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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask someone to move their child out of my plane seat

1000 replies

kipperssippers · 13/01/2016 20:00

more of a WWYD then AIBU but...
i booked the seat by the window as i always do and when i got to my seat a child around 8 was in my seat with her mum beside her.
When i got there i told the mother that the window seat is my seat and she said her child wanted the window seat to look out, i then replied then you should of booked one.
I didnt want to cause a scene but the women made out i'm an arsehole for asking her kid to move as she had never been on a flight and wanted to look outside.
I did give in and stayed pissed off for 7 hours in my non window seat.

what would you of done in this situation?

OP posts:
Whathaveilost · 13/01/2016 22:29

Don't the stewards frown upon seat swapping - something to do with being able to identify who's who in the event of an emergency

I've never had a problem shopping seats in the last 14 months some one asked me to swop on a flight from Dusseldorf which I did with no problem. Coming back from Denmark in December me and SIL moved to the back of the plane because of screaming kids in front of us. I swooped to the seats on the opposite aisle on a Ryan air flight to Oslo etc. A friend who was sat 5 rows in front on a flight to Munich came and sat with me for a while and then moved to an aisle by himself. Sometimes I asked, sometimes I didn't. Never a problem.

BoneyBackJefferson · 13/01/2016 22:31

No but it's nice to be helpful where possible

But its not nice to take something that someone has paid extra for.

If this parent were nice, she would have asked before parking her child there.
If the parent were nice, she would have offered the extra booking fee back.
If the parent were nice, she would have booked her DS the window seat in the first place.

TheCatsMeow · 13/01/2016 22:31

How far should we extend that attitude according to you?

Well if you want to discuss my views, I think second homes are immoral and it's perfectly acceptable for the homeless to occupy empty properties.

BUT I don't think my political views (very left) are relevant here.

But that's how far I extend it

MLGs · 13/01/2016 22:31

I wouldn't have given in.

But I wouldn't have booked a window seat either, I would have booked the aisle (irrelevant).

janethegirl2 · 13/01/2016 22:32

'Nice' is such a wishy washy concept.

What is nice for someone, may be hell for someone else.

TheCatsMeow · 13/01/2016 22:32

Boney we are on about the child. The parent is irrelevant

Only1scoop · 13/01/2016 22:32

Op if it happens again produce your boarding card and ask the cabin crew to sort it for you.

I'd have been happy to do so.

Roussette · 13/01/2016 22:32

Believe me, I am helpful. But not when it's rude entitled behaviour. You are making everything so black and white. Someone who needs, really ... whose needs are more than mine, that's different.

It's nothing to do with anger about seats. Can you honestly say you would turf out your DS and yourself from a longhaul flight if someone just says they want it? I don't think so. You wouldn't even move your buggy for others!

Salmotrutta · 13/01/2016 22:32

It's nice to be helpful is it CatsMeow?

But only if it doesn't involve folding your buggy up and minimising inconvenience to others.

I read the train thread too...

ilovesooty · 13/01/2016 22:33

Of course the parent isn't irrelevant.

Roussette · 13/01/2016 22:33

from seats you had booked and paid for on a longhaul flight, I mean...

Tutt · 13/01/2016 22:33

I am fed up of this TBH, the last 4 flights we've taken some person with a child has requested our seat with the "my child would like".
No quite firmly and sternly seems to work. We pay for these seats and I'd let hell freeze before I asked for my own children, it's so bloody rude to think your child is so special that everyone and anyone should put them first... If you want the good/window/nice seats pay for them/ pre-book them like everyotherfucker has too, self entitled knobs!

TheCatsMeow · 13/01/2016 22:34

Can you honestly say you would turf out your DS and yourself from a longhaul flight if someone just says they want it? I don't think so.

No. But if someone said "can my child sit there? It's her first holiday and she wants to look out the window" I would move DS.

I'm not saying give in to every request but a bit of consideration rather than "I booked it so na"

Salmotrutta · 13/01/2016 22:34

I like an aisle seat.

If I've booked an aisle seat I'll have that aisle seat.

Even if Jesus is sitting in it.

Pangurban1 · 13/01/2016 22:34

Mother could have helpful in getting her child to sit down in her own seat and not started impinging on and interfering with op.

How unreasonable to be making such a big deal about acquiring op's seat by putting her child squatting in it without booking it and paying for it. And then doing the passive aggressive manipulation to keep it and deprive op.

janethegirl2 · 13/01/2016 22:34

Salmotrutta I read that thread too Grin

TheCatsMeow · 13/01/2016 22:35

salmotrutta so it's unreasonable of me to expect a bit of consideration back when I do it for others all the time?

janethegirl2 · 13/01/2016 22:37

Your choice Cats, but don't expect to be given a halo, as you obviously expect a pay back.

ilovesooty · 13/01/2016 22:37

The sort of consideration that involves telling people to get off through different doors and risk being marooned on the train?

Salmotrutta · 13/01/2016 22:37

You say you give consideration to others Cats...

But for all I know you are a big old liar.

or a trucker called Dave

Wink
expatinscotland · 13/01/2016 22:37

Such a special snowflake.

thelouise · 13/01/2016 22:37

I'm disabled and I book my plane seats with that in mind. Like fuck am I giving it up for a child to 'enjoy the clouds'. I'm sure that makes me mean in Cats eyes but so be it.

Roussette · 13/01/2016 22:38

I'm afraid all the commuters don't know about all your good deeds. It doesn't work like that!

BoneyBackJefferson · 13/01/2016 22:39

TheCatsMeow

The parent is irrelevant

Its the parent that has caused this in the first place. There entitlement has put the OP and the child in this position.

If the parent continues to raise their child in this way then they will expect people to give up things for them.

Whether you accept it or not, giving in to this type of emotional blackmail (because that is what this is) does neither the child or the parent any favours.

But then this is just an extension of 'should families pay to pre-book seats so that they can sit together'

lostoldlogin2 · 13/01/2016 22:39

Yes well done for sticking to your guns and being perfectly within you "rights" Hmm You really showed them, didn't you?

Reminds me of a situation a few days ago where the 3 Kings were passing through Barcelona and my son and his little friend were on the front having been waiting for an hour. Suddenly I realised there was a little kid behind me so I moved and he stood next to my son - but there was a man there blocking the view for the child. I asked said man to move and he had a similar attitude to you - I got here early, I've earned my position, I'm not moving. Eventually we sort of shunted the kids so they could all see but the general consensus was that the guy was a dick. But Catalan culture is rather kinder to children than British.

Poor kid - I would have offered for the kid to sit in the window. But then - I like children.

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