Most of us have probably been in a situation where someone has asked us to swap plane seats. In some cases, most Americans wouldn't even mind. As one poll shows, 75% would switch with someone who wanted to sit with a younger family member. But that's not true in every case.
This woman paid extra money for an aisle seat, so she decided to stand her ground when asked to swap seats with a tall man. Unfortunately, this prompted the guy to throw a tantrum and keep "entertaining" the passengers for the rest of a 3-hour flight.
Bored Panda got in touch with the author of this story, and she kindly agreed to tell us more about how she managed to remain levelheaded during the confrontation. Read our conversation with the Redditor below!
Plane seat drama occured when one tall passenger asked another to swap seats
Image credits: gstockstudio / Envato (not the actual photo)
She refused, however, since she had paid extra to have her aisle seat
Image credits: winnievinzence / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Anonymous
If she hadn't read many similar stories online, the author probably wouldn't have been able to stand her ground
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
The author of this story told Bored Panda that this isn't the first time something like this has happened to her. However, it's the first time she was bold enough to tell an entitled passenger a firm 'No.'
The OP told us that she's a somewhat frequent flier. Usually, she takes around two trips per month that last from one to three nights. "I've had this happen to me a few times before, but I always acquiesced, usually due to a shorter flight or a visible family situation like a child in the lap with separated parents or, one time, honeymooners (if that was true)."
But this time, having paid for an aisle seat, the author decided not to give the tall man the satisfaction and refused to swap seats. "I 100% would have never stood my ground without following the Reddit subs and reading these stories of insanely selfish people being jerks due to their own entitled point of view," the Redditor told us.
"I see and believe that a lot of our world is aligned in doing the right thing most of the time, an unwritten contract of respect of others and ourselves," she went on. "That's unfortunately a situation that can be taken advantage of, and that's what almost happened to me. So, without reading others' experiences to prepare myself, I don't think I would have felt so confident."
In the end, it all comes down to empathy. "Kindness is free to give but priceless to receive," the OP says. "It goes so far in others being willing and open to want to help you. This man showed no kindness in the way he requested my seat and immediately showed me his true self when I (at first sheepishly) said 'No' to swapping seats," the Redditor believes.
If a passenger declines to swap seats, good manners dictate that you accept a 'No' graciously
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
Wanting to switch seats with someone on a plane is not a cardinal sin. As we mentioned before, a lot of people are willing to swap their seats if there's a good enough reason. However, if you're being rude, chances are you're going to have your request denied.
In a previous interview, etiquette expert Myka Meier of Beaumont Etiquette explained that you always have to approach the other person politely. "Approach with a friendly demeanor and use polite language. A smile and a 'Please' go a long way."
There's always something to offer the person in return; in the end, they might be losing a better seat than you. "Try to offer a seat that is similar or better than the one you are asking the person to give up," Meier suggested. "Sometimes, asking a flight attendant ahead [of time] to help you locate any open seats gives you choices to offer."
And, if the person declines, don't cause a scene. Best case scenario, you'll annoy all the other passengers on the plane. And, in the worst case, you'll end up as a cautionary tale on Reddit.
"It's good manners to accept 'No' graciously," Meier told us back then. "You can't force someone to give up their seat, so respecting the other passenger's decision if they decline is good manners."
"I got the sense he throws tantrums often," the author wrote in one comment
People praised the author for standing their ground: "Good for you"
Some also shared similar unpleasant experiences
