When embarking on a long-haul flight, most travellers ensure they pre-book their seats to guarantee maximum comfort during the journey.
One man did just that on a recent flight, securing a first-class seat for himself to enjoy extra legroom.
However, upon boarding the plane after waiting in line, he discovered another passenger had already occupied his seat and unpacked his belongings.
The disgruntled traveller shared his experience on Reddit: “I boarded late, and when I boarded I noticed a gentleman sitting in my seat (it was the type of plane with one seat on one side, and two on the other… I was in the single row).”
He continued: “I told him, ‘Excuse me, you’re in my seat’.”
The man sighed heavily and responded: “Really? I’ve been sitting here now for 30 minutes and I’m all settled in.”
A glance around revealed that the first class section was full, reports the Mirror. “I paid for this seat”, the Reddit poster informed him, adding that at this point, a flight attendant intervened to resolve the dispute.
Fortunately, the situation was resolved in his favour as the intruding passenger was instructed to return to his seat.
He continued: “He gave them the same spiel about being ‘settled’ in. He asked them if we could simply switch seats. He was seated in row 28. I watched as he gathered his belongings and he even side-checked me as he had to go back to his seat.”
The audacious move of the passenger caused outrage among users online, with one user venting: “The audacity. I would have asked him ‘did you really think that excuse was going to work?’ I can’t believe how entitled some people are.”
As the internet came alive with similar tales of ‘seat stealing travellers’, another user revealed: “I have flown coach three times in the past two weeks and each time have paid the $80-$100 fee for the exit row aisle seat and on all three occasions I got on the plane to find somebody sitting comfortably in the seat that I paid for and flat out, refused to move.”
It seems the dilemma is one many people have faced. In recalling his own travel experience, a third user said: “The one time the first class and early boarders were queuing for the flight, I remember sauntering up and getting waved on before them all.
“The look of utter contempt when they saw I was allowed to board even before them is one I’ll never forget.”
And rounding up the slew of comments, one more user chimed in: “I’m less astounded that he tried to argue with you than I am that he even tried this in the first place.”