Woman Sparks Debate After Not Giving Up Seat On Plane For Scared Child

For a lot of people, where they sit on a plane is very important, which is why many are reluctant to give up their seat no matter the reason. Well, that was the case with one woman, and it’s sparked a big debate online. 

A women recently explained on Mumsnet that she and her partner spent around $60 extra so they could secure a window and aisle seat together on a recent flight to Gran Canaria. While boarding, a woman came up and asked if they’d be willing to switch seats so she could sit with her daughter, who was over the age of 10, explaining that the young girl had a fear of flying. The OP says they politely declined, only for the mother to snap back, “You're adults, my daughter is scared of flying and is a minor.”

The woman explained in her post that they had paid extra because she “didn't want the worry of not being sat with boyfriend as I also get a bit nervous on take off,” not that she really needed to justify it. The woman then asked if she was wrong not to move, adding, “surely if she was that bothered she could have paid like us,” and sparked quite a debate on the site.

Many commenters seemed to agree with the OP's decision.

• “'She should have paid to book seats together the same as you did,” one person noted, while another shared, “I hate this kind of chancery" and 'Her choice her risk.'”
• And another added, “'This really bugs me- I have lost count of the number of times there have been parents on flights with small children who haven't paid to sit together and expect people who have to move!”
• One person did comment that neither were actually wrong, sharing, “She wasn’t unreasonable to ask and you weren’t unreasonable to say no.”
• But not everyone is on the OP’s side, with one commenter calling her “petty.”
  • Another added, “I would have quite happily moved. This thread is making me think I'm nicer than I thought I was, and that's saying something!"
  • And one person shared, “Personally I would have swapped for the sake of a child. My partner is an adult and can survive a whole flight without me holding his hand.”

Source: The Mail