Flying isn’t a pleasant experience for everyone. Some people take steps before they travel to ensure their comfort. But not everyone pays attention to this. This woman knew what she needed to travel and she did just that. However, others didn’t see it that way…
A woman found herself in a very uncomfortable position, both literally and figuratively. She was torn between prioritizing her own comfort and society’s expectations. She was faced with a decision; she could either be generous or defend her personal space.
She was traveling across the country to spend Christmas with her family. She knew she needed to be comfortable when she flew. Given her size, she always booked an extra seat on a flight. She made sure to pay extra to ensure her comfort.
Everything went smoothly during check-in, and she made it through security and boarding. It was only when she sat down in her seat that the unpleasant experience began. A woman with her 18-month-old child was sitting next to her. She saw that there was an empty seat and quickly asked the woman to squeeze into one seat so her toddler could occupy the other. But since the original occupant had paid for both seats, she declined.
The interaction attracted attention and a flight attendant noticed and came to see what was happening. When the situation was explained to her, she asked the woman if she could make room for the child, but she politely declined and once again stated that she had paid in full for both seats.
The flight attendant thankfully understood and asked the mother to hold her child on her lap as most children of that age usually do. But throughout the trip, the mother made sure to make the woman feel uncomfortable with rude looks and passive-aggressive remarks.
The woman later wondered if she had been unfair in this interaction and if she should have given up her extra seat. She took to Reddit to ask the community if she had been wrong.
One person, who was a mother herself and had been in a similar situation, wrote: “I’ve taken 9-hour flights with a baby in my arms and shorter flights with a toddler on my lap who was able to sit in his own seat and really didn’t want me to hold him. Did it suck? Yes. But it was my problem alone, and as long as my child was under 24 months old and I didn’t have to pay for his seat, I chose to hold him. I swear, not all parents have that right!” »
work More… 606 152 202 Another person added: “She is wrong for not buying a seat for her son and assuming someone else would give up a seat they paid for. Chances are she was hoping there would be extra seats on the flight so she wouldn’t have to pay and used the towers as an escape hatch.
“I would go so far as to file a complaint with the airline about their employee supporting another passenger who is harassing you,” wrote another outraged Redditor.
Another annoyed user said: “You should always do what you can to be as healthy as possible, but being fat is not a character flaw or moral failing. We all have our own challenges in life, and you don’t deserve to be ashamed of your body and yourself, even if you aren’t currently achieving your goals.” If the mother wants an extra seat for her children, she should have bought one. She has no right to a seat that you bought, and you don’t have to feel bad about her bad behavior.”
Some people might also see the mother’s point of view in wanting to have a comfortable flight as well. However, if it was important to her, she would have made sure to prioritize getting a seat for her child.
Who do you think is right in this conversation? Let us know in the comments! Share this with others so they can also weigh in on the topic.