Man refuses to give his seat up on the plane so a child could sit next to his dad 'behave yourself.' AITA?
"AITA for refusing to give up my seat on the plane so a boy could sit next to his father, and to tell the father to behave himself?"
So basically I (29M) boarded my short flight (70 min) which has a 2-2 seating arrangement. I had booked myself a window seat and when I got there I saw a maybe 7 year old boy sitting in there, next to his father (about 50 y/o) in the aisle seat. The opposite row also had his mother and his sister sitting there.
Although this happened less than 24h ago I was exhausted so I don't remember the conversation word for word. I pointed towards my seat and the father asked me if I would mind swapping so they could sit together, and that their seat is in the row behind it. I said that I would only swap if it is a window seat, and he said it is an aisle seat. Then I said I wouldn't swap and the following conversation happened.
Him: So do you want to sit next to my son?
Me: I don't care I just want the window seat.
Him: standing up and getting his son up you are a very nice person. I mean not a very nice person
Me: It's none of your business and be polite.
Him: I am not (referring to polite)
Me: (I said something I don't remember) and behave yourself.
I just stood there looking at him serious, I think he was trying to shame me initially but he didn't respond anything else to that.
His wife was watching this the whole time. When somebody in the row behind saw it he offered to swap and sat next to me so they did eventually sit next to each other.
For all I care they could have sat 20 rows apart or even booked a new flight, I had zero investment in this or their reasons. They can ask, I can say no and that should be the end of it imo.
I didn't like the "swap" happened before I approved it either. If they care that much they can book their seats in advance like everyone else. I didn't have a good reason why I need the window seat except that I like it and don't like the aisle seat lol.
Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:
emergencycat17 said:
NTA. If they wanted the seat, they should have booked it together. This same thing happened to me on the way home from Thanksgiving at my sister's on Amtrak. I like the window seat, so if there's one, I sit there (and I realize this is a little different, because unless it's Amtrak business class which you can reserve, it's first come, first serve).
It was an hour and a half train ride. This girl and her boyfriend board the train, I'm in my window seat, and the aisle seat is empty. Also, the aisle seat next to my aisle seat was also empty with the person next to them in the window. So they could have sat aisle/aisle and still been next to each other.
Anyway, the girlfriend says to me, "Excuse me - and if this isn't okay, it's fine - but would you mind finding another seat so he and I can sit together?" I politely said, "No, sorry, I want to sit here." She actually looked a little shocked. But one of them sat next to me in the aisle, and the other one sat in the aisle seat across from us.
At the next stop, both of the people behind me got off, so the two of them quickly switched, grabbed those two, and were able to sit together. The boyfriend sat behind me, and promptly kicked the back of my seat HARD, about three times.
Gee, what happened to "If it's not okay, it's fine"? I ignored him - I figured the absolute best way to retaliate was to not acknowledge his childishness that he and his lady love had to sit less than a foot away from each other till the next stop. People are just jerks when they don't get what they want, you did nothing wrong. You booked your seat, and just because he wanted it doesn't make him in the right.
ExistenceRaisin said:
NTA. You’re right, they can ask, and you can say no. You booked the window seat because that’s where you wanted to sit, and you don’t have to give up your seat just because someone else wants it
Lola_Luvly said:
I am tickled pink that you told him to behave himself! NTA.
thatdamnedkid said:
NTA. I was this Dad last week (weren’t enough seats in a row when I booked), asked the person in the seat I wanted to switch (aisle to aisle) but she couldn’t because her wheelchair couldn’t go the extra couple of rows.
I thanked her, and that was the end of it. My son was slightly disappointed, but got over it easily. The lady and my wife chatted nicely during the flight, and I chatted nicely with the person I ended up sitting next to. No big deal!
srgonzo75 said:
NTA. I’m not sure why people think lack of planning can be covered by personal relationships.
dcaponegro said:
YTA. It was an aisle seat offered. It wasn’t a middle seat. And you said yourself that It didn’t really matter to you if you had a window seat.
MrsNobodyspecial67 said:
NTA. You booked the seat you wanted. Do I want to sit next to your child? I have no idea I don't know him, but it is not my choice. However, it was your choice as to how you booked your tickets and set up the seating arrangements. As it my choice to say no I will keep my seat. You asked, I answered, good day to you sir.