I don’t usually enjoy confrontation, but sometimes, you have to draw a line.
When I boarded my long-haul flight, I was looking forward to relaxing in the business-class seat I’d paid extra for. But before takeoff, a man and his wife approached me with a request—or rather, a demand.
“Hey, would you switch seats with my wife?” he asked, gesturing to her. “We’re newlyweds, and she’s stuck in economy.”
I understood their desire to sit together, but here’s the thing: I didn’t book this seat by accident. I chose it—and paid a premium for it.
So I made a fair offer. “I’d be happy to switch if you cover the price difference. It’s about $50.”
His friendly demeanor evaporated. “You’ll regret this,” he hissed before stomping back to his seat.
What happened next was pure pettiness.
For the next hour, he coughed loudly, played videos without headphones, and even had his wife sit on his lap mid-flight. When the flight attendant noticed, she quickly put a stop to it.
“Ma’am, you can’t occupy someone else’s seat,” she told the wife, who reluctantly returned to economy.
The rest of the flight was blissfully quiet—except for the occasional death glare from the husband.
Some people might think I was being difficult, but here’s my take: if sitting together was that important, they should’ve booked seats together. Expecting a stranger to sacrifice their comfort—without even offering fair compensation—is just plain entitlement.
