“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

Interview With Expert

Let’s face it: airplane coach seats aren’t designed for comfort. So, if you’re heavy-set, pregnant, or both, they can be problematic.

In this story, a passenger with two plane seats under her name refused to give one of them up to a pregnant and overweight woman. Her reason: she’d paid for both and would gladly sell it to the lady instead.

The author’s reaction caused a slight commotion, but she did not fold. However, she wonders if she was in the wrong and seeks answers from the AITAH subreddit.

Bored Panda also spoke with veteran Philippine Airlines flight attendant Kaz Icalina to get her input on passenger rights.

People are expected to follow airplane etiquette

“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

Image credits: winnievinzence (not the actual image)

A woman with an extra seat refused to give it to a pregnant passenger

“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

Image credits: OlgaSmolina (not the actual image)

The author didn’t fold and received dirty looks in return

“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

Image credits: QueenPekPek

The author had the right to do whatever she wanted with her extra seat

It’s understandable to empathize with the woman in the story because pregnancy takes a toll on the body. However, regardless of her situation, it does not entitle her to anything.

According to Kaz, flight attendants can only do so much, especially during full flights. They could ask a passenger if they would accept a seat switch. If they decline, they won’t try to convince otherwise.

Unfortunately, the pregnant woman had no choice but to accept the rejection.

“Passengers have rights, and flight attendants can’t choose one over the other for humanitarian reasons,” she said, adding that you can’t force anyone to give up seats unless a legal reason is involved.

“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

Image credits: Markus Winkler (not the actual image)

The woman could have made pre-flight arrangements to accommodate her situation

The pregnant woman knew fully well that a coach seat would be uncomfortable. According to Kaz, the least she could have done was to make pre-flight seat arrangements.

As she explained, many airlines offer a “neighbor-free” option. This allows passengers to book an extra seat even if they are traveling alone.

“She can’t rely on the kindness of people to give up their space.”

In this story, the woman could have done either one of two things: agreed to buy the author’s extra seat or accepted the situation. Her hostility put her in a bad light and possibly caused unnecessary stress that may have impacted the child somehow. It’s a lose-lose situation she could have avoided.

What’s your take, dear reader? What could they have done to prevent the situation from escalating?

“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

Image credits: Amina Filkins (not the actual image)

The author provided more information in the comments

“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

But most people sided with her

“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

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Struggling writer by day. Frustrated jazz drummer by night. Space Cowboy 24/7.

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Struggling writer by day. Frustrated jazz drummer by night. Space Cowboy 24/7.

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I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, crafting captivating visual content to enhance every reader's experience. Sometimes my mornings are spent diving into juicy dramas, while afternoons are all about adding extra laughs to the world by editing the funniest memes around. My favorite part of the job? Choosing the perfect images to illustrate articles. It's like imagining a story as a movie in my mind and selecting the key shots to tell the story visually.

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What do you think ?

POST

Ace 3 months ago (edited)

Yeah, no. The ticket being scanned part of the story was not thought through - as one commentor pointed out that's not how it works - all else apart, eve if the agent had scanned it it without a passenger physically at the desk, the flight's boarding list would be showing one passenger missing. ETA: OK, so this could theoretically happen if both the check-in agent _and_ the gate staff scanned the extra ticket/boarding pass, or if she had herself done a self check-in for the child who by that point she'd have known was not travelling, printed off the boarding pass, taken it with her and got the gate agent to scan it. Naah, it's still a no from me.

22points

P Peitsch 3 months ago

Generally speaking, you have right. But everywhere are working people, and people are making sometimes mistakes. So, I give a chance, that this story may have happened, especially right after Covid-time, when things just started opening up again.

-1point

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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 3 months ago

I'm morbidly obese. If I needed to fly, I would have to buy two seats. If this woman is heavy enough to need an extra seat, she can pay for it.

20points

justagirl 3 months ago

Props for not being a stick in the mud! (Tell bouche and audi i send pets)

3points

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Marianne 3 months ago

I don't understand the issue. Why would the other lady want to have the middle seat instead of her aisle seat? If the middle seat is free and OP's stuff is lying there, the other lady already wins, because she is not crammed in by another person and I'm sure it would have been ok if she just removed the arm rest. She has more space, but is still in her seat. Voilà, everyone is happy.

13points

LakotaWolf (she/her) 3 months ago (edited)

I’m guessing the pregnant lady wanted the entire seat, perhaps to lay down/lean/put her legs up on? Or perhaps she was overweight enough to want/need to (I’m sorry, I don’t know how to put it in a more polite way) “spread out” onto both seats? I have family members who are morbidly obese, and they need more than just “armrest room” when they fly - they require two seats because their lower body parts absolutely do not fit into one seat.

7points

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Ace 3 months ago (edited)

22points

P Peitsch 3 months ago

-1point

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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 3 months ago

I'm morbidly obese. If I needed to fly, I would have to buy two seats. If this woman is heavy enough to need an extra seat, she can pay for it.

20points

justagirl 3 months ago

Props for not being a stick in the mud! (Tell bouche and audi i send pets)

3points

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Marianne 3 months ago

13points

LakotaWolf (she/her) 3 months ago (edited)

7points

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“None Of Her Pains Are My Concern”: Woman Sparks 5-Hour Mid-Flight Drama By Refusing To Help A Pregnant Woman

People are expected to follow airplane etiquette

A woman with an extra seat refused to give it to a pregnant passenger

The author didn’t fold and received dirty looks in return

The author had the right to do whatever she wanted with her extra seat

The woman could have made pre-flight arrangements to accommodate her situation