He just wanted to lie down quietly.
Washington-based chef Anthony Thomas was perplexed by his fellow passenger’s decision to occupy the seat directly behind him on a nearly empty Southwest flight, even though there were dozens of options available. .
“Imagine the luxury of flying on a plane with just two passengers.” thomas she wrote on X, sharing a selfie with the man sitting directly behind her on an open flight.
“Look where he chose to sit among all the seats on the plane.”
Behind Thomas, two other passengers can be seen neatly spaced, at least 10 rows apart.
It is unclear how long Thomas’ flight was or whether the man eventually moved to take advantage of the extra space.
Southwest Airlines reportedly has an empty seat policy for passengers. Website.
When travelers on this airline board the plane, they can choose any available seat according to their group number, making the man’s seat selection even more bizarre on a nearly empty plane. There is.
The post, which has been viewed more than 35 million times since it was posted on Tuesday, sparked a long-running debate about airplane etiquette and personal space in his comment section.
One user commented: “That’s the same guy who ignores 30 empty urinals during business hours and tries to snuggle up to you and talk.”
“Honestly, I would have moved out. The guy is a weirdo and I don’t want him to be behind me for that reason alone,” another wrote.
“The same thing happens at the gym. There are 25 empty treadmills, but someone always seems to grab the treadmill next to me. What the heck??” Another X user explains. I did.
Many believed the man’s actions were strange considering the plane was empty, but others were not quick to take Thomas’ side.
“When you book a flight, you choose a seat. Even if there happens to be an empty seat and I’m right behind you, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s the seat I wanted. Besides, these days anyway, Leaving the world would be awful,” one user wrote.
“Sorry, but I can’t even sit by myself if I get on an empty plane. That’s creepy,” another person explained.
“Guys are probably scared of flying, so instead of being super gross, just ask to sit in the same row and you might make friends,” chimed in another man.
Thomas’ encounter may seem strange, but it’s far from the worst thing an air traveler can experience while taking to the skies.
Earlier this week, footage was released of a midair brawl between two passengers on a Southwest flight from Oakland to Hawaii.
Video of the midair exchange showed a man throwing a series of punches, landing about seven of the fellow passengers in the face, before other travelers and crew members separated him.
