What you should do if a fellow passenger on a plane insists you switch seats, according to travel experts

11.06.2024 - 11:43 / insider.com

You may like to think you'd always be the kind of person who would offer their seat to a family on a plane so they can all sit together.

But what if you paid extra for a window seat or extra legroom? What if what's on offer in return is a dreaded middle seat?

There's a heated discussion doing the rounds on social media about when you should switch seats, and under what circumstances you should refuse.

Travel experts say situations differ, and there may be legitimate reasons for asking for a swap, such as weight distribution, booking errors, and flight cancellations messing up people's plans.

Utimatley, however, they say you are always entitled to say "no."

Some travelers have been sharing their experiences on social media, saying that caution should be exercised when someone asks to switch seats because people "don't always have the best intentions."

One TikTok creator, called Nick, said a father ended up getting escorted off the plane by security when he became so angry that he didn't give up his seat. The man said he wanted to sit with his sons, who were both fully grown men, Nick said.

Nick argued that switching seats is rarely simple, and it's best to avoid the trouble.

"It was exhausting," Nick said. "If you want to go on a trip, just plan it better."

Why can no one just be normal on planes #fyp #viral #airplane #storytime #mean #arguments #airplanes #confrontation #annoying

Another creator, named Rylie, said she paid an extra $40 to be in a window seat closer to the front of the plane to help her with her anxiety on one flight. A family with four kids walked up to her, she said, and the father grabbed her shoulder and asked her if she wouldn't mind moving.

Rylie said she declined because she had paid to upgrade and explained why she didn't want to sit in the middle. The man's demeanor then "instantly changed," she said.

"He looks me dead in the eyes and goes, 'Oh, so you're really going to just let a kid sit back there by herself in the middle seat and not be with her family?'" Rylie said.

"I was like, that's the seat, right? Why don't you sit there and let the other kid sit with her siblings and her mother? Why does it have to be me?"

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Rylie said the man then told her, "Nobody cares about families anymore."

As a literal mom ill never understand the audacity of parents thinking theyre better than other people. Also the kicker is HIS NAME was on the middle seat ticket not even his poor daughter