A viral post on social media sparks a debate over airplane etiquette and personal boundaries after a passenger admits that she refused to give up an aisle seat when another traveler asked for one. A heated debate ensued.
The memo, posted on Reddit's r/AITAH forum, was titled, “I refused to give up my aisle seat on a 15-hour flight for an elderly woman who was disabled.”
The passenger said, “I was sitting in an aisle seat in the center bulkhead row. Next to me was an older woman, probably in her 60s,'' and the woman got up from her seat.
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“A few minutes later, she returned with a flight attendant and asked if she could switch seats because she had 'mobility issues.'
A Reddit user said there was a heavy passenger in the seat right next to the woman's original seat, spilling into the space.
A passenger on the plane (not pictured) shared his “seat swap” story on Reddit, sparking a lot of discussion. The elderly woman requested an aisle seat, claiming she had a medical condition, but the person who originally selected and paid for that seat refused to change. (St. Petersburg)
We assumed that if the older woman had been disabled she would have been assigned a seat in advance, but it appears that the woman simply wanted to change seats so she wouldn't have to sit next to a larger passenger, and the user refused to change seats.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the original Reddit poster for comment.
People were divided online over the refusal of the 'seat switch', with some defending the passenger's decision and others expressing concern for the elderly woman.
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“She knew [had] “I had mobility issues and chose not to reserve a seat that was comfortable for me, thinking I would be forcing someone else out of their assigned seat,” one user commented.
Another added: “She just didn't want to sit next to the person in the middle seat.” [seat]. This is especially true if you are offered a different route and decline it. ”
“Look the flight attendant in the eye, smile politely, and say, 'If the alternative seat is business class or better, we'll swap seats.'” Suggested by one of our users. (St. Petersburg)
“I'm a big guy so I have to book two seats or fly first class. Grandma can do the same thing. She was just being cheap and trying to take over your seat.” the user commented.
One person suggested, “Look the flight attendant in the eye. Smile politely and say, 'I'll swap seats with you if the alternative is business class or higher.'”
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“Former flight attendant here: Disabled people are usually supposed to sit.” [at] I took a window seat for safety reasons,” one user claimed.
“Look the flight attendant in the eye. Smile politely.”
The same user added, “In case of an emergency, they are the last to exit the plane so that the majority of passengers can safely evacuate.”
Another wrote: “Might have looked like…trying to get her to climb all over you and get out.” [there was] There is plenty of room, but as you get older your balance and reflexes decline. ”
“She knew [had] I had mobility issues and chose not to book a comfortable seat,” one user said of the drama described on social media. (St. Petersburg)
One user said: “Airlines need to have a policy of not asking people to swap seats with others.”
A passenger on the plane updated the post to share that the woman in question was given an alternative by the flight attendant.
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The poster said, “After I declined to move, the flight attendant offered her an aisle seat, but she preferred more legroom in the bulkhead row and declined the offer of an alternative aisle seat.'' I did,” he said.
“No one is obligated to change seats,” Rosalinda Randall, a California-based etiquette expert, told Fox News Digital.
A California-based etiquette expert said offering to buy a passenger a drink could be an incentive to change seats. (St. Petersburg)
“The client has no right to expect anything.” [this]Or they make a fuss when things don't go their way,” Randall said.
Randall said it's okay to politely request a seat change, although it may annoy other passengers.
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She suggested some better ways to raise the request.
One etiquette expert suggested that changing seats on a plane could be a little inconvenient depending on the situation. (St. Petersburg)
“Think about it: If the flight attendant can make an announcement, buy you a drink or two, pay for the airline surcharge, or offer to pay you cash or funds transfer, you might have even better luck. “No,” Randall suggested.
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Randall said the switch could be a little inconvenient in some situations.
“It's a short flight, so you can find a similar seat in another row. Otherwise, there will be someone who can do better than the passenger.” [you’re currently] I was sitting next to him,” Randall said.
