Husband trades plane seat to 'teach wife a lesson' about complaining. AITA?
You've probably seen the video of a man screaming on a plane about a crying baby. Well, here's the story of a man who did, well, the opposite.
But that doesn't mean it went well for him. Here's the story in is his own words, where he asks Reddit if he did the right thing. You decide who the jerk is.
'AITA for giving a mother with a crying baby my seat near my wife to teach her a lesson?'
TaxRightoffer writes:
So my wife and I recently went on a trip together payed for by her dad. He flew us to Hawaii with first class seats. We had a great time. My wife is used to travel while I’m less experienced with plane travel, this was the first time I flew first class.
On our way back home, we were sat near the back we’re by the border between us and the “undesirables”. A mother and her baby were one of the first to board and the poor baby was not having a good time. I felt even worse got the mother as I know she’s probably equally distressed about the baby crying.
While I felt sympathy, my wife was mad. She kept making comments about how our flight was going to be miserable as the best. Her complaining went on for the longest time. She kept saying that the mother was irresponsible and if she doesn’t know how to calm her baby, she shouldn’t be taking it on a plane.
I tried to tell her to calm down as it’s not that serious but she wasn’t having it. Eventually I got tired of that, so I offered to go speak to the mom for my wife. She said she would be happy if I did.
What would that accomplish?
I went back in between boarding groups and told the mother that if she wanted, I would give her my first class seat so she can kick her feet up and that may be more comfortable for her and the baby.
She didn’t want to initially, but I insisted and her husband encouraged her to take it. She took her baby up to first class and I got series of angry texts from my wife.
So I felt like this was not a huge deal, as my wife brought noise canceling headphones. And the other people in first class most likely do as well. And if they don’t, they have normal headphones and can simply block out the baby. It’s 2023, not 1990. We’re not living in the Stone Age.
The baby cried for maybe a cumulative 30 minutes on an 8 hour flight. So barely at all. When my wife and I met up, she was livid. She told me that I ruined her flight and ruined the end of the trip for her. I told her that she’s overreacting to something that’s only mildly annoying. She has refused to drop this. AITA (Am I the a-hole)?
Here's what Reddit had to say...
Bussin_Cheeks_ comments:
YTA (You're the a-hole) 'Teach her a lesson' is such a childish toxic trait. If you have something that's bothering you then you should talk about it resolve it right away. There's no need for this passive kind of behavior.
MrsJonesy2012 agrees:
YTA. Why isn't a woman allowed to complain to a husband about a crying baby. Why does that make her the AH? She didn't confront the woman, make loud comments so the woman could hear, she didn't make a scene. She had a whine/moan to her spouse. Instead you decided to punish your wife.
You were on a free trip paid for by her father and decided you need to be a petty bastard. I wouldn't invite you on the next trip.
niennabobenna writes:
ESH (Everyone sucks here). Your wife for being rude and lacking empathy. You for feeling as though you had a right to punish her for her behavior. And for using other human beings to inflict that punishment. They had to sit through several hours of a flight next to a person who openly didn't want to be in their presence.
SomeoneYouDontKnow70 piles on:
YTA for ruining your wife's vacation. I'm pretty sure her dad didn't pay your ticket so that you could go sit with a random stranger instead of staying with your wife on an eight hour flight. You're not her teacher; you're her husband. If she's annoying you, then just tell her that. 'Your complaining is annoying me more than the baby's crying. Stop it.'
Well, there it is!
While the mother may have enjoyed relaxing in first class, OP really screwed up when it comes to his wife. Maybe more travel experience will teach him (if he gets it).