Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

We don’t talk about the horrors of flying economy enough. Crammed shoulder-to-shoulder with limited legroom, economy class can feel like a sardine can. Reclining your seat becomes a negotiation with the passenger behind you, and in-flight entertainment options are often limited.

This TikToker did not want to deal with any of that and paid for premium seats considering that she was flying with her 6’4″ husband and her baby. However, things didn’t go as planned when the airline explained to them that they had no premium seats left and had to sit in economy.

More info: TikTok

Flying economy can be excruciating, especially if you are travelling with kids

Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

Image credits: Global Residence Index (not the actual photo)

The poster and her family paid for premium to bypass the woes of economy but ended up getting downgraded

Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

Image credits: @universival_

“I’m in Rio de Janeiro airport at the moment and I’m trying so hard not to cry”

“We paid for premium seats because we’re flying with a baby and my husband is 6’4”. We paid $12,000, which we can’t afford. And we went to check-in, and they told us, oh, sorry, we don’t have any premium seats left, you’ll have to sit in economy.”

Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

Image credits: Alexander Schimmeck (not the actual photo)

“Okay, I don’t normally have any problems sitting in economy if I’m traveling by myself”

“But firstly, I paid $12,000 so that I wouldn’t have to sit in economy with my baby on my lap for a 17 hour flight, or 15 hours. I don’t know, it’s really [freaking] long. My husband doesn’t even fit in the [freaking] economy seat. So we have to do three flights today because we’re flying back to London. So this is one flight and then when we arrive in Paris, we’ve got to get on another one.”

Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

Image credits: @universival_

“We paid premium for both of them and we’re in economy for both of them”

“But the lady at the check-in couldn’t help us because she didn’t speak English and I can barely speak Portuguese. I’ve been dreading this flight for so long because it’s going to be so hard already and now this”

Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

Image credits: Rahul Singh (not the actual photo)

Check out the full TikTok video:

@universival_ Fuck you @airfrance how to make a hard trip impossible and pay a fortune for #airtravel #airfrance #impossible ♬ original sound – Universival

Flying economy can certainly get you from point A to point B, but the journey itself can feel like a marathon in discomfort. Even the smallest pleasures become a battle.

This reality is exactly why travelers like the frustrated TikToker choose to pay a premium for comfort and escape. The premium price tag becomes an investment in a more dignified and comfortable experience, especially crucial for long journeys with little ones in tow. Premium cabins also often come with priority boarding, allowing you to avoid the cattle-call chaos of economy boarding, and access to airport lounges, providing a comfortable and relaxing space to wait before your flight.

Unfortunately, as the TikToker’s story highlights, even these plans can go awry. The poster Eleanor, an emotional intelligence coach, provided an update days after the initial post. She stated they were initially relieved to be assigned a seat with a bassinet for their baby. However, their joy was short-lived as the pilot kept the seatbelt sign illuminated for 85-90% of the flight, rendering the bassinet unusable.

Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)

“I had to hold the baby on my lap the entire 10-hour flight,” the poster recounted. “To make matters worse, my seat was broken and wouldn’t recline. The flight attendant suggested I switch seats with my daughter, who was already asleep. Unfortunately, her seat was also broken!”

Despite the discomfort caused by the malfunctioning seats and the unusable bassinet, the author acknowledged that having the baby on their lap provided some warmth during the unusually cold flight. Following the ordeal, the author says Air France offered 50 euros in compensation, with the option of receiving it as cash or a voucher. They chose cash, “because I never want to fly Air France again,” but claim they were mistakenly sent a voucher instead.

The entire story rattled commenters as many expressed their shock at the high price of the premium tickets and inquired why the author chose to pay for the tickets if she could not afford it. This raises a crucial question: is a premium cabin worth the splurge?

The answer, like most travel decisions, depends on your priorities and budget. For some, the added expense of premium seating might not be justified, especially for shorter flights. However, for long journeys, particularly with young children, the extra legroom, wider seats, and improved amenities offered by premium cabins can significantly improve comfort and overall travel experience.

So, what do you think? Is flying economy a necessary evil, or is a premium cabin worth the splurge? Share your thoughts and travel experiences in the comments below!

Commenters expressed their dismay questioning why the poster would pay $12,000 for tickets she can’t afford

Woman Is On The Verge Of Tears When She Finds Out Her Plane Seats That Cost $12,000 Are Unavailable

My name is Obinna often shortened to Obi (like Kenobi without the Ken) and I am a writer here at Bored Panda. As a kid, I always wanted to tell stories which led to my interest in writing and now I get to do it for a living. I have a background in advertising where I also get to tell brand stories. When I am not telling these stories, I am watching stories and probably ransacking my brain on how to write more stories or I am gisting with friends.

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I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

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What do you think ?

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Cosmikid 8 months ago (edited)

I have another little quirk about "entitled" airlines. Part one is not the quirk: I was flying into the middle of China, back when that wasn't done much. On time to board my carefully arranged flight- the airlines announces - they've decided not to fly this airplane where it was scheduled. So whatever other arrangements are made, all connections are impossible. Here's the part 2 quirk. There's a fully 747 load of totally FURIOUS passengers right here - who gets to explain all this to us? The bosses sent out a sacrificial lamb; a young woman new to her job - facing a couple hundred people with disrupted lives (mostly businesses) - a good many of whom were not in control of their emotions. She's nearly in tears soon; since most of us battered passengers were not really the type who kick puppies, the bellowing did drop a decibel. Did the bosses giggle about all this? I'd have to bet yes.

5points

Noltha 8 months ago

Something is wrong here. The first flight was to Paris, so EU and operated by European airline, and EU has very strict rules how much the airline has to pay to the passenger for delay, cancellation or downgrade. I'm pretty sure it's more than 50 euro.

3points

PFD 8 months ago

Yes, it's very tightly regulated. Compensation is set by law at 75% of the ticket price for this distance. Though that still seems like they'd end up paying 3 grand for economy seats, so it doesn't sound like a very good deal, unless I'm misunderstanding something.

2points

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Ken Beattie 7 months ago

I can't see how *any* airline could do this and NOT refund the difference between the expected tickets and the actual tickets. They should effectively be getting 8 or 10 grand back as a result. There is no way a company could sell you premium, fail to provide it and just keep the money. That's a lawsuit and massive fines just waiting to happen.

2points

Marcellus II 7 months ago (edited)

I can't see how drunk you have to be to pay that much for a pair of tickets. I've flown that route (but via Frankfurt not Paris, anyway the saner option); if you book today for 30days ahead it's $1500/seat (with stopover in Amsterdam -- direct pricier at $2700). Actually it's only $550 for an economy direct flight --- clearly more comfy than this stopover business. So if I had that much to splurge, I'd spend $1650 per direction on three economy seats; better than two seats in business I'd think. O

0points

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