Where’s your passport? Did you remember to separate your liquids into a small, clear bag? How much time do you have before boarding starts? 

Traveling is stressful enough on its own, but when you’re also dealing with a fresh injury, the experience can be excruciating. And unfortunately for one woman who simply wanted to get home as quickly as possible to rest, she first had to endure a flight with an obnoxious passenger. Below, you’ll find a story that she shared on the Entitled People subreddit, as well as some of the replies readers left her.

This woman needed to travel across the country to get home after suffering serious injuries in a car accident

Image credits: Suhyeon Choi (not the actual photo)

But she was unable to have a smooth flight, thanks to a fellow passenger who really wanted to swap seats

Image credits: Paul Hanaoka (not the actual photo)

Image credits: varyapigu (not the actual photo)

Image credits: anonymouse9594

Passengers often want to switch seats while flying

It’s perfectly natural to want to move to a different seat while flying. If I see an open row or a seat available next to one of my loved ones, I’m always holding my breath until the flight attendants confirm that boarding has been completed. As soon as I know that nobody else is coming, I jump at the opportunity to slide into an open window seat or move away from the stranger next to me to provide us both with more space.

But as much as I love picking my own seat on a flight, I am well aware of the fact that I’m not entitled to move. I made the choice to save $20 and leave my seat in the hands of the airline. So if I ask someone if they’d like to swap seats and they decline, or I end up in a middle seat squeezed between two strangers, I accept that. After all, we all paid the same amount to be there.

In recent years, there’s been a lot of discussions online surrounding flight etiquette. And of course, swapping seats is often part of the conversation. But according to former flight attendant Anais Monique, if you really want to switch seats, there’s a right way to go about asking. Monique wrote a piece for Business Insider detailing why flight attendants always prefer that passengers simply sit in their assigned seats. 

But moving around can inconvenience flight attendants and fellow flyers

She explained that moving seats can sometimes complicate flight attendants’ jobs, if they need to know where passengers with severe allergies, disabilities, special meals and flight connections are. And if a flight is full, it’s best to avoid moving around so as to not cause delays or force lots of other passengers to be inconvenienced.

Monique does note, however, that when swaps are possible, she’ll prioritize those for families or unaccompanied minors. Kids traveling alone might feel more comfortable sitting as close as possible to the flight attendant’s jump seat, and parents who aren’t next to their families can usually be moved to be with their kids. Finally, Monique says the elderly, disabled passengers, passengers with injuries, and those who have extremely tight connections should be prioritized as well.

But we always have to keep in mind that fellow passengers might not take kindly to our requests to swap seats. According to a survey from Kayak, 58% of flyers think it’s appropriate to ask if you can move to sit next to a friend or family member. However, 64% don’t like it when passengers ask to move simply because they’re nervous flyers, and 77% say seat switching should not be allowed “just because.” 

Passengers are always allowed to refuse to change seats

If you do want to relocate, it’s probably best to ask a flight attendant first, rather than a passenger. They have more authority and may be able to find an even better seat for the person you’re expecting to relocate. And when it comes to how you should respond when someone asks if they can have your seat on a flight, etiquette expert Diane Gottsman told the Independent that it’s always okay to decline, “no excuses necessary.”

Plus, if it’s imperative that you have a particular seat while on a flight, USA Today recommends simply planning ahead. You can almost always pay to choose a seat while booking your flights to avoid any of this hassle in the future. Or, simply choose an airline to fly that doesn’t assign seats, so you’ll have an opportunity to pick as long as you board first. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Have you ever been pressured to swap seats while on a flight? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing seat drama while flying, we recommend checking out this piece next! 

Later, the woman responded to several comments and provided more info on the situation

Readers shared their thoughts, as well as similar stories of their own and suggestions for next time

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