A ‘claustrophobic’ flier has taken to social media to reveal how an ‘entitled’ and ‘disrespectful’ man demanded she give up the aisle seat she had paid for.
Threads user Jessica Knight (@emotionalabusecoach) claimed on the platform: ‘I’m on a plane. I purchased an aisle seat because I’m claustrophobic. I always do.
‘A guy comes up to me who is in my row and says: “I’ll sit here. I’m bigger.”‘
She said she told the man she had purchased the aisle seat, but that he told her not to be ‘difficult’ and to ‘just take the window seat’.
Jessica added: ‘An old version of me may have told him how disrespectful and entitled he is.
‘This version of me doesn’t want to engage with people who are set in their reality.’
Perhaps unsurprisingly, all of the commenters were on Jessica’s side of the argument.
Commenter ‘max.newman.14’ said they were 6ft 5in/1.9m and would ‘never’ behave like the man, even though ‘non-aisle seats are very uncomfortable’ for a tall person.
A ‘claustrophobic’ flier, threads user Jessica Knight, has taken to social media to reveal how an ‘entitled’ and ‘disrespectful’ man demanded she give up the aisle seat she had paid for
They explained: ‘I have had people voluntarily give me the aisle seat and I am appropriately and profusely grateful (drinks are on me). But I am not entitled to it.’
Meanwhile ‘Davidrosstouissant’ said they found the man’s request for Jessica’s seat ‘strange’, adding: ‘[People] seem to think it’s the subway and first come, first served.’
Others felt that Jessica’s response was restrained.
Threads user ‘Greeblehaus’ said: ‘Oh h*** no. I would be calling the flight attendants and there would be a knock-down brawl.’
‘Jin.yo.face’ added: ‘I saw this happen on a flight once. A big dude demanded that a small woman move, so she did. Then the flight attendants threw him off the plane.’
‘PizzaCakeComic’ said: ‘I would lose my mind if someone tried to take my seat. What nerve!’
Many commenters felt that the man should have thought ahead and paid for a seat himself.
‘Summersleepmusic’ said the man needed to take ‘accountability’ for himself, adding: ‘I am a giant, and even I have the foresight to book my flight early enough that I can pay for my aisle seat.’
Jessica said she told the man she had purchased the aisle seat, but that he told her not to be ‘difficult’ and to ‘just take the window seat’
‘Lesley_Rebecca’ joked: ‘Is he the same size as when he booked the flight? He knew he was “bigger” and should have planned.’
So what are the rules for asking a fellow passenger to switch seats?
Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman previously told MailOnline Travel: ‘It’s a delicate situation to ask someone who has selected their seat in advance to switch.
‘When asking a fellow passenger if they would mind switching seats, always expect the answer may possibly be “no” and be prepared to accept the answer gracefully.’