He Declined To Switch Seats On A Plane With A Grieving Mom, Who Called Him Selfish To The Flight Attendant
The ability to travel by plane rather than bus or train is a privilege that not everyone can afford. Plus, it’s not always the most comfortable or peaceful way to get to your destination. That’s why so many people covet their plane seats (and refuse to move once they’ve landed their ideal spot).
But what would you do if a grieving mother approached you and begged you to switch? Would you give in or stand your ground? This 23-year-old man recently did the latter, and now, he feels pretty terrible.
A few days ago, he took a 10-hour international flight home from his university exchange program, and he was seated in premium economy.
Apparently, he spent months saving up for the trip, and with the extra funds, he was able to splurge on the nicer seat.
“So I’d have more legroom (I’m six-foot-three) and could actually sleep. This was a big deal to me. I rarely treat myself,” he noted.
However, around 20 minutes before he boarded, a woman in her mid-40s and a flight attendant confronted him near the gate.
The woman was polite and asked if he’d be willing to switch seats with her in regular economy. That way, she’d be able to sit beside her young son.
He found out that, apparently, the woman and her son were traveling home from her father’s funeral. That’s why she didn’t want to sit separately from her son for 10 hours.
“I asked her where her seat was, and it was in the very back row, non-reclining, middle seat,” he recalled.
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Honestly, while he felt horrible, he still told the woman no. He admitted that he understood where she was coming from, but pointed out how he’d already paid extra to be seated in premium economy.
Additionally, he thought he needed some “space and rest” following his college semester, which was supposedly long and emotionally draining.
The woman didn’t argue with him, either, but she did tear up before walking away. Then, he overheard the woman saying, “I guess some people only care about themselves,” to the flight attendant.
Anyway, the rest of the flight went off without a hitch, and the woman’s son, who looked to be about 8 or 9 years old, stayed quiet the whole time. Still, once they landed, a different passenger actually tapped him on the shoulder and called him out by stating, “You could’ve shown some humanity.”
“Now, I feel awful,” he vented, “I don’t owe anyone my set, but I keep wondering if I should’ve just done it.”
Do you always have the right to the plane seat you pay for? Even so, are there some instances where it’s more compassionate to swap or not?
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