A Reddit user has admitted that he refused to swap seats with an elderly couple because he had paid more for his seats.
The passenger in question paid for extra legroom for their 12-hour flight and refused to swap seats for an older couple who tried claiming his seats for their own.
Taking to the popular social media platform, the man told fellow users about the experience and how he had been unpopular with fellow passengers afterwards.
He said after the incident that he received evil glances from people annoyed and disappointed at his actions.
He wrote: “Saw a few plane seat-related posts so I thought I would add my story.
“A few years ago my significant other and I planned a three-month trip around the world. Our first flight was from New Zealand-LA. 12-13 hours.
“We booked and paid for our flights and I added the premium economy seats as I’m 6’3 and wanted the extra legroom. Cost an extra $60 (£50).
“This flight was with Air New Zealand, the screen has your name on it when you get to your seat.”
The man added: “We get on the plane. Find our seats and there is this older couple sitting there (mid-70s). I ask them if they got confused with their seat numbers. They hadn’t.
“I show them my ticket and seat number and point to my name on the screen. They then ask me just sit in their seats which were ten rows back. No leg room.”
The man said that after they refused to move he said he demanded that they return because he had paid more for the extra space.
In his Reddit post, the man explained how the conversation had unfolded.
He said he had asked them if he wanted to sit in their seats to which they said that would be nice.
Afterwards, he tried to them why he wanted them to move back to their seats, but they refused citing that there was still plenty of legroom in their original seats.
The man then offered to help move their bags to their correct seats if that would help, but the couple staunchly refused.
At this point, he said a flight attendant arrived and asked the elderly couple to move to the correct seats.
The man said he received some unpleasant reactions from fellow passengers. He said: “I got some stink eyes from other people on the flight. I paid for the extra legroom and I need it.”
On Reddit, fellow users sympathised with the passenger and shared how they may have acted in the same situation.
One person said: “This isn’t a two-hour flight where you buck up for the good of old people, which is still not right given the social experience that is flying – I wouldn’t care if it was a two-hour flight there is still the principle of the matter, but I may cave depending on my mood.”
Another said they had no idea why the passengers who also paid for the extra legroom would glare at the man.
