Asking someone to move seats on a flight? Aibu ?

[wearejustfriends]

Last week I was travelling to Gran Canaria with TUI.
I had booked mine and boyfriends seats when we booked and paid £22 for both.
I had the window and he had the middle.

A lady sat on the end and her daughter was in front.
She asked could they have our two seats and we have hers /daughters or my boyfriend switch with her daughter.
I politely said no.
Which she wasn't happy about.
We got "what difference does it make"
"Your adults,my daughter is sacred of flying and is a minor"

Anyway we wouldn't move.

Was I in the wrong ?
Surely if she was that bothered she could have paid like us.

[Intransigentcat]

I thought of this thread yesterday as the take off of my flight was delayed by a family of five who did not have seats together. The father confidently stated to the steward as he blocked the aisle that the steward would have to move people as Ryanair were obliged to seat all five together as a family group. The steward's answer? A very blunt no we aren't obliged.

[Whammyyammy]

What about giving them your holiday money to spend as well?

[HunterHearstHelmsley]

@Intransigentcat

I thought of this thread yesterday as the take off of my flight was delayed by a family of five who did not have seats together. The father confidently stated to the steward as he blocked the aisle that the steward would have to move people as Ryanair were obliged to seat all five together as a family group. The steward's answer? A very blunt no we aren't obliged.

Did anyone move?!

[BeanCounterBabe]

The pandemic is now officially over, CF on plane threads are back! Can’t believe I read the whole thread even though we always go by ferry (to avoid the CFs encroaching on our space). I may never fly again after reading this. So funny 🤣

[KarmaComma]

But it doesn’t surprise me, even in this thread posters have confidently asserted their legal right to be seated next to their child.

Don't know if my post was included in this, but to clarify, I was talking about Ryanair's policy. Their policy is that u12s must sit with an adult. That's why I said I had to sit with my 11 yo child.

[MarieIVanArkleStinks]

@BeanCounterBabe

The pandemic is now officially over, CF on plane threads are back! Can’t believe I read the whole thread even though we always go by ferry (to avoid the CFs encroaching on our space). I may never fly again after reading this. So funny 🤣

I love the sea and ships and flying in the best of circumstances is a royal pain in the arse. But I have to admit when I read the story about the 21,000 tonne ferry free-floating, out of control and almost straying into the path of the 90,000 tonne Queen Victoria, I wobbled slightly in my resolve ...

[Moviemusic1984]

New here, but I am a man I want to point out. I do not have children, hope to someday, but I care about and think well of children. While I agree that the mother should have already booked seats to sit with her daughter, I at least hope you and your boyfriend felt compassion for the child, she is only ten years old after all, imagine if that were your child. While you were in the right not to give up your seats, you could have at least provided some comfort.

[rainbowmilk]

@Moviemusic1984

New here, but I am a man I want to point out. I do not have children, hope to someday, but I care about and think well of children. While I agree that the mother should have already booked seats to sit with her daughter, I at least hope you and your boyfriend felt compassion for the child, she is only ten years old after all, imagine if that were your child. While you were in the right not to give up your seats, you could have at least provided some comfort.

Quiet ladies, the man is here and he is speaking as a man.

[amusedbush]

@Moviemusic1984

New here, but I am a man I want to point out. I do not have children, hope to someday, but I care about and think well of children. While I agree that the mother should have already booked seats to sit with her daughter, I at least hope you and your boyfriend felt compassion for the child, she is only ten years old after all, imagine if that were your child. While you were in the right not to give up your seats, you could have at least provided some comfort.

.

[GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing]

I agree she should have paid if she was that bothered. It’s really annoying when people try to save their money and get others to swap.

I might have moved in your shoes if she’d given me the money I spent to book the tickets together (in cash then and there) but you were under no obligation to. I personally prefer an aisle seat so would have seen her seats as preferable but I wouldn’t swap to middle or window even if someone did offer me the money because I’m very claustrophobic- I can only sit in the middle if it’s one of my children on the outside of me (or at a pinch a woman who is smaller than me and who I know well)

[Yoloohno]

No way would I swap, I have to have an aisle seat to fly. I book and pay for it. I’d be annoyed if a family wanted me to swap because they were too tight to pay.

we always book one aisle, 2 middle and 2 aisle when we go
away to suit our family.

[TrashyPanda]

@Moviemusic1984

New here, but I am a man I want to point out. I do not have children, hope to someday, but I care about and think well of children. While I agree that the mother should have already booked seats to sit with her daughter, I at least hope you and your boyfriend felt compassion for the child, she is only ten years old after all, imagine if that were your child. While you were in the right not to give up your seats, you could have at least provided some comfort.

this thread is over 4 months old. Why revive it?

was it the only way to announce you are a man?

and why is that even relevant?

[Moviemusic1984]

I did not see any rules not to. I have seen an article today about a passenger who was applauded for not giving up seats for a family, and it listed this as a honorably mention, so I decided to look it up. I am entitled to give my opinion as well. Since this is Mumsnet, I wanted to mention (merely mention) that I am a man though not yet a father just to tell to give my stance on my opinion.

[Moviemusic1984]

You were not in the wrong, the mother should have paid for seating with her daughter, if she was that concerned. However, if flying does make you nervous after take off, and the daughter was in fact frightened, you could have at least been compassionate in that aspect, otherwise your statement would just come off hypocritical and ridiculous. Of course, I was not there, but it could also easily have been just a ploy just to get what she wanted. I do hope though if the girl was in fact terrified that she was at least alright.

[Glitteratitar]

@Moviemusic1984

You were not in the wrong, the mother should have paid for seating with her daughter, if she was that concerned. However, if flying does make you nervous after take off, and the daughter was in fact frightened, you could have at least been compassionate in that aspect, otherwise your statement would just come off hypocritical and ridiculous. Of course, I was not there, but it could also easily have been just a ploy just to get what she wanted. I do hope though if the girl was in fact terrified that she was at least alright.

Responsibility for this sits solely with the mum, not OP or anyone else in this situation. The mum knew her child was nervous and therefore had the opportunity to deal with it by booking for seats in advance. Instead, she was a cheap skate who thought she could save money whilst also trying to guilt others into doing what she wants. She should have booked her seats in advance, it’s not that hard!

[Moviemusic1984]

@Glitteratitar

Responsibility for this sits solely with the mum, not OP or anyone else in this situation. The mum knew her child was nervous and therefore had the opportunity to deal with it by booking for seats in advance. Instead, she was a cheap skate who thought she could save money whilst also trying to guilt others into doing what she wants. She should have booked her seats in advance, it’s not that hard!

When did I say otherwise? I clearly said that the mother should have booked seats with her daughter if she knew she was going to be nervous, but perhaps since the original poster did say herself that she too gets nervous when the plane takes off. Perhaps she could have shown at least some compassion for the sake of the daughter, since the daughter is only ten years old. That is all I am trying to point out.

[Pixiedust1234]

You forgot to end your post after the "the mother should have booked seats with her daughter".

[Moviemusic1984]

@Pixiedust1234

You forgot to end your post after the "the mother should have booked seats with her daughter".

You forgot to take into consideration that not everyone shares the same opinion that you do. I am only speaking on behalf of the daughter not the mother. I am sorry illiteracy is a common thing. Now I will end my post.

[giveovernate]

@RobotValkyrie

Not unreasonable. Just uncharitable.
You're allowed to be mean. People are allowed to judge you for it.

Personally I would have swapped for the sake of a child. My partner is an adult and can survive a whole flight without me holding his hand.
You value money and the entitlements it gives you more than a stranger's child's feelings. The privilege is all yours. Own it.

YANBU OP, luckily entitled opinions like this are far and few between.

[giveovernate]

@apricotlane

I would have quite happily moved. This thread is making me think I'm nicer than I thought I was, and that's saying something!

Why would you pay to sit in a particular seat and then move?

[giveovernate]

@Moviemusic1984 the daughter was over 10 not only 10. It's stated in the OPs posts.

[giveovernate]

@giveovernate

@Moviemusic1984 the daughter was over 10 not only 10. It's stated in the OPs posts.

But you're correct, illiteracy does appear to be a common thing.. ...

[comfyshoes2022]

@SummerHouse

I would have swapped. What an awkward flight! You were totally not unreasonable not to though and she was rude to pressure you. As you say, you paid to sit together. But I would have swapped for the daughter, not her rude mother.

This.

[madasawethen]

I never swap. I pay extra for certain seats. If they want a certain seat, they can pay.

[Kitchenlight]

@LemonViolet

YANBU. You paid to select seats, she didn’t, her loss.

Maybe you could have offered to sell them to her for £44

Definitely this.