WWYD in this situation

[upstairsdownstairscardboardbox]

I am curious about what would be considered normal/appropriate.

On a plane in the bulk overhead of economy. 2 women and a man in the middle. Another man boards and says that he has booked the mans seat, shows cabin crew his ticket. Other man refuses to move, says he needs to sit with wife and daughter. Man who booked seat takes a middle seat at the back. He is recognisably of a minority religious group which is strictly vegan.
Meal service starts and a vegan meal is brought to the seat by cabin crew (before other food as special order)

Would you, as a passenger sat adjacent, point out the meal the had been booked by the original seat booker?

YABU - I would not say anything
YANBU - I would say something

I would have said something if I'd noticed. 'Speak up for those who have no voices.'

I would have said something. It’s not my business of course, but I’d make the point because he has willfully inconveniencing someone else.

Well said. I would have too. Shame on the cabin crew for not providing a meal to the poor man that got shunted around.

Why didnt your dad tell the cabin crew when they moved his seat that he had a special pre-booked meal?

Maybe he wrongly assumed they would consider this when he was moved instead of giving out 2 meals to the slob, how embarrassing to be married to such a thoughtless selfish twat.

@Manymoresometimes My dad was at the back of the plane in the middle and did not see the meal delivered. He assumed his was on the meal service. When it was not, he asked and was told another passenger had taken it in error.

He is black man and a majority of black men I know are extremely polite and non confrontational in situations like this because they are frequently racially stereotyped as "angry" or "difficult". He is a laid back man but it was a 10 hr flight with only one meal and a few snacks.

The CF knew it was not his meal because the row was asked "Special order, vegan meal no salt?" which is very specific, and the CF took it and gobbled it down! My dad was not bemused by him - he was a seat and meal thief - the type that exist in every corner of the globe 😂

Missing a meal did not harm my dad, he was just bemused by the conversation in baggage collection and as a British woman I am sometimes a little tired of his "oh you lot, you are so polite that it is very rude" stories. He has many 😂😂😂

DH has now told dad that the woman almost certainly approached him because she fancied him which has cheered him up no end 😂😂😂

I would say something. I'm a middle aged white woman so might get branded a 'Karen' (hateful term) but CF behaviour really annoys me.

If CF man wasn't a vegan, why would he even want a vegan meal? I'm an omnivore and it's the last thing I'd want on a plane - likely to be bland and unimaginative even by airline standards.

Because he's a entitled bully prick who thinks he's very important and has zero awareness, thought or care about anyone else but himself

I think/hope I would have said something if I'd realised what was going on. If I didn't speak up I certainly wouldn't have gone to tell your dad that later!

I'm struggling to understand the motivation there (unless the lady did fancy him and wanted a chat!). Going up to someone and telling them you noticed something annoying was about to happen to them, and you could have stopped it with minimal effort but didn't seems very odd to me. Obviously the bloke who took it was the one actually at fault but I don't think it really paints the lady in the best light either.

I have allergies. I would say something. Helping a person get the correct meal is important.

She may not have realised until he then took the standard meal (white people are vegans too, and she would likely have assumed the cabin crew would have got it right as they were aware of the seat swap situation). She was probably telling him so he could complain to the airline if he wanted to.

I'm afraid i would have said something but MN has taught me that people would think me to be over-involved and I agree with your DF

It seems ridiculous that it can't be noted that a seat change has taken place when meals have been booked according to seats.

That said, most people wouldn't have eaten the meal that they hadn't ordered.

@LookingThroughGlass the meal will have been super bland - no salt, no meat, no dairy, no 'chemicals', no oil, no egg - he makes delicious food but it is hard for him to get quality food anywhere but home and Jamaica.

@Ophy83 what an odd comment, people of any race can choose the diet they prefer - obviously. She knew it was my dads food because she told him she knew when they spoke!

They never manage to correct the special meals on seat changes - the first time someone else took my meal and when I asked if there was a spare one the FA explained they don’t carry extras of the special meals.

The next time it happened to me my seat was close to the previous one plus the person in my old seat said it wasn’t theirs so I was able to stand up and wave at the FA.

@wordlerI’m sorry it happened to you as well!