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

[kipperssippers]

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?

[ilovesooty]

I'd have referred it to the cabin crew and insisted on having the seat I'd booked. I nearly always pay extra to prebook anyway. If the mother wanted her child to have a window seat she should have paid for one.

[tootiredtoknow]

I gave in as you did. However, straight after take off I put my seat tray down, got my pillow, head phones and blanket and made the bitch sit there without bathroom brakes for 9 hours. I booked a window seat for a reason.

[ValancyJane]

I wouldn't have given it up personally. But if that hadn't happened, and I could see that the child really wanted to look out the window, and had been polite and well behaved on the flight, I possibly would have offered to swap halfway through.

[NHKX2]

I wouldn't have given up my seat and I wouldn't have felt the least bit guilty! If a window seat was important to her child she should have booked one.

[user7755]

I'm really surprised at the number of people who wouldn't move. I would have (as someone upthread has said), because it's the nice thing to do.

[Vaginaaa]

I wouldn't give in. Had they sat in their proper seats and asked me during the flight I probably would swap.

[Jinglebells99]

I hate the window seat. I'm claustrophobic so hate being hemmed in so prefer the aisle seat. I think the woman was out of order for taking your seat though and she should have booked it if she wanted it!

[Blondeshavemorefun]

ditto expat

my seat i booked it

tho saying that i never want to sit by the window, i like the aisle seat so can get up to stretch my legs/go for a wee/find drinks trolley and have gin

so if someone sat in my aisle seat there would have been trouble

[TheCatsMeow]

I'd have given in, because I'm an adult and don't feel the need to piss on a child's sandcastle.

Seriously grow up

[TheCatsMeow]

user transport turns people into arseholes for some reason

[expatinscotland]

'I'm really surprised at the number of people who wouldn't move. I would have (as someone upthread has said), because it's the nice thing to do.'

The nice thing to do is not nick seats that aren't yours.

[FoxesSitOnBoxes]

I'd have given in as I wouldn't want the awkwardness of then having to sit next to them but I'd be really cross

[MuttonDressedAsMutton]

So did you have to sit between the mother and the child OP? Normally cabin crew won't allow unauthorised changes to allocated seating so if you didn't have intervention from the crew I can't see how this actually happened for 7 hours?

[expatinscotland]

'user transport turns people into arseholes for some reason'

There you go, OP, you're an arsehole for wanting to sit in the seat you booked .

[IjonTichy]

Depends on how much you wanted it, I suppose. I always make a point of booking the aisle seat as I get panicky about being hemmed in on a aeroplane (stupid I know, but that's why I book). One time I got on and a woman was sitting in my booked seat. I asked her politely to move, and she prevaricated and said how she always liked the aisle, and she was claustrophobic sitting anywhere else. I just smiled sweetly and said I was exactly the same, that's why I always booked my seat. She moved after that.

[honeyroar]

As cabin crew, I'd say next time call the crew over. Tell them that you'd booked the window and had really wanted it, but the mother wanted it for their child, and did they have another window seat anywhere perhaps? Even if I couldn't help you by finding another window seat I'd remember that you'd been unfairly treated by the mother and generous to the child, and I'd make damn sure you got a glass of bubbles from business class and guarantee your first choice of meal etc because of it.. It's always worth mentioning it. it doesn't have to escalate into awkwardness.

[ilovesooty]

I'm surprised at the people who would give up a prebooked seat. Getting what you took the trouble to pay and plan for doesn't make you an arsehole or mean that you need to grow up.

[SoupDragon]

transport turns people into arseholes for some reason

True. I mean look what the train did to you.

[FlatOnTheHill]

Yanbu.
People now days are teaching their little brats to be entitled.
I would not have given in.

[MoMoTy]

SoupDragon brilliant!!

[MuttonDressedAsMutton]

Are you new to MN OP or is it a name change?

[expatinscotland]

@ Soupy.

[Brightnorthernlights]

I think I would of asked her to share, child for first 4 hours & me for the rest.

[TheCatsMeow]

Soup These threads just show people become selfish and don't consider others particularly those with kids.

Personally I don't feel that me booking a seat comes above a child's joy. But you know I'm not a miserable twat

[maddening]

she wasn't that fussed about causing the op awkwardness which isn't a nice thing to do - I might have said they could is it until one of them went to the loo and then swapped back. if I had paid extra I would have asked to be reimbursed the extra - mum wants mum pays!