A plane passenger caused a stir by refusing to give up her first-class seat so a six-year-old boy could sit with his mom. The 21-year-old woman shared the story on Reddit’s Am I The A**Hole thread.
She said she and her 27-year-old boyfriend were flying from North America to Central Asia when she was asked to switch seats because of a booking mistake.
“A few weeks ago, my boyfriend surprised me with a first-class ticket for a long-haul flight,” the woman wrote. “’He’s been doing well in his career and wanted to treat me, and I was really excited because I’d never flown first class before.”
“We had two connecting 12-hour flights and the airline we used has a very highly rated first class for those long flights,” she continued. “So, after we boarded the flight, and I settled into my seat, I was already feeling a bit overwhelmed by the luxury. I grew up lower middle class, and I had never ever flown higher than the cheapest seats on a plane before.”
She further explained that about twenty minutes before the plane took off, a flight attendant came over with a woman and her young son, who looked about six years old. The woman said she had booked first-class tickets for both herself and her son, but due to a booking mistake, he ended up in economy.
She asked if she would be willing to switch seats with her son so he could sit in first class, too.
“About 20 minutes before takeoff, a flight attendant approached me with a woman and a young kid (maybe around six years old). The woman explained that she had booked a first-class ticket for herself and her son, but due to a booking error, he ended up in economy. She asked if I would be willing to switch seats with her son so he could experience first class as well.”
The confused plane passenger said she felt caught in a difficult situation. She explained that she felt extremely awkward and understood the kid’s disappointment, but the first-class seat was a gift from her boyfriend, and she had been looking forward to enjoying it.
“I politely declined and explained that it was my first time in first class and I wanted to experience it,” she wrote. “The woman seemed pretty upset and tried to argue that her son would appreciate it more than me, and that it was unfair because I didn’t even pay for the ticket myself.”
“The flight attendant seemed to be on the woman’s side, subtly implying that I should consider being more understanding. After about a minute, my boyfriend stood up and looked at the flight attendant.”
Her boyfriend told the attendant that he had purchased the tickets, was a platinum airline member, and usually booked all his company’s business trips with them. He also warned that he would take his business elsewhere if she moved him to the economy.
“Eventually, the woman went back to business class with her son. But throughout the flight, I could feel the flight attendant glaring at me every time she passed by,” she added.
Looking back on the situation, the woman concluded that when she told her boyfriend about it, he said she had done nothing wrong. He explained that the ticket was hers to use and supported her decision, feeling it was disrespectful for the woman to ask for her seat in the first place.
“But some of my friends think I should have given up my seat to the kid, saying that it would have been the kind thing to do, especially since I didn’t pay for the ticket myself. Am I the a**hole?” she asked.
As expected, the post quickly received a flood of comments, with most people supporting the woman.
One person commented, “That woman did not pay for your seat, so if she has an issue, she needs to take it up to the airline, instead of trying to guilt trip you into giving up your seat for a kid that is not your issue.”
“NTA?? I have no idea why they were so adamant about you moving. It was not YOUR fault that they had a BOOKING ERROR,” a second added.
“Your boyfriend paid for that service for you to enjoy and you have every right to,” said another.
What are your views on this story? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Reddit
I understand that woman
wanted to seat next to her son. Ok, why didn’t she try to swop her seat with someone from the economy class, or why air attendant didn’t ask someone else?But of courseshe wanted to have a comfortablejourney. In my opinion it’s doesn’t matter who payed for ticket. And I don’t believe that it was an error. More likely business class tickets been sold out and they thought they can swap seat with someone else.
You deserve that seat. Who had the nerve to even ask you? What a stupid question even to ask you? How dare them? They made a mistake and used you as a scapegoat
i am agreed for relationship