An Airline Passenger Refused To Switch Seats For A Family & He's Getting So Much Praise
"Your travel issues are not my problem."
Airlines charge you extra to pick your seat, but what would you do if a family gave you the puppy-dog eyes and asked you to move so they could sit together?
Many people would give in to such a request, but one passenger is winning plenty of praise on Reddit for actually turning a family away and telling them "Your travel issues are not my problem."
Reddit user u/Unlikely-Strategy596 shared his story of rejecting a family's request on Reddit, where he turned to the popular forum Am I The Asshole (AITA) to find out if he did the right thing. And while there were a few outliers, many people said it was totally fair for him to stay put.
According to the user, he was on a 10-hour flight from Greece when a family of four asked if they could switch spots with him. He explained that this would generally be OK, but he paid extra for a comfier seat and didn't want to lose it.
"I booked my ticket specifically to be closer to the front of the plane so I can be closer to the gate when it's time to get out," the user shared. "I personally hate travelling, so I spent a bit more money to be closer."
He added that their offer would mean "moving back 20 rows down, which leaves me at an inconvenience, and I would not be getting my money's worth."
The husband and two children were already in his row, but he refused to move so the mother could join him. She responded by calling him an "a**hole," he said.
"Maybe you should have booked ahead of time or spent more money on tickets so you all could sit together," responded the Reddit user. "This is not my issue. Grow up and get over it. I am not moving seats. End of story!"
He added that the husband ended up apologizing for the wife.
A majority of Reddit users on the forum ruled that he was not the a**hole in this situation.
"If it was really about sitting together, why didn't they ask the people 20 rows back if they'd like the better seats upfront? They'd still all be together," pointed out one user.
"This is the solution the entitled families never offer," wrote another user in response to that comment. Many users also jumped in to praise this plan.
Others defended the woman for asking, but not for her response afterward.
"It's easier for 1 person to move rather than 3," one user wrote. "Nothing wrong with asking, but they are definitely an a**hole for making a scene."