2 travel related incidents that some may think are urban legend material but I promise both happened
First one - on a flight to India to join a cruise holiday back to UK; friend and I were sat separately but within same section of the cabin; we had asked about whether we could be sat together and the cabin crew said they’d see what they could do. 1 empty seat next to me and a couple in a row 2-3 ahead and other side of the aisle.
2 men with a young, probably 3-4 years old. child arrive at the seats and one indicates to the other that the 3 seats are theirs; other man asks which of them is allocated separate seat and who is with the child; first man says child is on its own and they had the 2 seats together. Cabin crew explain that the child can’t be sat separately from the adults and requested to see boarding passes to see which adult was booked in the single seat. Man replies child is used to sitting alone and ‘anyway, that woman can surely look after him!’ (that woman being me!) crew say otherwise and tell the men to sort it out between themselves. They eventually sit down but continue griping about it and why couldn’t their child sit with a complete stranger and be looked after them for a 9 hour flight?
Shortly before taxiing away from the terminal, cabin crew come over to say 2 seats together have come available in the rear cabin if my friend and I would like to move to sit together - and, as we walked to the new seats, they explained they had juggled things around so the men couldn’t sit together and leave the child next to me once the plane was in the air!
Second one - booked on a train journey of a couple of hours duration while pregnant with twins I reserved a seat at a table of 4 to ensure I didn’t have to stand. On the day there was disruption and cancelled trains due to trespassers on the tracks so all trains that do go are heaving and, on affected departures, seat reservations were suspended. My booked train was the first one not officially affected and, therefore, the first where seat reservations were back in use. Frequent announcements on the train regarding this and that passengers from previous cancelled trains would not have the seats they had been allocated and to please move if the booked passengers arrived.
Went to my seat to find a couple (maybe late 50’s) sat at the table where my allocated seat was and the other seats reserved. Showed them my reservation and asked if I could
please take my seat as per the announcements. They refused stating they had booked these seats on a previously cancelled train and so they were more entitled to them than I was because a) they were travelling together and I was on my own and b) because they had had to wait longer than me due to the cancellations. Train staff were passing through the carriages checking reservations and tickets and requested the couple follow their instructions and give up the reserved seat as they were not on their booked train but they continued to refuse.
Train manager (according to his badge) apologised to me and asked me to follow him and he would find me an alternative seat. He then directed me to the first class carriage and a single seat that, he explained had been reserved from the station I was leaving the train at so I would not be taking the seat from anyone else and that any expectant woman deserved to be comfortable for their journey on such a packed train. Was very nice as I was also treated to the complimentary refreshment service provision of first class so saved me the cost of lunch and drinks!
P.S. I now feel cheated that, on neither occasion, did the rest of the passengers applaud me 🤣🤣😜😜