Not everyone finds flying enjoyable. Certain individuals take steps to ensure their comfort before embarking on a trip, while others may not prioritize the same things.
She knew exactly what she needed while traveling and made sure to follow through. But not everyone saw things the same…
The woman was in a difficult situation, feeling uncomfortable both physically and emotionally. She had to choose between her own comfort and what society expected from her. She had to make a decision: either be generous or assert her need for personal space.
She was traveling to the other side of the country to celebrate Christmas with her family. Knowing she needed to be comfortable during the flight, she always reserves an extra seat due to her size. She doesn’t mind paying extra for the added comfort.
The check-in process was easy, and she quickly passed through security and boarding. However, once she settled into her seat, a challenging situation arose. A woman with a young child sat beside her. The woman asked to use the empty seat for her toddler, but the original occupant, who had paid for both seats, declined.
The interaction caught people’s attention, and a flight attendant noticed and approached to investigate. After explaining the situation to the flight attendant, she inquired if the woman could accommodate the child, but she politely refused and reiterated that she had paid for both seats.
The flight attendant was grateful that the mother followed instructions to hold her child in her lap. However, during the flight, the mother made the woman uncomfortable with dirty looks and passive-aggressive comments.
Later, the woman wondered whether she had been unfair in this interaction and should have relented and given up her extra seat. She took to Reddit to ask the community on whether she had been wrong.
One person, who was a mother herself and had been in a similar situation wrote, “I’ve taken 9-hour flights with an infant in my arms and shorter flights with a toddler in my lap, who was capable of sitting in his own seat and very much did not want me to hold him. Did it suck? Yes. But it was my problem alone, and as long as my child was under 24 months and I didn’t have to pay for his seat, I chose to hold him. I swear, not all of us parents are this entitled!”
Another person added, “She’s wrong for not buying a seat for her son and assuming someone else would give up a seat they paid for. Odds are she was hoping there’d be extra seats on the flight so she didn’t have to pay and used the lap thing as a loophole.”
“I’d go so far as making a complaint to the airline about their employee supporting another passenger harassing you,” another outraged Redditor wrote.
Another annoyed user said, “You should always do what you can to be as healthy as you can, but being fat isn’t a character flaw or a moral failing. We all have our own challenges in life, and you deserve not to be ashamed of your body and yourself, even if you aren’t currently meeting your goals. If the mom wants an extra seat for her kids, she should have purchased one. She’s not entitled to a seat you purchased, and you don’t need to feel bad for her bad behavior.”
While, some people could also perhaps see the mother’s side in wanting to have a comfortable flight as well. However, had that been important for her, she would have made sure to prioritize getting a seat for her child.
Who do you think is right in this conversation? Let us know in the comments! Share this with others so they can also give their two cents on the topic.
