AITA for not giving up my aisle seat on a 15hr flight for an older lady with mobility issues?

A Reddit user shared their experience on a 15-hour flight, where an older lady with mobility issues asked if they could swap seats. The Reddit user, seated in an aisle seat in the bulkhead row, declined the request.

Thinking the lady was trying to avoid sitting next to a larger passenger. Now, the user is questioning whether they were in the wrong for not giving up their seat. Read the full story below…

‘ AITA for not giving up my aisle seat on a 15hr flight for an older lady with mobility issues? ‘

We were on a 777, and the economy seating configuration was 3-4-3. I was seated in the aisle seat of the bulkhead row in the middle section. Next to me was an older lady, probably in her 60s.

When I first sat down, she apologized and said she needed to get up. I told her it was no problem since there was enough space for her to move without me needing to stand up. A couple of minutes later, she returned with a flight attendant and asked if I could swap seats with her because she had “mobility issues.”

I politely declined because I wanted to keep my aisle seat, and the seat next to her was occupied by a very large woman who was spilling into part of the older lady’s seat.

My thinking was that if the older woman truly had mobility issues, she likely would have been pre-assigned an aisle seat, also there really was plenty of room for her to get out of her seat without me having to move, so it seemed to me that she just didn’t want to sit next to the larger passenger.. AITA for refusing to swap?

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

Mother_Search3350 −  Airlines allow people to prebook their seats. She knew she has mobility issues and CHOSE not to book a seat that was comfortable for her and thought she would just force someone else out of their assigned seating. The entitlement is on steroids.. You are definitely NTAH 

frozenbroccolis −  NTA, I just took the 777-200LR today and there is MORE than enough room (I had 18C so right across). She just didn’t want to sit beside her seatmate in a middle. Especially if she was offered another aisle and declined

Corfiz74 −  I think airplane seat-swapping stories should get their own flair – with an automatic “No, you are NTA, either, like all the 579 people who posted before you” judgement…

FrozenBearMo −  NTA – I have to book two seats or fly first class because I have a large frame. Big shoulders, big ass. It’s 23 inches across. I carefully plan and select my seat so I’m not encroaching on anyone, so we can all fly in relative comfort. Old lady can do the same, she was just being cheap and trying to take your seat.

river_song25 −  Hell no. I’d be like I paid for this seat and want the seat period. not my problem you have ‘mobility issue’ that somehow makes it your obligation to switch for her? especially when it’s obvious what the real cause for her ‘mobility issues’ is because of her oversized seatmate on the other side.

Why should you be uncomfortable sitting next to the oversized person instead of her? plus the fact she came back with a FA BEFORE she asked you to move because of her ‘mobility issues’,

I bet she was hoping the FA would convince/b**ly you into being ‘nice’ for the old lady whether you want to or not and let her have your seat instead just in case you said no if she had asked you without somebody backing her up. Which your not obligated to do either whether the FA asked or not.

Sassypants2306 −  Just look the flight attendant in the eye. Smile politely. And say “I’ll swap seats if my alternative is business class or higher.”. NTA

AdEducational1519 −  NTA. Former Cabin Crew here: People with reduced mobility are usually supposed to be seated on a window seat for safety reasons. In case of an emergency they are the last to get out of the plane to make sure the vast majority of the passengers get evacuated safely.

No_Cockroach4248 −  NTA, the old lady should just have been honest with the flight attendant instead of coming up with a poor cover story.

Grand_Raccoon0923 −  Can there just be a blanket “You’re NTA for not giving up your seat” at the top of this sub-reddit?

louie_215 −  This is a bit like when a mom books a first class seat for herself but leaves her kid in economy. Then she forces you to give up your first class seat to accommodate her kid. You paid extra to reserve an aisle seat,

so if the “disabled” (probably not even disabled) person in the story wanted a seat with more mobility, she could’ve reserved one by paying extra. She is probably just lying to you by acting like she’s disabled and she needs the aisle,

but in reality, she probably doesn’t have mobility issues and is just trying to s**m you to give up the seat you paid extra for. Stand your ground. It won’t make you an a**hole to refuse. The lady in this story is the a**hole for being entitled.

Do you think the user should have swapped seats with the older lady, or was their decision justified? What would you have done in a similar situation? Share your thoughts below and join the conversation!