‘Elderly couple stole the plane seat I paid extra for – then refused to move’
A holidaymaker sparked a debate after revealing that fellow passengers stole her paid for booked seats. She claimed to have paid for the front row of seats on a flight – known as the bulkhead with extra legroom – but when she boarded a couple was already sitting in her seats.
The woman did ask the passenger to move from her seats but felt "guilty" doing so and they refused to budge! The traveller spoke about her issue on Reddit where people were disgusted at the other party’s attitude.
She explained that she was introduced to the uncomfortable situation when she and her husband boarded their Delta Airlines flight . She claimed they ‘accidentally’ took her place but then didn’t make an effort to move when she asked.
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Posting on the online forum, she wrote: "What's the etiquette with someone sitting in your seat (when their assigned seat is a row down) and the person sitting in your seat is telling you they are switching with you? A middle aged couple were sitting in my first class seats when I boarded because they ‘accidentally’ took mine and my husband's in the first row (they just wanted to sit closer to their friends.
"When I was confused they said ‘oh sorry were in the wrong seats, well you can have our seats’ which were a row behind, but I paid for and selected the seats I wanted for a reason. They actually argued when I asked for them and made me feel stupid for asking and kept saying, ‘You must not fly much because this isn't a big deal’ and ‘We just got comfortable and you're making us move’. Should I have just taken their seats?"
Most of us would consider the fellow passengers’ attitude condescending and in the comments people were outraged. One traveller said: "They know better and are trying to play you. Real frequent flyers aren’t going to hit you with the ‘you must not fly much’ line. That’s a frequent hustler line, not a frequent flyer line.'
Another added: "They are wrong. They are trying to guilt you into switching. You are not wrong. You can get a flight attendant involved." While a third noted: "That condescending attitude is so annoying. They must not fly much because people who steal seats and refuse to move are a******s. If they wanted to be closer to their friends they should have chosen those seats."
Plus, an airline worker added:"Retired Federal Air Marshal here. Once a week someone would do this to me…usually when I boarded last because..well being on planes got old.
"I went by this formula: A. You ask me to switch. 75% chance of me switching because you asked nicely…depending on your seat of course. B. You assume I am a weak willed person and just bully your way into my seat with the old, ’Oooops! Well you can just move since I am settled. Right?’ 0..Zero…Zilch chance of me giving you your way. I don’t care if you are sitting next to your dying husband who won’t live through the flight. Go p*** up a rope. Courtesy wins the day. Period."
A member of the cabin crew added: "I’m a flight attendant and love to tell people to go back to their originally assigned seats in situations like this. You are entitled to your assigned seat." So if you’re ever in this situation make sure you grab the crew to help you!
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