Woman flabbergasted as mum demands she give up plane seat for her 6ft 4 son
It's not unheard of that when you're travelling alone on a plane you might be asked to switch seats with someone who didn't end up sitting next to the person they travelled with, for whatever reason. Ultimately, it's up to you whether you want to switch or not, and often it might depend on their reasoning.
One woman was flabbergasted after being being asked to switch seats with another woman's '6ft 4 son' during a flight.
Content creator Surya Garg, who lives in New York, took to TikTok to explain the story of how she had to endure a flight with the "worst person to sit next to on an airplane".
The 23-year-old has sparked a debate about plane seat etiquette after revealing she was asked to swap her window seat for a middle seat by a mum on a flight.
In the video, Surya details the unpleasant experience where the mum who was sitting next to her asked if she could give up her seat, which she said she had paid extra for, so she could sit next to her son, who looked to be "a minimum of 16 or 17 years old".
Red Arrow pilot forced to send out emergency alert after bird smashes into jetAfter being asked to switch, Surya asks "where would you want me to switch to?", to which the mum "points to a middle seat a couple of rows back". She then asks who her son is, and the woman "points to a 6ft 4 man".
Surya explained in the video: "I don't really know what to say, because I don't want to, and I don't think she deserves for me to, because this is definitely just a case of bad planning, and I don't want to look like an a**hole, but I don't think I'm the a**hole in this situation".
Normally, if it was a parent with a young child she would have no problem switching, but she replied to the woman saying: "No, I'm sorry but I paid extra for this seat. I think I'm just going to sit in the seat I paid for."
After being told "no", Surya said the woman made the "nastiest face at me I've ever experienced," and throughout the flight kept "muttering profanities at me".
In the video, which has now been seen by more than 500,000 people, Surya asked fellow TikTok users whether she was "in the wrong", but many supported her decision.
One person commented saying: "The way she reacted is precisely why you should not give up your seat. Good job for sticking up for yourself."
Others agreed that when you ask someone to switch with you, you should "always give up the better seat".
Another added: "I will ONLY ever switch for an upgrade (closer to the front, middle to window), etc."
"No you weren't. I'm a mum. I have daughters aged 11 and 14. When we fly I pay extra for us to sit together. Every time. Because it's my responsibility [sic]."
Even travel booking website Expedia supported her, saying: "Not in the wrong.".
Plane passengers stuck on flight for 13 hours - only to end up where they beganWhat do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.