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Guy Realizes He’s To Blame For His Flight Being Delayed After Reading His Ticket
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Guy Realizes He’s To Blame For His Flight Being Delayed After Reading His Ticket

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Accidents happen. Not much we can do about it, except try to do better next time around and possibly suffer the consequences.

And by consequences, it can just so happen to be a certain degree of subtle public shaming. Like when you accidentally sit in the wrong seat, and then swap it for another one, and then another one, and then another one, and then the breadcrumb trail leads back to you.

It’s rare for a person to board a plane and not feel tired. So, you can understand why sometimes mistakes happen because of it

Image credits: Portuguese Gravity / unsplash (not the actual photo)

One plane passenger accidentally sat in the wrong seat, and then proceeded to swap seats a number of times until the jig was up

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Image credits: DC_Studio / envato (not the actual photo)

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Image credits: tomfoolery77

While no real harm was done, the Redditor still felt like everyone was giving them mean looks throughout the flight

The story goes that OP, u/tomfoolery77, was traveling and sat in the wrong seat because they were tired. All fine and dandy, but they were strangely asked to swap seats several times without understanding what’s up.

Well, what was up was that they were in the wrong seat, accidentally creating this chain of swapped seats they weren’t entitled to, leading to a bit of a delay and some stink-eyes along the way.

And you can’t help but appreciate the lighthearted simplicity of the situation—the commenters certainly did. Describing it as a Mr. Bean plot, commenters thought it was harmless fun, though many still pointed out that seat swapping is kinda taboo before the plane takes off.

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Seat swapping is as common as unsolicited social interactions in enclosed spaces, so there has to be rules, right?

There are. Well, at least the Points Guy points it out.

There are a number of unwritten and implied rules for swapping seats. For instance, if you’re unfortunate enough to be the proud owner of the middle seat and there’s an empty aisle seat, you might end up being asked to move so as to create room for 2 folks to be able to sit next to each other.

Another quite controversial rule is who gets the armrests? The general tendency among experts and aeronautical aficionados is that the middle seat gets both armrests. Probably as compensation for being stuck with two smelly, snorey, and maybe slimy people on each side.

Reactions to seat swapping depend on a number of things, most commonly on the reasoning and the person whose seat you’re trying to get.

In any case, asking is important. It’s generally viewed as acceptable to ask to swap seats if you want to sit next to a spouse or a friend or have a tight layover, but you also have a comparable seat to offer as well. It’s making someone downgrade that’s the problem.

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An exception to this would be asking to swap if you have someone to care for, like you’re a parent and your kid is seated somewhere else.

A cardinal rule regarding seat swapping is to never take someone else’s seat before they board (let alone faking sleeping once they do board) and then making up stories, hoping you are allowed to sit there while the sucker you just stole the seat from gets to sit between two smelly, snorey, slimy dudes.

But, if you do want that good seat, the best thing you can do is just book it. And if you do end up asking someone, best do that with the gate agent before boarding—they are the authority, and it would be much harder to convince someone already in the seat to move. But don’t abuse it. Please.

So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Do you have embarrassing seat swapping or flight stories? Share your takes and tales in the comment section below!

Folks online thought it was pretty harmless and lighthearted fun even if it was accidental, with some sharing their own stories

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Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

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Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

Kotryna Br

Kotryna Br

Author, BoredPanda staff

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Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

Read less »

Kotryna Br

Kotryna Br

Author, BoredPanda staff

Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

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BookFanatic
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only time I've ever asked someone to swap was on a last-minute emergency flight to get to my dad in St. Louis. We got a call from him, and 2 hours later we were at the airport. No time to check/preselect seats. I asked the man next to me if he would mind swapping with my mom, and explained the situation. He was more than happy to.

The Starsong Princess
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hopefully, LW will be more understanding in the future when someone else makes this kind of mistake.

BrownTabby
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For real. I get so tired of seeing yank passengers - and it tends to be yanks because their airlines create a lot of problems that are pretty much unheard-of in my country - picking on other passengers over things like this.

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Trillian
Community Member
10 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I haven't gone on a flight without checking in online and preselecting my seat in years. Is that not a thing in the US or why do people keep ending up sitting away from others they travel with? Especially minors? I am not sure if I even COULD sit away from my daughter since legally I am responsible and supposed to supervise her.

ChugChug
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apart from the story, I don't understand how is it legal for airlines to either give seats for minors away from their parents or just make them pay to be together with them.

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BookFanatic
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only time I've ever asked someone to swap was on a last-minute emergency flight to get to my dad in St. Louis. We got a call from him, and 2 hours later we were at the airport. No time to check/preselect seats. I asked the man next to me if he would mind swapping with my mom, and explained the situation. He was more than happy to.

The Starsong Princess
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hopefully, LW will be more understanding in the future when someone else makes this kind of mistake.

BrownTabby
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For real. I get so tired of seeing yank passengers - and it tends to be yanks because their airlines create a lot of problems that are pretty much unheard-of in my country - picking on other passengers over things like this.

Load More Replies...
Trillian
Community Member
10 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I haven't gone on a flight without checking in online and preselecting my seat in years. Is that not a thing in the US or why do people keep ending up sitting away from others they travel with? Especially minors? I am not sure if I even COULD sit away from my daughter since legally I am responsible and supposed to supervise her.

ChugChug
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apart from the story, I don't understand how is it legal for airlines to either give seats for minors away from their parents or just make them pay to be together with them.

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
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