old woman got into a weird situation after boarding a 9-hour international flight. A girl was sitting in the author’s window seat, and being stressed and not wanting to look rude, the author was ready to give up her seat. But a phone call from her dad changed the whole situation.
A woman shared an incident on the AITA subreddit about how she made a child cry by taking the seat that she paid for on a flight
Image credits: leungchopan (not the actual photo)
Image credits: friends_stock (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Anon
“I don’t deal with confrontation very well sometimes,” the author of this story who wanted to remain anonymous told Bored Panda.
She continued: “And at that moment I was already feeling emotionally vulnerable about leaving home. I have read about things like this happening so often, but I did not expect for it to happen to me, so while I know I should have said something immediately I panicked and stressed out.”
“Instead of making the situation more uncomfortable, I would have just sat at the aisle seat and been miserable for the rest of the flight. My family knew that and that is why my dad refused to end the call until I had spoken up for myself and gotten into my correct seat,” the woman behind this story told us.
She said she is glad she stood up for herself. “I had been looking forward to the window seat but I felt bad cause the girl started crying and it’s never nice to see someone crying because of something you’re involved with indirectly or directly.”
Image credits: ijeab (not the actual photo)
The author also wanted to point out that there were no more snide remarks from the girl’s father. “We actually spoke during the flight and he seems like a nice man. The girl was able to look out during the flight. All in all, I just wanted to say that I had no more problems during the flight.”
When asked if flying has been feeling more difficult lately, the author of the story confirmed that soaring prices have definitely made it harder to fly. “Both international flights I took over the last 10 days were fully booked, but I’ve been diligent enough about booking the tickets in advance,” she said and added that she has also been very fortunate that her parents can afford “to fly me to and from, so I’m very grateful for them.”
Plane seats and their shrinking size have become a heated issue for travelers
Image credits: DC_Studio (not the actual photo)
For long-haul and long-distance flights, choosing a seat wisely may be a game changer. But if you are a frequent traveler, you know very well that seats often feel not just small, but tiny. So how are you supposed to sit back, relax and enjoy your flight?
Apparently, in 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration received more than 26,000 pieces of input related to airline seat sizing shared from a wide variety of commenters. They ranged from frequent and infrequent flyers to airline lobbyists, lawmakers and passenger rights advocates.
With the tiny seat problem in fully packed planes, the question of whether it’s okay to recline your seat is more relevant than ever before. But this survey showed that more than two-thirds of passengers, or 77%, think it’s rude. Meanwhile, more than 27% said they would still lean back, but politely ask if it was ok first, and just over 3% said they didn’t care and would recline without warning anyway.
The seating data shows how passengers have migrated from window to aisle seats and back throughout the years
Image credits: Chalabala (not the actual photo)
Interestingly, the seating chart data from ExpertFlyer’s Seat Alerts app discovered an interesting tendency with passengers shifting from window to aisle seats, and back to window from 2013 to 2019.
According to Katy Goshtasbi, researcher and behavioral expert at Puris Consulting, the trend makes perfect sense, but it’s not such a good thing. “As a researcher, it signals to me that there is a societal trend emerging that is not positive at all. Our use of technology is isolating people and making them feel lost, which makes many withdraw even more. And a window seat is a great place to hide.”
Measures have already been taken to bring people back at least a decent standard of comfort when flying with Congress passing the Seat Egress in Air Travel Act, or Seat Act. It is part of the FAA’s reauthorization bill that was signed into law in 2018, requiring the agency to issue regulations on minimum seat requirements “that are necessary for the safety of passengers.” Find out more about the Seat Act to find out how it may affect your flying experience here.
Many people supported the author and said that she did nothing wrong
Others took an opportunity and shared similar experiences
Can we just settle this once and for all? Your seat is your seat. Anyone else asks you for your seat and you don't give it to them, NTA, EVER! I don't care the situation. Either book your flight early or choose another flight if you don't get the seat you want. It's that simple.
I'll happily trade for an equivalent seat, but if I paid for a premium seat, I won't give it up without being reimbursed. If I have an aisle or window, I'm not trading for middle.
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I once got to my seat where a heavily pregnant woman sat in the middle with her kid sitting on my paid window seat. I stood there patiently till she made the kid move. In the end I had to ask her also to get up so that I could take my seat. She first expected me to climb over her pregnant belly and kept sitting. Maybe she assumed if she sat long enough I would tire out and take the aisle. I just kept standing. She finally got up when an attendant intervened and asked me to take my seat and I replied saying "I'm just waiting for this family to move so that I can sit" and I pointed to the window. The lady finally got up to let me in.
I thought you're not supposed to fly after a point in pregnancy?
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In my experience, every flight I have ever taken you are allocated a seat, and that is the seat you sit in and that's that.
I have taken many flights with no assigned seating. Southwest immediately comes to mind. Admittedly it has been a while since I traveled so this could have changed.
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Don't you also need to be in your assigned seat in case something happens and they know who is sitting there? Also, people are idiotic entitled a******s.
NTA. No person in history of aircraft has ever died of window seat deprivation. The girl will be fine, kids cry for nonsensical reasons all the time.
I hate this. I had to deal with seat stealers the last 3 flights I took! Airlines need to step up and deal with this. They could prevent it by having people who have purchased seats board first. Put a green S on our tickets for seat purchase or something. DO SOMETHING already. I paid $30 on one airline to reserve a seat. It is not cheap anymore. I purchased my seat due to having a health issue. Some old woman was in it and pretending to be asleep. I was glared at for trying to wake her up and then getting a attendant to deal with her. Then the would woman acted like she was dying when she had to move. Moaning and what not. Never even offered to pay for my $30 seat. I have an invisible disability and I need to sit in a certain seat due to that. The attendant told me to just leave it. I had to explain all of my chronic health issues to her. My PRIVATE business before she would do anything.
I might be wrong but I thought if a child booked a seat on an aeroplane they put a child sized life jacket under the seat, so switching would mean having the wrong size jacket in an emergency. I do live on an island so maybe not an issue for someone not surrounded by the sea.
I live on an island surrounded by sea, too. I take an inter-island flight to and from work every day. I’ve flown in all 6 airlines that have operated these flights over the years (currently there are 3 airlines) and never once has a life jacket for a child been put under a child’s seat. At this very moment I’m waiting to board and will ask an FA if this is even a thing. For the most part, it’s always “your seat works as a floatation device” on any plane I’ve been on in the past two decades. The life jacket under the seat announcement hasn’t happened on a current gen plane that I know of.
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Absolutely NTA. The child's dad is a major a*****e for expecting people to just give up their seat because their precious child wants it without even asking first. When I fly long distance, I make sure to choose a seat in advance even if it's a little extra. And if someone comes along and expects me to give it up, especially for a selfish reason, sorry but it's a firm no.
what is it these days with people expecting to sit in a seat that they did not reserve and pay for? i usually fly first class if i can - no, not a snob but have disability in which i need the extra leg room. so, this doesn't happen. prior to the disability being very bad i used to book the emergency exit row for the room but that is now out. the only way i would ever give up my seat would be for someone more incapacitated than myself if the flight wasn't too long.
What I don’t see as part of this conversation is the REASON airlines assign seats. TRIGGER WARNING! GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS FOLLOW!!!! The reason seats are assigned, and those assignments should be strictly adhered to, is because they’re all the airlines have to identify whatever may be left of your body if the plane crashes (bombs or other mid-air explosions that are very strong would render everyone to pink mist, so won’t apply). Since crash protocol calls for securing yourself in your seat, chances are small that you would not “land” still belted in, and matching the seat number to the manifest is often the only way they can send the correct remains for your family to bury. On the flip side, if you switched seats, didn’t get the flight attendants to adjust the manifest, and you survived but the person you switched with didn’t, plus you were unconscious and didn’t have your ID in your pockets, just imagine the phone call your family would get—-by mistake. So yeah. Stay in your OWN assigned seat. FFS. (Sorry for being so graphic. Used to work for TSA, and believe me, this same stuff would be brought up in conversation at work after every major plane crash anywhere in the world made the news.)
Basically, this guy got upset that you refused to hand his kid $50 (or whatever the seat cost).
New Rule : If you pay (and especially if you paid extra) for the seat, it's your seat. Period. You are NEVER the AH for keeping the seat you paid for.
The moment someone made a snide remark about it I'd start to explain the girl how her father is wrong and is making her learn bad judgement.
NTA. Maybe offering to sell him the seat at a premium would get him to shut up?
My kid also likes the window seat. So I book it for her. But also, she's 7yo, so she's old enough to alternate, sometimes I want the window seat, too.
Sure, I'll give you my seat if you pay to upgrade me to first class. Dad is a loser. Teaching the kid that she can get what she wants by moping around and crying while disrespecting the fact others have paid for what they're getting and are entitled to it. I hate people like this. It's his job to console the kid and use the opportunity to teach her she can't always have stuff or figure out an alternative if he really wanted her to enjoy a window seat. It's not other passengers obligation to give up anything
Almost all airlines charge extra for window and aisle seats! If they want their kid to sit by the window the could have paid extra and reserved that seat for her!
You did the right thing. The father could have moved to the aisle seat gave the daughter his seat and she would have still been able to see out the window.
If the dad and child could sit in her seat why cant they get up and take over another set of seats. A kind of window roulette if you will.
NTA. My mother literally calls me window seat bc I won't give it up and always get the window seat somehow. The one time she got me to switch was when we were in the middle row and she wanted the aisle instead of the center. Joke was on her as there was no one else on the other side so had 2 seats.
A new rule needs introducing...ANYONE who takes or asks for someone else's seat they paid for should be removed (along with any family) from the flight and BANNED indefinitely.
Asking is fine. Taking without asking or being a jerk when told no is not okay.
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What the hell is wrong with all you people? Where do you get off thinking you can take over some else's seat in a plane? Especially since everyone has to purchase their seat in advance, this is not a damn free for all or first come first serve environment for Christ's sakes. Grow the f**k up all you entitled Karens and Kevins!! The answe is NO end of conversation.
Flying Southwest can be a mess. No assigned seats so one person in the A boarding group will try to save a seat for someone else. The worst is the family of six due to poor planning all board last then Karen the ring leader tries to reposition the entire plane so this bunch of misfits can sit together on a Dallas to Houston flight
If he was adamant he wanted his child to have the window seat, you could have offered to "sell" the seat to him as you'd already paid for it. Then when he refused it's him that looks like the a-hole in front of his child
I haven't flown in awhile and I just had a conversation with a friend who flies quite a lot, and apparently there are now 4 tiers of economy seating with my local international airline, starting with only 1 carryon and no assigned seating, 1 carryon and 1 checked and no assigned seating, 2 checked luggage and you can pick your seat, and finally 2 checked luggage, you pick your seat and you get premium economy seat (whatever that is, maybe extra legroom?). There is no way I can travel 10+ hours overseas on a single carryon bag and I definitely want to pick my seat. I generally choose a seat in the rear of the plane because it's usually quieter. The last time I took that flight the seat was uncomfortable, I'm short but it was still a bit cramped, I sat on a pillow and blanket the whole way, and now they've done away with pillows and blankets on that airline. I now dread traveling by plane where I used to enjoy it.
Wtf is with the audacity of all these people thinking every plane is a Spirit Airlines free-for-all?
I've heard that people are paying extra for those window seats now. ITS YOURS!! Use it yourself. If people see that you're being weak and hesitant, they will try to take unfair advantage of you. As it turns out OP was probably made to feel guilty the entire trip. Stand your ground. If they refuse to move, seek out the flight attendant. You owe those people nothing. They could have reserved a window seat if they wanted one. If OP had let that little girl sit in her seat, that just teaches that kid they can get what they want by whining. Far too many entitled people out there, teaching their kids the same. I was so lucky. The last 8-10 years my partner and I traveled, we got to go in first class. Partner was a big guy and just couldn't handle the small seats any more. Plus, he was disabled and needed easier access to bathrooms. No fights over seats, every one a winner. Delta came out with these BIG pod seats. Because they were big, there were actually fewer window seats. Can't complain.
Stop stealing from Reddit for stories and leave AITA stories off BP, please. This is not something to cheer us up.
If not for Reddit, BP would have to shut down due to lack of material.
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How on earth does that make OP the AH? Seriously how? Please don't ever sit on a jury.
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Can we just settle this once and for all? Your seat is your seat. Anyone else asks you for your seat and you don't give it to them, NTA, EVER! I don't care the situation. Either book your flight early or choose another flight if you don't get the seat you want. It's that simple.
I'll happily trade for an equivalent seat, but if I paid for a premium seat, I won't give it up without being reimbursed. If I have an aisle or window, I'm not trading for middle.
Load More Replies... I once got to my seat where a heavily pregnant woman sat in the middle with her kid sitting on my paid window seat. I stood there patiently till she made the kid move. In the end I had to ask her also to get up so that I could take my seat. She first expected me to climb over her pregnant belly and kept sitting. Maybe she assumed if she sat long enough I would tire out and take the aisle. I just kept standing. She finally got up when an attendant intervened and asked me to take my seat and I replied saying "I'm just waiting for this family to move so that I can sit" and I pointed to the window. The lady finally got up to let me in.
I thought you're not supposed to fly after a point in pregnancy?
Load More Replies... In my experience, every flight I have ever taken you are allocated a seat, and that is the seat you sit in and that's that.
I have taken many flights with no assigned seating. Southwest immediately comes to mind. Admittedly it has been a while since I traveled so this could have changed.
Load More Replies... Don't you also need to be in your assigned seat in case something happens and they know who is sitting there? Also, people are idiotic entitled a******s.
NTA. No person in history of aircraft has ever died of window seat deprivation. The girl will be fine, kids cry for nonsensical reasons all the time.
I hate this. I had to deal with seat stealers the last 3 flights I took! Airlines need to step up and deal with this. They could prevent it by having people who have purchased seats board first. Put a green S on our tickets for seat purchase or something. DO SOMETHING already. I paid $30 on one airline to reserve a seat. It is not cheap anymore. I purchased my seat due to having a health issue. Some old woman was in it and pretending to be asleep. I was glared at for trying to wake her up and then getting a attendant to deal with her. Then the would woman acted like she was dying when she had to move. Moaning and what not. Never even offered to pay for my $30 seat. I have an invisible disability and I need to sit in a certain seat due to that. The attendant told me to just leave it. I had to explain all of my chronic health issues to her. My PRIVATE business before she would do anything.
I might be wrong but I thought if a child booked a seat on an aeroplane they put a child sized life jacket under the seat, so switching would mean having the wrong size jacket in an emergency. I do live on an island so maybe not an issue for someone not surrounded by the sea.
I live on an island surrounded by sea, too. I take an inter-island flight to and from work every day. I’ve flown in all 6 airlines that have operated these flights over the years (currently there are 3 airlines) and never once has a life jacket for a child been put under a child’s seat. At this very moment I’m waiting to board and will ask an FA if this is even a thing. For the most part, it’s always “your seat works as a floatation device” on any plane I’ve been on in the past two decades. The life jacket under the seat announcement hasn’t happened on a current gen plane that I know of.
Load More Replies... Absolutely NTA. The child's dad is a major a*****e for expecting people to just give up their seat because their precious child wants it without even asking first. When I fly long distance, I make sure to choose a seat in advance even if it's a little extra. And if someone comes along and expects me to give it up, especially for a selfish reason, sorry but it's a firm no.
what is it these days with people expecting to sit in a seat that they did not reserve and pay for? i usually fly first class if i can - no, not a snob but have disability in which i need the extra leg room. so, this doesn't happen. prior to the disability being very bad i used to book the emergency exit row for the room but that is now out. the only way i would ever give up my seat would be for someone more incapacitated than myself if the flight wasn't too long.
What I don’t see as part of this conversation is the REASON airlines assign seats. TRIGGER WARNING! GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS FOLLOW!!!! The reason seats are assigned, and those assignments should be strictly adhered to, is because they’re all the airlines have to identify whatever may be left of your body if the plane crashes (bombs or other mid-air explosions that are very strong would render everyone to pink mist, so won’t apply). Since crash protocol calls for securing yourself in your seat, chances are small that you would not “land” still belted in, and matching the seat number to the manifest is often the only way they can send the correct remains for your family to bury. On the flip side, if you switched seats, didn’t get the flight attendants to adjust the manifest, and you survived but the person you switched with didn’t, plus you were unconscious and didn’t have your ID in your pockets, just imagine the phone call your family would get—-by mistake. So yeah. Stay in your OWN assigned seat. FFS. (Sorry for being so graphic. Used to work for TSA, and believe me, this same stuff would be brought up in conversation at work after every major plane crash anywhere in the world made the news.)
Basically, this guy got upset that you refused to hand his kid $50 (or whatever the seat cost).
New Rule : If you pay (and especially if you paid extra) for the seat, it's your seat. Period. You are NEVER the AH for keeping the seat you paid for.
The moment someone made a snide remark about it I'd start to explain the girl how her father is wrong and is making her learn bad judgement.
NTA. Maybe offering to sell him the seat at a premium would get him to shut up?
My kid also likes the window seat. So I book it for her. But also, she's 7yo, so she's old enough to alternate, sometimes I want the window seat, too.
Sure, I'll give you my seat if you pay to upgrade me to first class. Dad is a loser. Teaching the kid that she can get what she wants by moping around and crying while disrespecting the fact others have paid for what they're getting and are entitled to it. I hate people like this. It's his job to console the kid and use the opportunity to teach her she can't always have stuff or figure out an alternative if he really wanted her to enjoy a window seat. It's not other passengers obligation to give up anything
Almost all airlines charge extra for window and aisle seats! If they want their kid to sit by the window the could have paid extra and reserved that seat for her!
You did the right thing. The father could have moved to the aisle seat gave the daughter his seat and she would have still been able to see out the window.
If the dad and child could sit in her seat why cant they get up and take over another set of seats. A kind of window roulette if you will.
NTA. My mother literally calls me window seat bc I won't give it up and always get the window seat somehow. The one time she got me to switch was when we were in the middle row and she wanted the aisle instead of the center. Joke was on her as there was no one else on the other side so had 2 seats.
A new rule needs introducing...ANYONE who takes or asks for someone else's seat they paid for should be removed (along with any family) from the flight and BANNED indefinitely.
Asking is fine. Taking without asking or being a jerk when told no is not okay.
Load More Replies... What the hell is wrong with all you people? Where do you get off thinking you can take over some else's seat in a plane? Especially since everyone has to purchase their seat in advance, this is not a damn free for all or first come first serve environment for Christ's sakes. Grow the f**k up all you entitled Karens and Kevins!! The answe is NO end of conversation.
Flying Southwest can be a mess. No assigned seats so one person in the A boarding group will try to save a seat for someone else. The worst is the family of six due to poor planning all board last then Karen the ring leader tries to reposition the entire plane so this bunch of misfits can sit together on a Dallas to Houston flight
If he was adamant he wanted his child to have the window seat, you could have offered to "sell" the seat to him as you'd already paid for it. Then when he refused it's him that looks like the a-hole in front of his child
I haven't flown in awhile and I just had a conversation with a friend who flies quite a lot, and apparently there are now 4 tiers of economy seating with my local international airline, starting with only 1 carryon and no assigned seating, 1 carryon and 1 checked and no assigned seating, 2 checked luggage and you can pick your seat, and finally 2 checked luggage, you pick your seat and you get premium economy seat (whatever that is, maybe extra legroom?). There is no way I can travel 10+ hours overseas on a single carryon bag and I definitely want to pick my seat. I generally choose a seat in the rear of the plane because it's usually quieter. The last time I took that flight the seat was uncomfortable, I'm short but it was still a bit cramped, I sat on a pillow and blanket the whole way, and now they've done away with pillows and blankets on that airline. I now dread traveling by plane where I used to enjoy it.
Wtf is with the audacity of all these people thinking every plane is a Spirit Airlines free-for-all?
I've heard that people are paying extra for those window seats now. ITS YOURS!! Use it yourself. If people see that you're being weak and hesitant, they will try to take unfair advantage of you. As it turns out OP was probably made to feel guilty the entire trip. Stand your ground. If they refuse to move, seek out the flight attendant. You owe those people nothing. They could have reserved a window seat if they wanted one. If OP had let that little girl sit in her seat, that just teaches that kid they can get what they want by whining. Far too many entitled people out there, teaching their kids the same. I was so lucky. The last 8-10 years my partner and I traveled, we got to go in first class. Partner was a big guy and just couldn't handle the small seats any more. Plus, he was disabled and needed easier access to bathrooms. No fights over seats, every one a winner. Delta came out with these BIG pod seats. Because they were big, there were actually fewer window seats. Can't complain.
Stop stealing from Reddit for stories and leave AITA stories off BP, please. This is not something to cheer us up.
If not for Reddit, BP would have to shut down due to lack of material.
Load More Replies... How on earth does that make OP the AH? Seriously how? Please don't ever sit on a jury.
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