AITAH for refusing to swap seats on a plane so a family could sit together?
A Reddit user, a 27-year-old man, declined to swap his pre-selected aisle seat on a long-haul flight with a middle seat so a family could sit together. Despite explaining that he had chosen and paid extra for his seat due to claustrophobia, the mother accused him of being selfish.
After a tense exchange, a flight attendant intervened, and the family had to sit apart. The user is now second-guessing his decision after a friend suggested he should’ve been more accommodating. Read the full story below to decide if he was in the wrong.
‘ AITAH for refusing to swap seats on a plane so a family could sit together?’
I (27M) recently took a long-haul flight for work. I specifically chose and paid extra for an aisle seat because I get really claustrophobic when stuck between people.
When I boarded, a woman (maybe mid-30s) approached me and asked if I could switch seats so she could sit with her husband and young son. Her seat was a middle seat about five rows back. I politely declined, explaining that I had chosen my seat because of my claustrophobia.
She didn’t take it well. She said it was “just a few hours” and that I was being selfish for not helping a family stay together. I apologized again but stood my ground. She kept badgering me until a flight attendant intervened and asked her to take her assigned seat.
The rest of the flight, I could feel her glaring at me, and when we landed, her husband muttered something about “people being so entitled these days.”
I told a friend about it later, and she said I should’ve just switched because it wasn’t a big deal and “kids need their parents.” Now I’m wondering if I was too rigid.. AITAH?
See what others had to share with OP:
Bitter_Trees − You should have turned to the husband and said “Yeah. You should talk to your wife about that.”. NTA
Gilbandzz − f**k them bro 🤣🤣🤣 i would make a whole scene for this i would tell the wife she shoudlve got a more organised husband poor pos
STUNTPENlS − Gee, didn’t I read this story a few days ago?. Oh yeah, I did.
Mental-Science1288 − NTA! Husband had a lot of nerve. You paid for that seat and good for you for staying put. F**k those entitled assholes, you did the right thing.
Dizzy-Bench2784 − We really needed another airplane seat switch post
Poperama74 − Her husband was right. People really are entitled these days. As in his wife
Organic-Mix-9422 − I thought this thread had moved on from the plane seat swaps to a new rehashed subject. It’s entitled family this week dude.
Dizzy-Bench2784 − It was so brave of u to come forward about this, I think others will now too
JanetInSpain − Nope. F**k those entitled people. You paid for the seat you wanted. If they wanted specific seats they could have paid for them too. I’m so damn sick of entitled parents who expect others to kowtow to them.
She can pound sand. Never apologize. Instead, ask, “Why didn’t you pay for the seats you wanted the same way that I paid for mine?” And as for that s**tty husband, you’re not the entitled one. Cheap-ass parents were the entitled ones.
OkBalance2879 − Oh goodie. ANOTHER plane seat story. I very much doubt this is real, but on the off chance it is the OP missed an opportunity “people being so entitled these days” SHOULD have been directed back to the husband.
Was the user entitled to keep the seat he specifically chose and paid for, or should he have accommodated the family for the sake of their child? How do you balance personal needs with helping others in situations like this? Share your opinions and travel stories in the comments below!