A furious airline passenger has revealed the moment a woman who got a free upgrade to business class asked him to move into economy so her husband could sit next to her.
Sharing the story on Reddit’s Entitled People thread, the traveller explained how the incident took place while on-board a five hour flight from Toronto to Vancouver.
The woman in question had received a “cheeky upgrade” on behalf of the airline to a lie-flat business class “pod” that typically comes with a hefty price tag.
While she received the upgrade, her husband did not, so she asked the passenger next to her to “swap” with her husband.
At first, the passenger was willing to comply but then found out her husband was seated in “the middle seat at the back of the bus” in economy.
He said he was shocked at the request and thought he must be part of a “YouTube set up video of some sort”.
But the woman was very serious with her request, to which the man encouraged her to “downgrade” her ticket and move back to economy.
His suggestion angered the woman, with her replying: “But we both want to sit together up here!”
However, the man refused to back down, responding: “I’m sure you do. But I think you have two choices… sit apart, or sit together back there. I’m sure whoever is in 18C would love to sit up here. Take your old seat back and you can both sit together.”
He continued: “They both angrily made their way back to the back, and I was half-expecting a new, confused stranger to appear, the lucky recipient of an instant upgrade… but no, she came back. According to her, 18A loved the window bulkhead and didn’t want to move. 18C had family in 18DEF and didn’t want to move either.
“Someone later told me that perhaps the flight attendants got involved and just told her to go to her assigned seat; no seat-swapping allowed.
“Whatever the case, she showed up all angry and made a big show and lots of noise sitting down.
“I couldn’t have cared less. Thirty minutes after takeoff, I was reclined and fast asleep for the entire flight.”
Those in the comment section were also left shocked at the request, with one person calling the woman “entitled”.
Another said: “[Did the couple] really expect people to give up what they paid extra for? The airlines should take some accountability here too. Before they upgrade someone they should ask if they are travelling with anyone.”
One reader added: “Same thing happened to me once. [A woman] asked if I would swap with her to sit beside her husband in first. Assuming she meant another first class seat, I asked her where and she said 22E.
“I laughed out loud and she got offended. I told her her husband should offer his F seat to whomever was beside her in row 22, and then they could sit together.”
