A passenger has been criticised after she scattered items belonging to her across three rows to save seats for her entire family, onboard a Southwest Airlines flight
A passenger has been criticised for saving three rows for her entire family.
The Southwest Airlines customer faced backlash after going to extreme measures to ensure that their entire family could sit together. Another traveller on the flight recalled the ordeal in a post on Reddit, labelling the passenger as the “seat saver of the year”.
In the post, the user noted how they saw a woman sitting in the middle seat of row two, which was not an issue. However, as the passenger made their way down the plane, they noticed items belonging to the sat-down passenger were spread out across four rows.
“Boarded and one lady sitting in middle seat row two. Fine no problem,” the Reddit post stated. “Look over and a purse is in the aisle seat across from her. No problem again. Look at row three, purse on the middle seat of each side. Um ok…row four same thing! So I took aisle of row four. Lady in middle seat row two says all these rows are taken,” reports The Independent.
The Reddit user then expressed how they began to argue with the woman, telling her that the seats are available as no one was sat in them. “I told her, ‘If you want to save three rows, go towards the rear of the plane,'” the post continued, causing the woman to reply with “a fake laugh”.
As more passengers boarded the plane, more people inquired about the seats in rows two and three. The Reddit user informed them that they were available, and they gradually began to fill up before the passengers’ families were onboard the aircraft. “Her family started sitting in the leftovers of rows two-three. She even let her kids go to the back, while the adults sat with her!” the user added.
The post concluded: “A clear case of buying business select and trying to hold three rows for the entire family. I’m usually not confrontational, just wanna go home. But this one was something.”
Many other users headed to the comments to share their thoughts. One user commented: “Why the hell is it so important for people to sit together? We’re all enclosed in the plane, so it’s not like anyone is going to be lost. Grow up.”
Another added: “And likely, they’re listening to pod or watching their own movies. I can understand if you’re chatting during the flight…”
“I don’t mind people saving the row they are in but I feel like don’t try to save a popular spot like the first couple aisles of the plane or an emergency exit row,” mentioned a third user. “Saving three rows with just her and her purse is insane.”
A final user continued: “Had that happen yesterday. I was A16 with only two pre-boards. Lady tried to tell me the seats and overhead bins were saved. Told her they weren’t my bag went in overhead and I sat down. She got up and moved.”