Embarrassed and upset. Was I wrong?

[fatandembarrassed]

Nc for this

I recently had to take an 11 hour flight. I'm quite pregnant at the moment - not close to my due date, but it's very obvious and I am pretty big now. I was cleared to fly but warned that I must walk about as much as possible.

I didn't have much notice of this flight and so didn't have spare money, so I booked an economy seat next to the toilet, for obvious reasons, and with extra legroom. It was fine, but about 4 hours into the flight, I realised my ankles were swelling, so I got up and started to walk about a bit.

I felt a bit embarrassed, but I was in a fair bit of pain with my ankles and Braxton Hicks contractions, so I persevered very slowly and in complete silence, making my way along the aisles which wasn't easy in Economy as it was very tight. I then walked up and down the Business Class aisle. Nobody looked up or seemed disturbed by me, and it was easier to walk, so I walked up and down that section twice which took me about five minutes.

Next thing I knew, a male flight attendant marched up to me, put his hand on my arm and told me that I was disturbing passengers who had paid more than me, and that I might be pregnant but it was 'not an excuse' to 'make a disturbance'. I was quite shocked to be told I was disturbing anyone - I was very quiet and slow, and there for less than 5 min.

I was really upset to have him talk to me like that, both touching me and implying that I was just being a 'nuisance' to people who were clearly 'better' than me. I ended up crying because I was so humiliated (hate having to walk anyway and draw attention to myself), in horrible pain and having contractions.

Was I being unreasonable here? DH is very upset that I was treated like this and I really didn't think I was doing anything terribly wrong.

Sorry OP but YABU.

To other posters - Being pregnant doesn't mean a person is entitled to do as she pleases. There was no need to go into business class, just turn around and walk back down the aisle.

I don't think OP was unreasonable at all. There is not enough room in economy to stretch adequately. Would the carrier or FA prefer her to get DVT rather than extend into a different class cabin?! As another post said she did not pull up a seat and order free drinks. It was a medical necessity to move around and this was the way to do it. For 5 mins!! I'm really shocked that OP was treated this way and if it was me a complaint would be made.

He was an utter dick, 5 minutes out of a long haul flight? Wanker.

You were in the wrong, but he could have been kinder.

You should have done this

Oh stop the peasant nonsense. It's silly.

Yes, it is PaulAnka.

But it won't stop. Obvs.

I think YABU - sorry. Economy is generally cramped and horrid - if every uncomfortable person decided to stroll around business/first it would be somewhat ridiculous to charge 10 X the economy price. I am also a bit dubious about whether the FA actually expressed himself in the way you have suggested.

Fwiw I am also pregnant and did a 17 hour flight yesterday. There was a 4 year old running amok from economy into business with her mother ambling along behind ineffectually. The first time the FA asked politely for her to stay in her section. The second time she was extremely firm and a bit scary. It didn't happen again. The airline makes most of their profit from business and first and - rightly or wrongly - will act accordingly.

Blimey, I get that the OP was in the incorrect area but 5 mins to walk the aisle is hardly BU.

If she sat down and ordered a gin and tonic then I would understand being ejected but a quiet word from the flight attendant would suffice in this situation. I don't really see the issue at all, she was just walking down an aisle to relieve pain, seriously people need to have some compassion.

You could have said:

" Auf wiedersehen, arsehole!"

Or

" what about my civil rights?!"

Or

"Help me, I am poor"

Just watch the bit from Bridesmaids, on the plane, to feel better

m.youtube.com/watch?v=D9sCsfoyN8o

Some harsh responses here. The flight attendance was rude and should not have said what he did about disturbing passengers who had paid more than the OP.

Totally unnecessary, he could simply have said that it was business class passengers only in that section.

Would people not expect standard class passengers to walk through the first class section on a train?

Now I wish I had complained when a load of people from normal seats came and stood in my extra legroom space next to the emergency exit for half the flight, especially as one of them had brought a toddler in a shitty nappy that was stinking the plane out but the parent was studiously ignoring

*Today 09:26 PaulAnkaTheDog

I'm sorry you were embarrassed. The steward could have handled it a lot better but you were totally unreasonable to go into the business class section to walk up and down the aisle.*

Agree with this.

Sorry you were upset though.

The air steward didn't know that it was only going to be five minutes though. If you'd done it once on an 11 hour flight, then there no reason to assume that you wouldn't do it again, and if you were uncomfortable and needing to be out of your seat, then there every reason for the air steward to believe that you would go in the BC section again.

That's why you woulda have been told after only five minutes, so that it didn't become any more than that and disturb people.

I've never flown long haul so I don't know how much space there is in economy.

But surely there's enough space to walk up and down an aisle.
Otherwise how does anyone bigger than average ever get to a seat (carrying hand luggage etc.) or out to the toilet?

The Op says she was walking up and down the aisle, which would be really irritating. She says she's only walked up and down twice, but presumably would have continued if she hadn't been stopped.

Read the post, where did I say 'so thoroughly disturbed'? I think the word 'might' was actually used.

I hope you are ok anyway OP.

I'm still surprised by the flight attendant.

If those were the exact words he used he could be in serious trouble.
To talk about the bulk of his passengers as being less important would be treated pretty severely I would think. Did none of the passengers near by over hear?
If that had happened a few seats from me I would have reported him and there is nowhere on a plane that isn't a few feet from other passengers.
Did they just overhear being talked about like lesser customers and not react ? And you were crying and no one asked you about it or spoke with him?

I spent many years travelling long haul with a toddler, often just me and her and I clocked dozens of miles walking up and down the aisles with her. While there's not masses of room in economy, there is enough room to keep walking if you need to. Not being allowed into business class to walk around isn't a dvt risk.

I think you should have spoken to a flight attendant first, and explained why you needed to move around. However hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Seriously what mean spotted idiot would complain

Of course he could have been kinder

I was once moved into bc because I was unwell (terrible cold/fever) as it was almost empty

Spirited not spotted

I flew to America when I was pregnant and happened to use the toilet just near my seat but with a curtain before it ( not drawn just pushed to the side ) I used it several times but around 6 hours into the flight I was stopped by a flight attendant and told not to use it as it was BC , I hadn't even realised as it was at the back of the BC so I couldn't see any seats or passengers so hadn't realised I'd moved up a class to use the loo . I was embarrassed but he was just doing his job , he did also sort of escort me back by my elbow so maybe that's some sort of weird plane protocol for class jumpers ! But the toilet was no nicer than the one in economy , maybe I should have made a run for 1st class

I really dislike that people say 'I travelled on a plane when I was pregnant and I didn't [insert ridiculous statement] or being pregnant doesn't give you any entitlement.

Not every pregnancy is the same, this woman was clearly in pain and distressed and people need to show some compassion. Yeah, it's great saying 'you travelled knowing you were pregnant', hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it. I'm pretty sure OP regrets that decision.

It's the same as the whole 'should a pregnant woman expect a seat on a train'? No I don't have a right, but common decency suggests that someone should offer- she was walking down an aisle, so what if it's in business class....urgh.

Who would complain? Someone who paid for business class, as it's generally quieter and found themselves being disturbed by the person who didn't pay to be there pacing continuously right past them for five minutes.

Thing is, it was 5 minutes until she was stopped by the flight attendant but if she hadn't been stopped how long would she have been walking up and down? I can see how that would be disturbing if you're trying to work/sleep. I agree with others, the flight attendant handled it badly but was right to ask you not to walk up and down in business class.

Similar happened to me on a long haul flight - I have chronic back problems and can't sit in one position for hours, and also on medication that makes thrombosis a higher risk, so I was walking about. I accidentally wandered into the little passageway that separates business and economy (I didn't actually go into business class) and a stewardess swiftly appeared and told me off - very unpleasantly - it was a genuine mistake.

I appreciate that if you pay business you want peace and quiet or whatever - but stewards don;t need to be rude.

Also some of the people in business have been bumped and haven't paid any extra.

And what if the OP had paid for business class - would she have been fine to wander up and down then even though it disturbed others, because she'd paid ? If so then it's the money rather than the disturbance that is the issue.

Long haul is really unpleasant when you are uncomfortable or in pain - but sometimes it has to be done - so they could be a bit politer or try to find some way of helping you get more comfortable.

YABU you shouldn't have been in business class honestly. By the way can anyone clarify. He "marched" up to you, what the heck does that mean? Was he a soldier too?