Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

On my flight back from FL we were in the emergency exit row, which was basicall the last row left on the plane since you now pay more for more legroom. We were sitting next to a guy who had 2 kids sitting in another row. He couldn't get 3 together, so he bought their two seats and then bought the extra legroom seat hoping that whoever sat next to his kids would be more than happy to switch to get more legroom. (I think the exit seats have more legroom than the "more legroom" seats in the front of the plane).

So initially the woman switches with him. Then she gets up and walks to the front of the plane and demands that he PAY HER the money she paid for extra legroom (and she exagerrated it to $20, which I don't think it was). He said she's actually getting MORE legroom and therefore not losing anything. She made him switch back and fly home separated from his kids.

I couldn't believe it! I was going to offer to switch with his kids, but then i realized you can't put kids in the emergency exit row. Then I was going to offer to sit next to his kids, but she wouldn't want my seat either without being paid (i had a window though, so maybe it would have helped). The dad was cool about it, but he was nervous and asked the flight attendant to please make sure she understood that in case of anything she has to do her mask first, then take care of the kids, and be aware that his kids were young and didn't understand.

I was so infuriated. What kind of person won't switch and demands $20 to let a guy sit with his kids?!

I gave her dirty looks the whole time we were waiting for our baggage.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

What a jerk.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Un-freakin-believable!!! I can't beleive she wouldn't switch with him, or rather did but wanted to switch back bc he wouldn't pay her!! That's insane!!

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

unbelievable!!!!!

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

i would have gladly switched my seat! who wants to sit next to someone else's kids anyway? what a beyotch that woman was!!

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Man you should have spilled your soda on the floor where her legroom was.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Unbelievable... this makes me so angry!

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Wow, that's terrible!

I would have happily switched for 2 reasons - the nice me would switch so a father could be with his kids and the beyotch in me would switch so I wouldn't have to sit next to someone else's rugrats.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

That's crappy! I can't believe she asked for the $20.

Conversely though, if I was the father, I would have paid the $20 to sit with my kids.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

I would have given her dirty looks too, horrible person that she is...

If I were the women I would have switched, it's the right thing to do, and I wouldn't want to fly next to two kids that weren't with their parents-I wouldn't want that responsibility.

I'm really easy going on flights though, I've switched so people could sit next to each other, or if someone wanted to be close to the window, etc. The only thing I'm particular about is wanting my overhead luggage in my overhead bin, if I get there and it's full, I ask whose stuff it is, and if it's not people sitting in my row, I make them move it. I'm not putting my stuff three rows back because someone else was rude. sorry, I went on a tangent.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

I've seen that before.

On a plane, I didn't have a seat for my DD since she wasn't even a year yet. There was a woman sitting in the middle seat. She was travelling with friends, but they were in a totally different section of the plane. They weren't behind, in front or around her. On the aisle across from us, the middle seat was empty.

Before we took off, DD was getting very fussy. I brought her car seat in case there was an extra seat. I asked the woman if she would go from one middle seat to the other and she refused- unless she could sit with her friends. That would require a whole bunch of rearranging since they were in the front of the plane and we were in the back. She couldn't just get up? It had to be a negotiation.

In the end, since the girl stood there for 10 minutes trying to negiate, the stewardess took the car seat.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

I think what that woman did was awful.

I have in the past refused to give up my seat.

I'm terrified of flying and tend to get very claustrophobic on planes, so when we book a flight, we book our seats accordingly, especially if it's a long flight. On long flights, we book aisle seats across from eachother, DH is still near me, and I'm not stuck in a middle seat getting all panicky. Our last long flight there was a family of 5 traveling together. Two of the kids were sitting in the row where DH was sitting, the mother was in the middle seat next to me, and the father and another child were in the row behind my DH. While the plane was still boarding, my DH went to the bathroom and the woman took it upon herself to sit in his seat (even though all his stuff was there, she moved it and put it in the overhead compartment). I told her that seat was taken by my husband. She immediately told me he needed to sit in the row with me. I explained to her we specifically reserved those seats. My husband is also a big guy and could not sit for 6 1/2 hours in a middle seat. The kids (who were older, not that young at all) proceeded to glare at me for most of the flight (I really didn't care). In the end, the seat next to her husband turned out to be empty so she sat next to him and their other child.

I don't think this makes me a bad person. If it was a shorter flight, (like from NY to Boston) I could have dealt with a middle seat, but because of my anxiety, there was no way I could do 6 1/2 hours that way.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

If I was travelling along I would've switched too. I think the most appalling part is that she demanded he pay her! That's ridiculous! People never cease to amaze me

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

I would have just switched seats.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

what a PILL!

I would have thrown the $20 at her and said, he it is you cheap b!tch!

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

If I was the woman, I would have given up my seat.

If I was the father, I would have booked 3 seats together.

IMO he was more in the wrong. He shouldn't expect others to move to accommodate his issues. You have 2 young children flying - you make d@mn sure that you're next to them.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

I would have given up my seat, even if I was traveling with my dh I would seperate from him to let a parent be with his children.
If I was the parent I would have wanted to tell the kids to be on their worst behavior and make that womans flight hell for being such a cheap b****

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Message edited 5/13/2008 5:15:39 PM.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Apparently the dad booked too late. this flight was PACKED since it was the passover week.

I think he should have paid her $20 too, but I think he was so appalled that she wouldn't switch. I mean he did the nice thing and picked the most expensive seats on the plane so whoever switched would have a bargain.

They were both aisle seats with extra legroom, Ours was even more legroom. At first I thought she didn't feel comfortable sitting in the emergency exit row (which i guess I can understand..but then you'd rahter have the responsibility of 3 kids?), but when i heard she wanted him to pay her I was like

Especially since she had sat down, started reading, etc. She jujst rnadomly got up and started demanding $$. She also left her garbage in his seat..which is walked up and returned to her. LOL

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Maybe he didn't have the cash on him ? I don't carry around a lot of money so coughing up 20 bucks might be tough for me and obvioulsy she didn't take debit cards - my usual way to pay !

I think that is horrible that she was asking for 20. Who would ever do that ?? I am scared to fly and claustrophobic like a lot of the PP's and I have asked people to switch seats before and there was never a problem. I absolutlely cannot believe this woman wanted $20. ?????//? That is ridiculous and unbelievable !!!

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

I know I'm in the minority when I say this but I would NOT give up my seat. Especially if I'm flying alone.

Reasons being I am picky about where I need to sit, I have flying issues and always afraid of plane crashes and junk like that, I need a window seat (I must look out for fear of crashing). I also need to sit on the back of the plane behind the wings.

Being that I'm flying alone I am aware I might have to sit next to people I don't like or their children. That's fine I bring my ipod and a book, its easy to ignore my surroundings.

On the flip side I hate people who expect people to do things that are convient for THEM. Regardless if the flight was packed or not, when you book tickets for your family to travel, it should be done ahead of time were you can book seats together or near each other. Don't expect people to adjust for your preference, when they might have their own.

Not everybody is kind in this world and willing to give up a paid seat they selected, like this woman. However she didn't have to be rude about it either.

IMO I wouldn't have given up the seat, but cuz I have issues ....yea I REALLY hate flying.

Re: Spinoff of airplanes. What would you have done?

Thats terrible. I would have definatly switched my seat without a prob.
This makes me mad!!!!