A recent incident on a United Airlines flight has drawn attention to the growing issue of seat squatters. A Reddit user reported their experience on the r/unitedairlines subreddit after they encountered a woman occupying a seat that was not assigned to her. The Reddit user had booked six seats for their family to travel together, only to find a woman sitting in one of their assigned seats. Despite calmly explaining the situation, the user faced hostility from surrounding passengers who suggested they take the woman's seat instead.
The Reddit user described the incident, stating, “I walked over to my window seat to see a woman in my seat. I calmly explain she’s in my seat and she seems annoyed.” The situation escalated when other passengers began questioning why the user couldn't simply take the woman's seat. The user remained firm, insisting on their right to the seat they had paid for, saying, “The other passengers around her suggest I sit in her seat and I say ‘no I want my seat.’”
The encounter took place on a United Airlines flight, where the Reddit user had previously experienced a similar issue with a seat squatter. Despite their efforts to maintain a calm demeanor, the user faced significant pressure from fellow passengers, two of whom loudly asked why they couldn't take the woman's seat. The Reddit user recounted, “The two people in her row loudly ask why I can’t just take her seat. I just keep telling them I want my seat.”
Eventually, the woman vacated the seat, but not without leaving a tense atmosphere among the passengers. The Reddit user shared, “Finally, the lady gets her stuff and moves while everyone else is glaring at me.” They expressed confusion and frustration over the situation, noting, “I don’t get it I paid for my seat and it’s not my fault she was sitting in the wrong seat. I’ve never experienced such hostility from everyone around me.”
The incident highlights a broader issue of seat squatters on flights, a problem that has garnered attention for its potential to disrupt travel experiences. Brandon Blewett, author of “How to Avoid Strangers on Airplanes,” commented on such scenarios: “For example, if a family misses a connecting flight and gets rebooked with scattered seats, it’s reasonable for parents to sit together to manage a toddler — a setup most of us can sympathize with.” However, Blewett also noted that there is often a discernible difference between genuine mistakes and attempts to self-upgrade: “I also said that you can usually feel the difference between an incidental squatter and someone who is trying to self-upgrade if they are unwilling to show their boarding pass.”
The Reddit post included other users’ perspectives on the matter. One commenter suggested that the woman and surrounding passengers might have been orchestrating a plan to secure better seating without paying for it, stating, “Sounds like they were together and were trying to guilt you into their scam for not paying for the window seat.” Another supported the original poster’s decision to stand their ground: “’I’ll take my assigned and paid for seat, maybe one of these other kind people will give you their window.’”
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