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Reddit is full of stories about people trying to steal plane seats and getting put in their place, and I’ve always enjoyed reading them. With these incidents becoming more common—probably because airlines almost make you pay extra just to sit next to your travel buddy—I figured it was only a matter of time before it happened to me, especially since my husband and I fly frequently for work.
Well, it finally did, and it was quite the experience!
We always choose seats towards the back of the plane, and as we made our way down the aisle, we noticed a woman and her young son, maybe 11 or 12, sitting in our seats, completely absorbed in their phones. After waking up at 3:00 AM to drive to the airport, I was tired and in no mood for any nonsense.
I politely informed her that she was in our seats, and she smiled, saying they weren’t originally seated together, so the flight attendant supposedly told them they could sit there. Yeah, right. I smiled back and explained that we had paid for those seats and would like to sit in them. She continued to smile stiffly and gestured toward some empty seats behind us, asking if we wouldn’t mind sitting there since they were already settled in.
I firmly replied that yes, it did matter because the plane was still boarding and those seats could be reserved. Plus, it disrupts the seating arrangement when people sit wherever they want. Her smile started to fade, and she said they would move if there weren’t any available seats after boarding.
Normally, I’m not one for confrontation and tend to avoid conflict, so standing my ground wasn’t easy. But I’m glad I did. Meanwhile, my husband was trying to find a flight attendant among the boarding passengers.
I sighed and, with a half-smile, said I was sorry, but I just wanted to sit down and not block the aisle to see if maybe there were empty seats when we had paid for ours. Besides, I added, that if the plane crashes, I’d like the authorities to identify our bodies by seat number so our families can have closure. The kid, who had been glued to his phone the whole time, suddenly looked up in shock, glancing between me and his mom. It was priceless.
The woman looked bewildered, and after a few moments of silence, she gathered her things and nudged her son to move. I kept smiling sweetly, thanked her, and took my seat just as my husband returned with a flight attendant. I reassured him that everything was fine and shared what happened. We had a good laugh, and I’m pretty sure the mom overheard—or at least, I hope she did. I didn’t look back, but I could almost feel her glaring at me. Thankfully, the flight was only three hours, so I didn’t have to pass by her to use the restroom.
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AITA for Refusing to Give Up My Plane Seat?
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A frequent traveler shared a story about a recent experience involving a common issue on flights: seat stealing. With airlines increasingly charging extra for passengers who want to sit together, incidents like this have become more common. Given how much she and her husband travel for work, she anticipated it might happen to them eventually—and it did.
The couple, who typically book seats toward the back of the plane, noticed a woman and her young son seated in their assigned spots. The travelers had woken up at 3:00 AM for their flight, so they were already exhausted and not in the mood for any hassle. When they politely informed the woman she was in their seats, she claimed that they weren’t seated together, so a flight attendant supposedly told them they could sit there. Skeptical but polite, the woman explained that they had paid for these seats and needed to sit in them. The seat-stealing woman smiled and suggested they take empty seats behind them since she and her son were already settled in.
Unwilling to give in, the traveler firmly stated that it did matter since the plane was still boarding and those seats might be reserved. She also pointed out how important it was for everyone to sit in their assigned seats to avoid confusion. The woman’s smile faded, and she reluctantly agreed to move if no seats were available after boarding.
Normally not one for confrontation, the traveler struggled to stand her ground but was proud of herself for doing so. Meanwhile, her husband tried to get a flight attendant’s attention. The traveler, wanting to resolve the situation quickly, mentioned that if the plane were to crash, it would be easier for authorities to identify their bodies by seat number, which visibly shocked the woman’s son, who had been glued to his phone.
After a brief silence, the seat-stealer finally gathered her things and moved, allowing the couple to take their seats. The woman’s husband returned with a flight attendant, but by then, the situation was resolved. They both found the incident amusing, though the woman could sense the mother’s lingering frustration throughout the flight. Fortunately, the flight was only three hours, so there was little chance of further awkward encounters.
Let’s swiftly assess a handful of the top comments: AITA for Refusing to Give Up My Plane Seat?
Not a good idea, since it is a potential vector for terrorist incidents. Instead your bags were pun on a bus to Akron, you can pick them up in person after 7-9 days. Storage fees will be charged after 10 days, and contents will be donated to charity after 30 days unless other arrangements are made and paid for.
I think the flight attendant should have considered how important it was for the three of them to sit together and kicked all three off the flight. They could sit together and talk while waiting for a new flight assignment.
That entails offloading bags and it a whole rigmarole.
My husband is very tall, if he doesn’t have extra legroom, like exit row, he doesn’t fit in the seat.
He boarded the plane and found a couple in the two exit row seats, his was the aisle. They refused to move. My very big and tall husband now blocking the aisle got the attention of a flight attendant on the other side, she crossed the middle row (luckily still empty). They had purchased one exit row seat, one in the row behind and then one whatever was cheapest at the very back.
They offered him “his wife’s seat” that person was the wife’s sister, and she declined to move, the wife’s seat was the one at the back. Then they tired to argue that he was by himself and it wasn’t a big deal and they were already seated and look how my husband was the one holding up the plane.
The flight attendant did ask my husband if he wouldn’t mind swapping, he asked her if she actually thought he would fit, she said no.
After a several minute stand off, the sister kept her seat, the husband kept his and the wife was exiled to the back of the plane.
Many snide comments from the sister that she couldn’t believe that the husband wouldn’t let the wife sit there so they could talk during the flight. A half dozen visits from the wife until she was told to go back to her seat and stay there. The husband did his best to be a jerk the entire flight, but my husband just put his headphones on, enjoyed his aisle seat with legroom and ignored.
I truly don’t get why people think this behaviour is ok.
“Meanwhile my husband is struggling between boarding passengers to get the fight attendant.”
Fight attendant seems fitting with the number of these types of situations they must deal with.
