“Doctor Sabra,” a Seattle-based pharmacist on TikTok, flew Air France from Seattle to Paris and refused to switch her business class seat so that a family could travel together. “That’s a no from me dawg,” she declared to over 10 million viewers, who were overwhelmingly supportive in the comments.
- She was upgraded and had seat 1A
- Many consider this to be an undesirable seat actually because of proximity to the lavatory and the galley. I actually prefer row 1 because I don’t see all of the other passengers in the cabin and it feels more private.
- She had been offered row 8, which is similarly near crew and passenger activity.
A gate agent asked her if she’d switch prior to boarding, but the seat they offered her wasn’t appealing (she asked to see the seat map). I wouldn’t have wanted to move from row 1 to row 8, either. She called it ‘first class’ when it was actually business, on a Boeing 787-9 with no first class cabin..
The gate agent called my name before boarding. They were nice and asked me if I was willing to switch seats. I asked to see the alternative on the seat map. It was still first class but all the way in the back. I kindly said that I’d rather keep the seat I selected and she didn’t insist.
Some of you might feel that (1) she should have been indifferent between the seats, and (2) more charitable considering she was upgraded. But it was her seat and her preference at that point. And, it turns out, the kid was 13 so I’m not sure that they really needed to be seated beside a parent? In the end they were accommodated by another passenger.
@lifewithdrsabra That’s a no from me dawg 🤣 would you have given up your seat? Also they ended up finding a solution so no, i am not a terrible human being. Also the child was like 13.
If the mom wanted to sit with her kid, they should have pre-booked this. And they could have considered another flight if there weren’t any seats together. (It’s possible their flight had been cancelled, or they misconnected, and got rebooked but with Seattle as the destination of this flight that seems geographically unlikely even though Delta operates a hub there.)
At a minimum get as good a seat as you can to offer up in trade. Don’t expect someone to give up their seat for one that they’ll view as inferior. And maybe offer them something to do the trade?
- I was once asked to change seats so that a couple could sit together, only to learn that they were already seated together, they just didn’t like the bulkhead, and they stuck me with the bulkhead (I don’t like the bulkhead either!).
- A reader once gave up his premium seat so that a family could sit together only to have the family sell that seat to another passenger and not actually sit together.
Still, if you’re indifferent between seats that are on offer, helping a family is the nice thing to do! It’s even better when you’re offered a superior seat for your trouble. Or $20.
I flew on Saturday. I had 1C booked. Aisle seat. A mom with an infant in arms had booked 1B. The flight attendant (after being asked by the mom) had the gumption to ask me to move back to an empty seat in row 5 so the mom could have 1C for her and the infant. I refused, not least because the last empty seat in first-class was presumably going to a passenger on the upgrade list. If the mom wanted extra space she should have bought two seats. Period.
I’m sorry. 1D, not 1 B.
Seat-switching etiquette demands that the requester offer the requestee a better seat, not a worse one.
@Tom Exactly.
FNT Delta Diamond all you are is a first class prick
I had someone on Saturday ask me to switch so their child could sit with them. Child was probably about 10. They were upgraded at the gate per the app list. Wanted me to give up a single seat for a window on a two pair so they could sit in tandem. I suggested the person in the aisle may want the single seat (1A on Embraer 175). The mother looked annoyed. So I told her sorry but I prefer to be strapped to the seat listed for me on the manifest in case we crash. She moved on.
I took a quick glance at her TikTok. If you need a definition of narcissism here it is.
Maybe the trend of trying to punk someone with a worse seat will go the way of the dinosaur. I can only hope.
This may not be entirely the family’s fault. The AF seat selection system is weird when traveling with kids. When I traveled with my spouse and two kids, it would not allow us to pick two sets of center seats in a 1-2-1 seatup. We were only allowed to reserve the entire row across (leaving one of my kids is a window seat unattended). CS could not fix this and told me to ask the Gaye agent, which is may be what happened here.
BTW – this wasn’t a one off – I’ve had three flights where this has been an issue.
On the contrary side airfrance is notorious for last second equipment swaps with scrambling families apart so that is possibly what happened here. No way to know of course
I don’t know whether the seat-switch requests (or outright stealing/squatting and causing a scene) has gotten worse in the past few years, but I fly maybe 4 times a year and it’s happened to me at least 3 times. It’s also a very common topic on Airline Reddit. Are people feeling more entitled? Is it like that Seinfeld episode that “rules are just suggestions”? I don’t know, but I hope this annoying trend stops soon.
Air France does not allow you to book the middle section for kids in business class. Nobody is quite sure why. But that can’t be what happened here, because 1A would be a window seat, and a 13 year old isn’t considered a child (I think). Definitely can lead to weird situations though, and it’s especially dumb on planes like the older A350s where there are “coupled” middle section seats.
If can afford to fly first class, you can afford to dress like a grown up and ditch the G-damned yoga pants. Its first class…not gym class. Dr Sanra had a right to keep her seat but she should be reprimanded for dressing like a slob. Airlines need dress codes
Air France wouldn’t upgrade me and my 11 yr old to the last 2 seats Biz CDG DFW on Saturday because the seats were not together. Then when I got to CDG and asked again, Biz was full but they allowed me to upgrade to PE with 10A and 12D, nowhere near each other. I did ask the lady in 10C to swap with me and she did but I was not going to press it if she said no.
When I book on a 777 or 787, they will not let me book middle seats together due to “Security Reasons” . So I book windows and sit behind her. Usually 3L and 4L.
When I book the A350 – I can book middle seats together – We have had 2 E and F twice.
It makes no sense.
That being said, all biz seats are pretty private, who cares if you actually sit next to your 15 year old, you have dinner and go to sleep. The lady that would’nt switch seats is right, the bulkhead is more private than row 8.
@Gary:
I’m relatively new to your blog, I read it every day, and while I do enjoy a bit of back-and-forth if it’s witty or to-the-point, I must say it could use a bit of moderation.
@Malte’s comment is neither witty nor does it add to the discussion; just a mean, thoughtless one-off and not something we really need to see.
Malte – sorry you didn’t get the first class seat for your infant for free. Next time you can buy it – it apparently also comes with ‘prick’ privileges.
I’m willing to bet this didn’t happen and she just posted it for some “look at me in business class!” show-off clickbait under the guise of being a victim
“If the mom wanted to sit with her kid, they should have pre-booked this.”
C’mon Gary, don’t blame the family who didn’t prebook the seats together. Last week United changed a family member’s seat moved 3 rows away from our group while we were in the boarding line. We were Group 2 and the change happened just before Group 1 started. Ping – “Your seat has been changed” said the mobile notificaiton. I am usually a digital boarding pass person, now I’m considering going back to paper just to have proof of the original seating assignment.
No, No, No! Now days, we get to select our seat online and pay for it if required. Please don’t even ask me to switch. And, more importantly I sit where I sit for a reason.
As Tom said above, it’s another “Look at meeeeeeeee” moment brought to us by TikTok. Hey dawg, put your phone down. Fool.
“If can afford to fly first class, you can afford to dress like a grown up and ditch the G-damned yoga pants.”
If a woman can wear them properly, God bless them.
I had booked on line and chose, as usually, a D, aisle seat in a 3/3, 737 configuration. The two adjacentseats were occupied with a father and daughter (6/7 yo) The father asked if I would change seats with the wife/mother. I replied, “If it is an aisle seat” I looked back. She was occupying an aisle seat two rows back. I switched. During the boarding process, a passenger claimed I was in her seat. Her boarding pass indicated I was. The women I switched with was assigned the middle seat.
I got up, returned to my original,assigned seat, and requested my seat back. She complied. The daughter questioned the father why “mommy” wasn’t sitting with them. The father replied “The man won’t let mommy sit with us. A did a mental “F**k you”
A flight attendant became involved. Making snarky comments about people not being thoughtful. I told him I would accept another D seat or even a window seat in first class.
After an involved game of musical chairs, the family and another couple were united and I had my aisle seat. All this before push back from the gate.
I agree with @305 – she’s an influencer; she is incentivized to make a big deal out of things. Her logic was either:
1) “Look at me in business class!”, or in other words the Hollywood strategy of “fake it until you make it”
2) She knows there have been news stories that go viral about this sort of thing, so she could get some free publicity where people like us learn that she exists.
Long story short: influencer-culture brings out the worst in people, and every online entity is an influencer to some extent.
@305, my thoughts exactly – Nobody cares about sitting near their teenager in Biz. This is an attention grab.
I also was unable to upgrade my wife and child on an AF CDG-JFK flight due to only window seats being available. Tried calling AF and went to Cdg to sort it out. By the time I got there, there weren’t enough seats left to upgrade.
In business, don’t ask anyone to switch seats ever, idiots.
People are so annoying. I put my eye mask and over-the-ear headphones on as soon as I board. I suppose if a flight attendant shook me, I would have to acknowledge them. But, it would only be to say “no” and then just shrug at whatever else they had to say, unless there was some sort of legitimate emergency going on.
@Angie would hate me. I only fly business/first and I always wear loose jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. I’m in a lie flat seat so I can sleep, not so I can model my designer outfit for people like Angie lol.
@FNT Delta Diamond – I don’t know if I believe your story either. You CHOSE to sit next to a lap infant when there was an empty seat 4 rows away?
Malte – no, you would be the prick here. Other people’s failure to plan, or to be cheapskates, aren’t our problem.
Tom – so what? Doesn’t make her wrong.
Matt – waaa boo hoo.
Angie – stick up you much? It’s not 1963.
Gentleman Jack – GFYS. You’re not the censor.
Too many times I have gotten to my seat only to have someone sitting in it and presuming I would give them my seat since they were a couple or family. I have traveled with children and with my spouse. We paid the extra (when required) to choose our seats. This is just the cost of traveling. To expect others to gove up their seat to you and pressure you while everyone is piling up behind you is ridiculous. Do the work. Pay the money and plan for your vacation and/or travel accordingly.
Also … PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF LIFE BRING EAR PHONES OR BUDS FOR YOUR CHILD’S TABLET!
It wasn’t her seat originally. They should’ve taken back the upgrade and put her back in coach. If a seat is mine originally, I won’t give it up unless I get a better one.
@Mike:
I booked an aisle seat in the first row. The mom was too cheap to purchase two seats. She asked the FA to ask me to move. The offered seat was a window seat in the last row of first, a seat that by Delta rule should have gone to the passenger first on the upgrade list.
The baby was fine – by the way. Slept like a rock. Literally a case of a cheap mom too cheap to buy a second seat for space.
I don’t think she was obligated to change her seat, but there’s something perverse about publicly celebrating that decision. I may have kept my seat too, but it’s not something to gloat over.
But I suppose being a conceited narcissist is what got her 12 million views on the clip. Which is a larger conversation.
Some of the self centered narcissism demonstrated by folks nowadays is astounding… this isnt like asking for a first class seat for a middle in coach… have some perspective guys.
Some of these “i refused to switch” posts are becoming more like “i am an asshole” post…
As far as I understand there is a restriction on children sitting on the window due to the oxygen masks. Adult has to be seated adjacent.
She does have to move unless the crew insist , however
If she was upgraded free of charge then she should have been reseated to accommodate someone who paid.
Why do Americans refer to business as first and have to post everything on social media showing off and confirming what a moron they are?
It’s pretty clear that she saw this as an opportunity for content on her social media accounts and any thoughts or comity, empathy, generosity, or decency went out the window. She got what she wanted and this blog is providing more.
Just a thought from someone who never flew on a plane:
“somebody wants your jacket, give them your coat as well”,
“somebody makes you walk a mile, go two”,
“don’t complain, seek nothing in return”.
Seems tough, but maybe worth a try for our own sake?
Lucky AF even asked. Maybe one of their perks for flying in business?. I once had a bulkhead aisle in coach seat with them and was bounced to a middle seat in the back ‘for a family’ i was told.. It was about 10 years ago and the last time I flew AF coach.
I will switch to any not to sit next to infant or small child for long flight
There a lot of time two sides to this.
Booked a seat for my 1 yo, although not required, figured it’ll be more comfortable for me and other passengers on a long haul flight.
AA has no seats available, for a fee or otherwise, only option is to upgrade to business for $1,200 one way per ticket. Considering I already spent $1,800 on each ticket that’s a bit much for me.
Maybe I’ll cancel my infants ticket and fly in business with the kid on my lap.
Point is, sometimes it’s not the family but the airlines fault.
Gotta say, 99% of these stories about people who were shamed into moving from a seat they had carefully chosen to help people sit together, I fully understood and supported them not moving if they are offered an inferior seat to swap. But this one I don’t get. She was upgraded so she didn’t pick the 1A seat, she lucked into it. She was offered what’s generally an equivalent seat in the trade, though I get that she had a preference for the one she got. (I’ve never been given a choice of seat when I am upgraded, though if I am upgraded in advance I can sometimes move my seat.)
So no, you should not be expected or shamed to trade your seat to give up something you took a special effort to get, like an aisle or window. But while some people said, “The family should have made the effort to get seats together” this is biz class. They paid. It’s just often there aren’t seats together and you take what you can get. Being together with your travel partner (child or adult) is quite a bit more valuable to folks than just not having to see passengers in front of you. It’s hard to see the comparison. If she said she switched to row 1 because it has a bigger footwell (sometimes they do) I would be all with her.
Agree that the real story here is the role we allow “influencers” to play in our society. The fact that it happened to be about an airplane seat is entirely secondary. Speaking of cultural deterioration, the pot shots that some readers take in the Comments section are…disappointing. Maybe think about what you would say to someone standing in front of you before you say it to them online. Just one man’s opinion.
I absolutely love all the comments assuming that it is parents’ fault. Did you ever consider that sometimes you have no choice to be separated even if you did your max to be seated together? I would love to know how many of the persons finding normal to say no have kids and were already in the same situation?…. At what point in time compassion and understanding fell behind egoism?
I book my seats in advance, usually pay a fee to do so. No way am I giving up my seat for anyone. You want it pay me for it.
@ Matt the coffeeman
We flew iad-cdg in J on AF Friday. Family of 4 including a 4 year old and a 2 year old. The AF site let us book 2 sets of middle seats, but checking in at iad they made us switch to a full row. Luckily there was a full row available. The middle J seats just aren’t good with little kids. If one made a run for it up an aisle there’s almost no way to stop it since there’s such a long way between middle seats. The full row ended up being much better.
Whenever, I’m flying out I choose my seat due to the fact I love to be comfortable. I always choose an aisle seat also closer to the front.
I feel if you’re a family or a couple When making reservations for your flight ✈️ you should definitely choose your seats in advance so you all can be together. If I pay for my seat I definitely will not be given it up for no one. Some of these complaints about having other passengers switch seats is ridiculous. It apparently looks like they choose to let the airline choose a seat for them and now becomes dissatisfied when they found out they are not sitting together. It’s their fault.
I don’t know which bothers me more, that people feel entitled to seats that aren’t theirs or that articles like this make the news. As one person so eloquently suggested, if you want your family to sit together, book it in advance. If the seats aren’t available, suck it up for the few hours that you are on the plane. Who knows, you might meet someone interesting.
Sometimes people with a child or children act like they’ve been specially anointed and should have rights, privileges or attitudes of near sainthood. You chose to have children, huge responsibility, deal with it. Through my taxes I already help pay for your child’s education in most cases that’s enough.
@Angie
Have you ever considered that those who can afford first class can also afford not to care what others think?
Row 8 WOULD have been a better seat, if IG was next to the crew area that means it would be at a mus cabin door, meaning you could be first out when the plane lands. Being as far forward as you can get is NOT always a better seat.
This comment section is a cess pool of unkindness. Also, Gary’s comment in the article, “If the mom wanted to sit with her kid, they should have pre-booked this” contributes to the problem.
I am currently in the middle of a trip to Tokyo with my family of 4 booked on JAL business class using AA miles for a partner reward. Because of AA’s relationship with JAL, I was unable to select my seats even though we confirmed our tickets 9 months ago.
JAL, for some unknown reason on the return flight, placed me away from my wife and child (4 year old and infant in lap with wife) in the same row, but not next to them. Due to this, I will be asking if the person next to them would be open to switching with me. Do I deserve to be crucified for that in a comments section of a blog?
People need to be more considerate. You never know the full situation as much as you think you do.
Book the seats together or deal with it. Selfish parents think they own the world because they travel with kids.
“dr”? She’s a pharmacist. Yeah it’s a doctoral level degree, but so is a JD.
Also, choosing not to switch seats isn’t newsworthy. What weirdo posts this kind of stuff on social media?
People in planes gotta stop being smart assess and not inconvenience other passengers just because they didn’t like their seats
@Pounce Kitty did you see my comment? We literally were unable to pick our seats. In my case, it’s incredibly unfair to blame the parents. Blame the airlines.
I *never* switch seats. I book my seats well ahead, and they are seats I want. If folk want to pick seats, they know how to do it.
Domestically I love it when upgrades to First ask if I will move so they can sit together. Better yet is when my wife is NOT seated next to me but is in the same cabin. “Could you move so I can sit next to my wife/girlfriend?” I just point to my wife and say “That’s MY wife. Do you see us sitting together?”
But then, I’m an only child. 🙂
She said no and that’s okay. It seems she is so shallow and attention starved that she felt the need to put it on TikTok. Why is this news worthy!
I don’t know why I feel like chiming in-
It’s so fun. Does anyone realize how lucky you are? “My family and I are flying international business class, and I’m worried that we won’t be able to sit together” ??
It seems to me the issue is not so much families or individuals asking to switch seats, but the nasty attitude if the request is denied. And the ones who are already parked in a seat that doesn’t belong to them, assuming it’s acceptable – wow!!
I think the person who booked her seats already knew that they are going to be in different seats. The same thing happened to me a few years ago when my 8 year old sat in a seat 18 rows behind me. I did not ask anyone to switch her seat but asked her to press the call button if she ever needed help. It is mean to ask another passenger to move. Ask the airline but not any passenger. I never would switch my seat with anyone no matter what their excuse is
I was once asked to change seats fir the same reason. It was a horrible mistake. I ended up next to an obnoxious drunk for the entire flight. Ever since then, I decline changing. Families should coordinate all of that when they purchase the flight.
I was in my favorite exit row seat and was asked by a man to switch with his wife so they could be together only to see him sitting in my preferable seat for the whole flight, while she remained stuck in her middle seat – never again!
How was she upgraded? Is she a Delta Diamond and burned a GUC to upgrade? Does she have Flying Blue Platinum status? Somehow I doubt either one. She doesn’t seem like a seasoned flyer if she is calling business class “first class.” Also she seems to equate being in row 1 as having some sort of prestige over the rest of the cabin, even though they are all the exact same seats.
Surely 1A in AF Business class is a window stand-alone seat, so I can’t see how anyone is sitting with anyone else anyway.
A bulkhead seat in most modern business class cabins is the same as any other, if not better, and quietens down once meal service etc. is all done.
8A on the other hand would adjacent to a hive of activity the whole flight.
Don’t use rewards and buy your tickets outright, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to choose seats before your flight. I’m not giving up our seats for inferior seats, and yes – I travel with my Wife and 2 children.
Signed – Parent Taking Care Of Business Ahead Of Time.
I’d never buy a biz product with solo seats for family travel. LH yes, Q Suite maybe, Polaris only if can pair the honeymoon seats. AF and BA Club suites no. As long as my kid is too young to be left alone in a biz suite, I’ll probably be so tired that I’ll easily pass out in PE
People ought to stop acting being entitled like the world owes them a living – this attitude is so very rampant with passengers in the US. I should know. I’ve worked 38 years in the airline industry with three different legacy carriers and from my experience the Americans are the fussiest when it comes to benefits and privileges but the skimpiest when it comes to forking out money.
I booked my premium economy seats Denver to London and back in April to travel in September. I chose 13C in both directions BUT British Airways have changed my seats to 19E in both directions – no reason, just they can!
What a total b! As a family who often travels business transatlantic I can tell you this has happened to us despite our best intentions. The airline messed up when they changed our flight (through no fault of ours) and our kids were both under 5. We had to split up 2+2 which made it extremely difficult to travel such a long flight without both parents within reach. And who is this lady to say the 13 year old could’ve sat alone? Does she know the kid???! Ugh this makes my blood boil. Especially when the seat offered was better. It sounds to me like she was just throwing her weight around and trying to be difficult.
When I traveled with my 3 pets, I had to book cargo at least 6 months in advance for the dogs and the cabin for the cat, pay exorbitant fees, have health certificates within 14 days, and be at the airport 3 to 3 1/2 hours ahead of time. If all wasn’t in place, we didn’t go or would be Denied boarding. Families can do the same. Bought an SUV and drive now, much safer and cheaper, less hassle. Also gave an aisle seat once to a Mom for her “child”, who was 16! Never again.
Why people pay so much attention to this moron?Just look at this idiotic laugh!! Why do we celebrate evil people?
I don’t ever read or comment on stuff like this ,but couldn’t pass this time!People like this make me sick!
This is about flight safety. If I’m correct, this flight is a 787 with 1-2-1 configurations. A-DG-K. Seat assignment. Yeah most people think D & G are good for flying together but with a child these two seats are not suitable. One needs to walk toward the front or back of the section and make a loop to reach other side. Often at check-in the agent should provide them with AD or GK seating if available but that might not be possible due to the timing of the booking. This person was asked at the gate to switch because she was offered an upgrade. She did not purchase the seat originally. She did have the rights to refuse but I bet she assumed the reason for the this switch request incorrectly. Not everyone knows this involved flight safety.
All this cheering of selfishness. How would you feel if you were on her shoes. Yes, you would say I wont do the same than that mom, I would have get the two seats together, but what’s on that mom’s head? What is she going through? Are you at 100% functionality 24/7? Maybe you are now but, will you be in the future? Why not develop empathy for another human been? How would you feel if something happens to the significant other? What if something happens in or to the plane and then two family members are away from each other because of your decision? We as human race are going so hard over families on these days. We hurry to standout to request rights and entitlements, but are the last ones when it comes to be just nice to another person. Didn’t Covid teach you a lesson to you all? Love your family, love your friends, love the human race cause you may not see them tomorrow. Keep the families together, a nice gesture, a mercy gesture will never be forgotten. Growth your self through good actions, keep a noble heart, not a hard one.
1. How does this make news? And 2. Why would you even want to post a pic and caption of you looking satisfied and smug at saying no to someone for what was just a request? Not saying she should have said yes, just wonder what kind of person craves this sort of attention in the first place?
I love all the dumbasses in the comments—and the dumbass who wrote this article—with potato IQs saying “book the seats together”, as if every scenario involving flight preparations allows you to do so.
If you’re too ignorant to understand what it means to redeem miles or other rewards (for seats that you can’t choose), then just say that.
There are plenty of scenarios in which people aren’t allowed to choose which seats get booked for them, especially when it comes to certain companies and certain airlines.
If you’re an ignorant asshole with no ability to understand nor empathize beyond yourself and your arrogance, just say that.
Don’t blame parents or whoever when you don’t know the full scope of the situation. If you are a shitty, selfish, worthless human being, just say that.
The author of this article deserved to be stuck at the bulkhead for not inquiring further as to why the couple needed to switch seats. That being said, in order to inquire further, one must first possess critical thinking abilities, which this author clearly does NOT have.
Being asked to trade your seat Is better than being told you have to give up your seat as another person stands there waiting for you to do so because there overbooked now, tell me how that can happen and is it legal? If you bought and paid for the seat and your sitting in it why should you have to give it up you were there first plus it’s there mistake.
The parent should had offered his row 1 seat up to the passenger sitting next to his son in row 8, if he genuinely wanted to be next to him.
Just another batch of unewsworthy b.s. here. Book your seats and stfu.
I could understand not switching seat I chose. 1A is next to the bathroom and kitchen.
If in a hurry to go to bathroom it’s very close by.
I prefer that seat above all.
I really don’t like sitting further back, and dealing with trying to pass the food and bev carts.
I understand that it may be more fun for a family to sit together.
I feel bad they couldn’t.
However I am a person too with needs.
Sorry
I cannot believe this thread. I cannot believe that people are this ignorant, selfish and thoughtless. And I’m speaking of the people that refused to switch seats just because it’s a person with a child and ASSuming that these “thoughtless” people just didn’t book correctly or in time or whatever. This is not always the case.
I’m a single person, and I don’t like switching my seats but, if there is a baby and/or a small child involved, and the parents were not able to book because of the way different companies do their business, why in the world would I be a self-righteous selfish bee with an itch? I wouldn’t!
. Yes I would give up my seat. What is the big deal? And this woman smiling out the window like she won some big victory by being a selfish, rude and inconsiderate, thoughtless human being?
I understand the privileged, part, where someone just booked at the last minute then expected everything and every one to work around their selfishness. But these are always assumptions first, rather than finding out the real story. We recently had two deaths in the family wHere small children needed to be transported as everyone that they trusted would be going to the funeral in another state. Yes, these are “last minute” arrangements, and they were very stressful because of all that they were going through. The sudden death of two siblings was no easy time. In two different places around the country within three weeks.
You absolutely never know what anyone’s going through. Never.
It’s embarrassing to be an American, knowing just how much we have become, inconsiderate ‘boars’! (yes, spelling was intended)
That’s so often how we are seen by the the world. Not saying other countries don’t do similar things, but Americans to me are the worst.. A world apart from where we were even 10 years ago or 50 years ago. I don’t recall this nasty nonsense because we didn’t have social media where people could blather on about their little insecurities, and blow them out of all portion for all those who also have major issues with self-esteem. Yes, I think this is a self-esteem issue if someone is “making me do something I don’t want to do“ and of course the truly ‘privileged’ behave this way as well. The privileged being those people who refuse to do anything for anyone else but themselves.
Recently, on a long trip back from Europe, my seat got switched, and I never switched it. I had booked my seat months in advance! As soon as they were available to book, I booked in a soon as I was able to choose seats. I chose my seat. I even confirmed it the day before.
Nevertheless, without my knowledge, somebody switched it for me because I do not like sitting near the window which was now my new seat, But the person sitting next to me was an older gentleman, and he was very tall. So I am quite certain that this happened without my knowledge, which was perfectly fine, as I am under 5 feet. It wasn’t my favorite thing to have happened, but it certainly wasn’t the worst thing that ever happened even though it was a 12 hour flight. There are worse things in this world.
These social media insecure ‘boars’, act like it’s the end of the world if they are asked to do something because “it’s not fair“… What childish, insecure behavior this is.
Honestly I’m disgusted .
And had the person in one of the other posts read that gentleman’s comment about his wife being in the same row with the two kids, but they weren’t sitting together because the company they were flying with didn’t allow them to book their seats in advance like that.
And yes, there are companies that refuse to do that in advance. Few and far between, and also things have been changing recently because of all the delays, etc. and so on. Tthings are not working out so clean and easy like they used to. Maybe for a single person, but not for people in family situations.
I do not have children, nor do I have grandchildren. But I do l have an understanding of how flights work, how things happen by accident, how some people are overwhelmed, because of an unexpected situation is going on that they have no control over, and how kind it is when somebody actually takes the time to just do something kind and thoughtful.
What an extremely dumb post this is, I have to admit… Blabbering on and on and on (just like I’m doing right now!) about the most unbelievably selfish person, the person who wouldn’t switch the seat because it’s sooo inconvenient” and calling that “selfish parent” as privileged? Well, on the childish side, let me just say, “look who’s talking“!
Great, saying… “Do you want to others as you would have them do onto you“ and I hope this person who just “couldn’t let go of receipt” has the opportunity to need to be sitting next to a loved one because of maybe dementia, maybe it’s a grandchild, or a confused relative, sibling, friend, or what have you and they too should be refused…
So many cry babies, I love it!
Did this attention seeking chic really say “dawg”? Grow up. No, you don’t have to switch seats, but you also don’t have to take the whole experience to social media because you think you’re too special to be inconvenienced in the first place. She’s also a Dr of absolutely nothing, but do go on pharmacist.
Ryan – KMA. You are the problem. You can ask. We can say no. FY for “be considerate”. Fix your own problems.
J – “better” in YOUR opinion. Stop flying with kids. Problem solved.
Gels – GFYS as well. Stop expecting the world to bend to your will when redeeming miles. You want seats together? Pay for them.
“Oh look, me do smart and sassy.”.
Look lady, no one cares. Except to ridicule your attention starved antics.
I guess I gave you some. But then, it’s used your stupidity to get my “world is stupid” rant of.the day out.
Airline shouldn’t even request passenger to switch seats unless it’s prepared to offer upgrade
She is just an attention hog that needs to get off her high horse. She feeling like a grown up now? What a joke for a human being!
Those of you who say they would never give up their seats, what if the seat is next to a 5 year old who cries half the flight? I bet you’d be begging to change seats then. Lol
And Gary, why post this and add to this woman’s tick toc? I know you scour the internet looking for things to repost, but this ain’t one to post.
If the family had paid business fare they should have priority. If they were upgraded as well hard luck
If I’m traveling alone and the seats are equivalent, I will switch. But I’m not giving up my preferred aisle seat (so I can get up without disturbing anyone) for a middle seat.
I’ve been the person reseated rows away from my husband by a computer glitch, or having to book at the last minute with no seats together available, so I assume that if people aren’t sitting together, it’s *not* because they didn’t plan.
But at the same time I’m not taking a downgrade for people. Ask somebody in an equivalent seat to switch, please.
I don’t ask people to switch when I am seated half the plane away from my husband, but if we had kids it would be a different matter. Besides, we don’t want some poor non-parent sitting next to, say, a bored 8 year old all flight.
(I once had a seven year old ask her dad how the plane worked. He didn’t know anything. I actually happily spent the first hour of the flight explaining about lift and how the pilot steered, and such, but not everyone’s willing to do that).
Anyone can choose their seat when they book the flights and in most cases all the way to end destination if multiple flights. If I upgraded and paid extra money for a better seat it would have to be something like a flight was changed and seat positions shuffled to change. If they don’t book their seat ahead of time they are doing it to avoid paying extra cost and expecting someone else to pay. If I’m flying with others I always book beside or close to other person. If I’m flying alone unless they are putting me.by the bathroom I would consider changing depending on the upgrade
A lot of butthurt parents in the comments. Nobody should feel obliged to give up their seat for you regardless of whose fault it was that you’re not sitting together.
“If they don’t book their seat ahead of time they are doing it to avoid paying extra cost”
Not always the case. I’ve had to travel last minute for family crises/funerals and there have NOT been seats together unless I wanted to pay business class, which you can’t assume people can afford.
Last minute booking *can* be lack of planning, but it can also be circumstances. I’ve also had to sit apart from my husband when a flight was canceled and they had to rebook us.
Again, if I’m traveling on my own and there isn’t a huge difference between the two seats, I’m happy to move, especially if there’s a child involved.
I gave up my exit row seat(economy ) once on a long haul(15 hour) flight because the ground desk had stuffed up and a 9yo child was seated upstairs in a 747 away from her family.
The purser was so grateful that after take off, I was invited with my husband to make use of the Business lounge and bar. We spent most of the flight in comfortable arm chairs, being plied with champagne.
To “Ryan” on the JAL flight::
You will not curry any favor here, as this forum is largely read by business travelers or other high frequency travelers, who are not sympathetic to your position.
It is not a “cesspool” in the comments, in fact I have seen FAR worse here.
Gary is also absolutely correct about families need to deal with seating assignments in advance of travel. Yes, things can happen, but if there is a seating issue, this needs to be handled by THE AIRLINES, not by asking or expecting other passengers to give up the seats they reserved. I just don’t understand this mentality of seats being for swaps without involving the gate agents, it is part of their purview! Even in this case, the woman was asked by the gate agent and she declined, as is her right, and then ultimately a different arrangement was made, problem solved.
Of course there can always be “extenuating circumstances,” like actual emergencies (like last minute flights with a death in the family, etc) but largely “seat swaps” are seen with families who act entitled, like they absolutely should have everyone drop everything for them.
In your case, if you could not reserve seats during booking, then you should have tried to choose when online check in opens, and if that didn’t work, then you should have arrived to the airport early and spoken to airline personnel. It is this lack of responsibility and the expectation that someone has to give up their seats, that really riles the flying public up, especially in a forum like this! (Know your audience!)
This comment section is a cess pool of unkindness. Also, Gary’s comment in the article, “If the mom wanted to sit with her kid, they should have pre-booked this” contributes to the problem.
I am currently in the middle of a trip to Tokyo with my family of 4 booked on JAL business class using AA miles for a partner reward. Because of AA’s relationship with JAL, I was unable to select my seats even though we confirmed our tickets 9 months ago.
JAL, for some unknown reason on the return flight, placed me away from my wife and child (4 year old and infant in lap with wife) in the same row, but not next to them. Due to this, I will be asking if the person next to them would be open to switching with me. Do I deserve to be crucified for that in a comments section of a blog?
People need to be more considerate. You never know the full situation as much as you think you do.
A mom with child under 5 possibly
Two Adults? Get a life and a room
Middle seat – $500 cash
The arrogance of asking people to move is not comprehensible
One would think no one here has ever experienced an emergency, last minute flight. Lucky you.
I’m fine with not giving up my seat that I chose and paid for. Plus I’m sick of all the inclusive, everyone gets a trophy, entitled, my child’s never been on a plane woke, cancel culture bull crap! Be happy you even got a seat and that you’ll all end up at the same destination!
1. Good for you for keeping a free upgrade and not being able to give it up. It will shape you for you will become.
2. I’ve seen your tiktok examples and please don’t embarrass the usa. Your travel will hopefully reshape your idea of the world. Not you and whatever state your from.
3. Just wait till you have kids, if someone is willing. I would love to have other strangers feed my kids and keep them from crying and disrupting 50 passengers around me and prevent them from kicking the seat in front of them. The airlines put this effort into priority as they understand the outcome. You are belligerent until you experience it. just think of that 3yr old in seat 2A by them self. You cant….
4. 13yr old.is ok so I agree with your sacrifice. But..do you need to brag?
5. Karma is real in various ways. I always see examples of people saying NO, but no great examples of people saying YES.
Her selfie video is so… well, self-absorbed. It’s unbearable.
I have always declined requests for seat swaps. There was once a stewardess was pushy so I asked if airline was within means to offer cash voucher which they can issue within discretion. She declined so I stayed within my seat.
We always pay the extra charge to choose our seats. Families can do the same – as long as they are able to book in time that there are still seats together.
The airlines create situations like this with their extra fees. Seat choice should come with a ticket – period! Then everyone would choose a seat.
Yes, sometimes there are equipment changes, and seat configurations can change. That can affect everyone.
My biggest pet peeve is paying for extra legroom seats, because my husband is 6’4″. Then we end up being put into regular seats for some reason. The last time that happened the woman ahead of us slammed her seat down without asking and all but broke my husband’s knees. She quite nastily told him he should have paid extra for an extra legroom seats (we call it the “height tax). He explained that we had, but we had been switched to regular seats by the airline. My husband spoke to the flight attendant, who was quite sympathetic when we told her the numbers of our original seats and that we had been switched at the gate without anyone seeing how tall he is. The flight attendant negotiated a deal with the woman to raise her seat up half way, and the woman next to her offered not lower her seat; so my husband and I switched seats. I took the aisle while he crammed his legs into the window seat. No, we never got the extra $70 back that we had paid for 2 extra legroom seats.
Maybe if airlines had to refund the extra fees people pay for seat selection, extra leg room, business class, etc. when changing seats, airlines would think twice about switching.
Ditto with people asking to switch seats. They should pay the owner of that seat the difference for having selected a seat and, if applicable, having a better class of seat. Since seat selection is usually about $35, and extra leg room is also about $35, that equals $70 for switching a single seat. A lot more if a family needs more than one seat switch, but what they would have paid in the first place (assuming they didn’t choose seats but couldn’t find enough seats together).
Why is it that the person wanting to sit with their family member always tries to switch to better seat? Instead, why don’t they have the person sitting in the crappy seat next to them switch with their family with the better seat?
I book way in advance and request certain seating. Anyone else is free to do so. Don’t expect others to make up for your short comings.
You are all selfish
Depending on the situation, if my seat was upgraded, or was a premium and I’m downgrading then that’s a hard no for a 13 year old. I’ve bought seats together as a family only to be separated at check in, we just sucked it up and the kids were fine with it. These airlines are getting ridiculous with all the things they are doing to passengers.
I’m handicapped and don’t mind bulkhead seats so I can reach a bathroom quickly if needed. Of course, that means not having my carryon nearby but if I know I’m getting bulkhead seats I use a Fanny pack so I have my wallet nesrby
I think the bigger story is finding out how she received the upgrade on the flight.
Maybe, Gary could walk us through this.
Ok you stuck with your seat. But c’mon. You’re no hero! People have become greedy and rude. Whatever happened to human kindness
The family could have reserved seats ahead. The biggest problem today is that no one wants to take responsibility for themselves.
If you want to give up your seat, have at it. But don’t expect it of others.
Sometimes, you cannot prebook your seat, such as last minutes emergency trip to see dying member of family. Traveling with children is so hard and I hope people can be more accommodating and nice about it. She is no hero. She has all the right to reserve where she wants to sit but saying that she is a hero is totally needed up with humanity.
She was absolutely right. Sit in your assigned seat and wuit complaining.
Extremely inconsiderate especially for someone who paid cattle class fare anyway. I’d always switch within a business cabin to accommodate a family. I hope that karma does it’s thing and she doesn’t get upgrades in the future. Sit in the back.
Very selfish person. Doctor? Not one anyone should see. Zero compassion for a family. And yes I would want my 13 year old near me if the flight took a turn for the worst. Smh. Narcissistic behavior dominates this generation. This gal is a primary example of crappy upbringing. Classless
Why do ppl need to sit next to family ? It’s narcissm to expect people to move so you can sit n chat to your adult or teenage family members . Iv never sat next to or anywhere near my travel companions n why would I want to I’m not gunna sit n talk all flight like a nuisance. I’ve even seen ppl push in regularly at check in lines because oh they’re travelling with us . Who cares your old ènough to not push in and meet after customs
People are SO CHEAP these days. Pay the money (what is it $25?) to get paid seat assignments.
The grammar I’ve read in the previous comments are ridiculous, saying that if I’m traveling with my family (wife) why should I give up my seat to let someone sit with their family. If it’s not a little baby, I’m keeping my seat.
It is this pervasive sense of entitlement that is the problem. Just because one travels with family doesn’t give them the rights to bypass responsibility. …period. At 13 I traveled alone on a plane and was grateful for wherever I sat. Grow up and pay the extra to reserve your seats.