Every time you get on an airplane, you hope for comfort. Sure, if you’re in the economy cabin, you aren’t expecting the world, but you would like to have some personal space.
A forum user (18M) recently got on a 12-hour flight to find an overweight gentleman sitting in the seat next to his. Realizing that the flight would have been a “squeeze,” he complained to the flight attendants. You won’t believe what happened next.
An Issue Worth Complaining About?
The original poster (OP) explained that the flight in question was the second leg of his long journey back home and that he was looking forward to relaxing and sleeping on the 12-hour flight.
However, seeing the “obese man” taking up half of his chair was enough for him to complain to the staff and demand a new seat. OP says that he isn’t a small man himself and felt it wasn’t practical to have the two of them sit next to each other.
Full Flight
The attendants told him that the flight was full and that there was nothing they could do about it, prompting him to tell them that his seat was also unavailable, as it was “being used for someone’s literal rolls.”
He then went on a rant about how the airline in question (which he didn’t state) had rapidly gone downhill in recent years, and this was simply the tip of the iceberg.
Kicked Off The Flight
OPs ranting and raving ultimately got him thrown off the flight, and the passenger booked into the seat next to him called him a fatphobic as he was taken away by security. He also says that other passengers who had heard his conversation with the flight attendants had given him disapproving looks.
Ban From Flying
Initially, he was given a ban from flying with the airline ever again; however, that has now been overturned after OP submitted a written complaint. He has also been financially compensated for missing the flight.
With the situation now resolved, he took to a travel forum to ask if he had been out of line complaining about the weight of the man who booked to sit next to him.
A Tricky Situation Dealt With Poorly
The comments section contained people who thought OP was in the right here and those who thought he was completely out of order. The top comment, however, came from someone who believed that the biggest issue was how he complained.
They said: “Based on what you’ve said, you’re in the wrong because often it’s not what we say, it’s how we say it. It probably would’ve been handled very differently if you had handled it differently. I know air travel can make people idiots, so please, everyone, don’t be that idiot.”
Handled Incorrectly
Another user agreed, saying that he wasn’t in the wrong “for being uncomfortable and wanting his seat changed” but for how he handled the situation. This person added that OP “did not need to insult the man and the airline” to get his point across.
Have you ever found yourself in an awkward situation on an airplane relating to the passengers around you? How did you deal with it? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Reddit
