It seems like every day there's a new row over plane seats - it's a debate that provokes heated discussion both online and on the flight itself.
Whether someone is sitting in your seat and is refusing to move, or the airline has seated you separately and you didn't expect it, it can cause a plethora of issues at 36,000 feet. Things can get really tense, especially when you're in such an enclosed space and have no way to escape the situation.
One stressed parent is sick of 'entitled' passengers complaining about kids on flights, stressing that parents and families also suffer when things go wrong with seat bookings. They've detailed things that had happened to them recently on a flight - including a situation where their two-year-old was seated next to a complete stranger.
The parent wrote on Reddit: "I keep reading 'screw families who ask to sit together' posts and while some people are entitled, a lot of others did do everything by the books and ended here.
"On a few past Delta flights, our family of three has encountered the following:
Someone assuming our two-year-old was a lap baby and tried to take his seat
A major flight delay moving us to a different flight where we were spread across the plane. (Yay, I'll finally get a break from the two-year-old - they'll be some stranger's problem! Sadly, Delta's amazing service desk fixed it for us quickly)
A change in plane type moved the two-year-old's seat somewhere else in the plane. (Yay we can finally pretend we're on a parents-only vacation!)
"Thankfully, so far these have all been resolved by helpful and friendly Delta employees. But seriously, some people can be terribly entitled spouting off things they don't know about.
"It's really great that you paid for 19A but we paid for 18A-C and things change so sometimes we've all got to roll with what's going on. Unless you truly do want to sit next to my two-year-old the entire flight, then you can reap the reward of your entitlement!"
In the comments, people had mixed feelings about what the parent had said, with some making it clear they had no time for seat swappers.
One wrote: "Feel free to ask to take my seat. Just don't feel entitled to a yes", and another fumed: "But if my headphones are in, just don't speak to me at all."
Someone else said: "Exactly. People who inhabit airplanes don't want to deal with idiots who have messed up seating issues. Gate agents and reservation agents are your solutions. It's not my problem.
"I did not cause your problem. I will not fix your problem. Leave me alone. If you're going to ask me to trade seats it needs to be an even swap or no deal. If you sit in my seat I will make you move."
A Redditor sympathised with the parent though, writing: "I think the original poster's point is that you don't know what you don't know. A family asks to swap, I doubt they're telling the passenger 'we paid basic economy to save money, but I’m hoping you can help me out'.
"Instead, likely an assumption is being made. Sure, maybe 9/10 times the assumption is right, but for the 1/10 those stats don't matter to them."
Would you move seats on a plane if asked? Let us know in the comments.
