Flying is not a comfortable experience for everyone. Some people ensure they take measures to guarantee their comfort before starting their journey. However, not everyone has the same consideration.
This woman knew what she needed while traveling and acted accordingly. However, there were others who didn’t see it the same way.
A woman found herself in a very uncomfortable position, both literally and figuratively. She faced the decision of prioritizing her own comfort over societal expectations. She had a choice: either be generous or assert her personal space.
She was on her way across the country to spend Christmas with her family. She knew that when flying, she had to be comfortable. Due to her size, she always booked an extra seat on a flight. She made sure to pay extra to ensure her comfort.
Everything went smoothly during check-in, and she passed through security and boarding without any issues. It wasn’t until she was in her seat that the uncomfortable experience began. A woman with her 18-month-old child sat next to her. Seeing an empty seat, the woman immediately asked her to squeeze into one seat so her toddler could take the other. However, since the original owner had paid for both seats, she declined.
The interaction caught attention, and a flight attendant noticed and came over to see what was happening. When the situation was explained to the flight attendant, she asked the woman if she could make room for the child, but she politely declined, emphasizing again that she had paid for both seats in full.
Fortunately, the flight attendant understood the situation and instructed the mother to hold her child on her lap, as is customary for most children of that age. However, during the journey, the mother made sure that the woman felt uncomfortable through dirty looks and passive-aggressive comments.
Later, the woman wondered if she had been unfair in that interaction and whether she should have given in and relinquished her extra seat. She turned to Reddit to ask the community if she was in the wrong.
One person, who was also a mother and had been in a similar situation, wrote: “I’ve flown for nine hours with a baby on my lap and taken shorter flights with a toddler who was able to sit in his own seat and I didn’t want to hold him on my lap. Was it uncomfortable? Yes. But it was solely my problem as long as my child was under 24 months and I didn’t have to pay for his seat. I swear, not all parents are so entitled!”
Another person added, “She’s in the wrong because she didn’t purchase a seat for her son and assumed someone else would give up a seat they paid for. Probably hoping there would be extra seats on the flight so she wouldn’t have to pay and using the lap exemption as a loophole.”
“I would go so far as to complain to the airline about their employee assisting another passenger in harassing you,” wrote another outraged Redditor.
Another upset user said, “You should always do what you can to be as healthy as possible, but being fat is not a character flaw or moral failing. We all have our own challenges in life, and you don’t deserve to feel shame for your body and yourself, even if you’re not currently meeting your goals. If the mother wants an extra seat for her kids, she should buy one. She’s not entitled to a seat you bought, and you don’t have to feel guilty for her bad behavior.”
Some people may see the mother’s side and understand that she also wanted a pleasant flight. If that was important to her, however, she should have made sure to buy a seat for her child.