A man has been left feeling guilty after refusing to give up his plane seat for a pregnant woman – but strangers are backing him, saying the female should have planned ahead
A man has confessed to feeling wracked with guilt after he turned down a pregnant woman’s request to swap seats on a plane. Yet, the internet has rallied behind him after he shared his story.
The 28-year-old was flying from New York to Hawaii on a gruelling 12-hour journey and had splashed out an extra £200 and used points for a ‘comfort seat’. But as he settled into his pre-booked spot, a pregnant passenger approached him. He recounted on Reddit: “About 15 minutes before takeoff, a visibly pregnant woman was walking up and down towards the front of the plane.
“She and a flight attendant looked around for a moment, talked a bit, and then the lady approached me asking if I would be willing to switch seats with her due to her condition. I politely declined. I explained that I had specifically booked this seat because I’m pretty long (I’m 6’4 tall) and that I needed the extra comfort and space.”
Despite the flight attendant’s understanding and attempts to find another volunteer, no one agreed to the seat change, leaving the man questioning his choice amid feelings of guilt.
He continued: “If I agreed they would have reimbursed me for the extra cost via a voucher so that my ticket would’ve been the cost of the normal economy ticket. I’m not certain if the pregnant lady would’ve had to pay extra to switch with me because I just politely declined a few times and we didn’t get into that level of detail.
“The pregnant lady then told me I wouldn’t understand what it feels like to be a woman carrying a baby in this summer heat, got upset, and eventually had to return to her seat in the back. Throughout the flight, I felt awkward passing by her every time on the way to the bathroom. When I landed, I couldn’t help but feel guilty.
“I’m a young man without the burden of carrying a child in me and totally could’ve sacrificed a bit.. and wondered if I had been wrong to prioritise my comfort over someone who might have needed it more.”
While most users supported his right to keep his pre-paid seat, others suggested the expectant mother should have organised better seating arrangements in advance, knowing she’d struggle in a standard seat.
Responding to his post, one user remarked: “She had the option of purchasing a more comfortable seat. Unless Delta was willing to compensate you for the seat-swap I would not expect you to just ‘gift’ her your seat. I had done seat swaps before and United always took care of me. I pay extra for the better seats and do not want to be crunched in to some cubbyhole for twelve hours.”
Another user chimed in: “You paid for that seat, and she paid for hers. She could have booked a different class if she wanted to. Most likely she knew she would be this pregnant when she booked the flight. It is unfortunate the situation she is in, truly, but unless a medical emergency were happening I’m not sure why you would be expected to give up your seat.”
A third person commented: “Many a pregnant woman has survived economy class. If she had wanted the extra space, she also could have paid for it like you did. The other people could have also switched. But didn’t. This isn’t on you.”