WWYD in this situation

They never manage to correct the special meals on seat changes - the first time someone else took my meal and when I asked if there was a spare one the FA explained they don’t carry extras of the special meals.

The next time it happened to me my seat was close to the previous one plus the person in my old seat said it wasn’t theirs so I was able to stand up and wave at the FA.

It seems ridiculous that it can't be noted that a seat change has taken place when meals have been booked according to seats.

That said, most people wouldn't have eaten the meal that they hadn't ordered.

I'm afraid i would have said something but MN has taught me that people would think me to be over-involved and I agree with your DF

She may not have realised until he then took the standard meal (white people are vegans too, and she would likely have assumed the cabin crew would have got it right as they were aware of the seat swap situation). She was probably telling him so he could complain to the airline if he wanted to.

I have allergies. I would say something. Helping a person get the correct meal is important.

I think/hope I would have said something if I'd realised what was going on. If I didn't speak up I certainly wouldn't have gone to tell your dad that later!

I'm struggling to understand the motivation there (unless the lady did fancy him and wanted a chat!). Going up to someone and telling them you noticed something annoying was about to happen to them, and you could have stopped it with minimal effort but didn't seems very odd to me. Obviously the bloke who took it was the one actually at fault but I don't think it really paints the lady in the best light either.

Because he's a entitled bully prick who thinks he's very important and has zero awareness, thought or care about anyone else but himself

I would say something. I'm a middle aged white woman so might get branded a 'Karen' (hateful term) but CF behaviour really annoys me.

If CF man wasn't a vegan, why would he even want a vegan meal? I'm an omnivore and it's the last thing I'd want on a plane - likely to be bland and unimaginative even by airline standards.

Maybe he wrongly assumed they would consider this when he was moved instead of giving out 2 meals to the slob, how embarrassing to be married to such a thoughtless selfish twat.

Why didnt your dad tell the cabin crew when they moved his seat that he had a special pre-booked meal?

Well said. I would have too. Shame on the cabin crew for not providing a meal to the poor man that got shunted around.

I would have said something. It’s not my business of course, but I’d make the point because he has willfully inconveniencing someone else.

I would have said something if I'd noticed. 'Speak up for those who have no voices.'

Same and for all I know the men who took the seat could have informed the cabin crew of the change to seating so it could have been his meal that was pre-booked. I simply wouldn't have enough information to intervene. I also wouldn't have gone up to your dad afterwards to sympathise over a decision that he made!

I’m sorry that happened to your dad, OP. I’m as cowardly as the next person, and the man who stole the seat was obviously antisocial.

But I think I would have pointed out the meal error to the cabin staff if I realised in time. Or indeed I would insist on taking it to the other man, “no no it’s no trouble I want to do it”, as loudly as possible!

I like to think I would explain loudly what ‘vegan’ means in the hopes of embarrassing the cf and his stupid enablers. But I probably wouldn’t dare.

The main thing would be thinking quickly enough to take action. Others around him may not have realised in time.

I hope your dad had no further problems on his journey.

Nope I wouldn't insert myself into any situation that didn't involve me, especially on a plane. Did your dad speak up about the food?

I wouldn’t have assumed that the rude man hadn’t ordered a special meal. Twats can be fussy about food the same way nice people can have religious preferences. But your DF should have been more self advocating. I would have claimed my seat, or at the very least spoken to the cabin crew to make sure I got the special meal I pre-ordered. I don’t think it’s anyone else’s job to do that for him if he’s unwilling to do that himself. He should have sent that twat to the back of the plane.

I would have been fuming on behalf of the passenger who had to move and would probably have told the cf who nicked his seat that if he wanted to sit with his family he should have paid the extra like every other person on the plane did.

DF is not British and believes that it is a unique feature of Britishness to observe something like this, do nothing, and later report it all to the person who was effected, as if this is helpful and makes you a good person.

No, it's a unique feature of Mumsnetness.

If I knew it was the nice mans meal, i absolutely would have said something. I also would have said something to the horrible entitled seat stealing man as well.
I know plenty of others who would've spoken up as well.