A woman has been urged to divorce her husband after he booked himself into first class while leaving her in economy.
The unnamed plane passenger explained how she had been handed a seat next to her two children while her partner pottered off to the other end of the plane.
In a letter to the New York Times Magazine's ethicist columnist, philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah, the woman explained how they'd been flying overnight to Paris.
"When we travel together with our children, he buys himself a ticket in first class and puts us in economy or economy plus," she wrote.
"He justifies flying alone in first class because of the cost, and the fact that our kids (12 and 16) might feel alone if I were to travel in first with him and leave them in the rear cabin. I feel that this is unfair.
"I don’t think our kids would mind if they were in economy plus and my husband and I sat together in first class. Is that unfair of me to want?"
According to the woman, her husband had offered to fly ahead on a different plane in first class, so his wife and children don't feel bad about the disparity in their levels of comfort.
She questioned whether this actually solved the problem, or was just another way of him jetting off in luxury while not forking out for his family.
Kwame was the first to condemn the husband's behaviour, suggesting he had an a different view of marriage from the general outstanding of it as an institution between two individuals.
"Your husband has another view. He evidently thinks that because he’s the ticket-buyer in the family, his own preferences get priority," he wrote.
The philosopher argued that people are 'comparison machines' and will feel unhappy if they perceive themselves to be hard done by in relation to someone else, even if their lot is actually better than that of others.
"Your husband isn’t entirely oblivious of this — hence his proposal to enjoy his warmed cashews and lie-flat seat on a separate flight from yours. But the best way to address feelings of inequity in intimate relationships is through creating greater equity," he wondered.
Kwame advised that "if your husband thinks that only one adult per trip should fly up front, why not suggest taking turns?"
The woman’s question was shared on social media, prompting a great wall of fury to be aimed at the husband for his seemingly self-centred ways.
“Your husband appears to be a narcissist, who loves and cares only for himself,” one man wrote.
Another chimed in: “If my boyfriend suggested he fly in first class and I can fly in economy, I would happily invite him to go fly first class. Then I’d have all the time in the world to move out of the house while he is gone.”
A third simply wrote: "To be honest, I’d divorce this guy,” said another bluntly.
“Honey, may I suggest a good divorce lawyer? You are married to someone who sees you as ‘The Help’."
What do you think the woman should do? Let us know in the comments below.
