A Reddit user has shared their experience of a cheeky plane passenger going to extreme lengths to get perks when onboard a flight, by pretending to be a first-class passenger
Seat squatters are going to new lengths to not just get better seats onboard a flight, but also to get free drinks.
Flight passengers are cheating the system by stealing other passenger’s first class seat – even if just for a few seconds – in a bid to getting complimentary “pre-flight booze”.
On Reddit, one user shared a story of how a flight attendant encountered an economy flier who had posed as a first-class passenger on A Delta Air Lines flight from Providence, Rhode Island to Atlanta, Georgia. They spotted two women “come [aboard] haphazardly” and sit in the first row of the aircraft.
“They throw their bags up and settle in. Few moments later, a woman comes on the plane and lets them know one of those seats is hers.” The user continued: “They quickly get up, laugh and say, ‘We are rookies.’ The flight attendant asks what row they are in and they say 24. They leave their bags and travel back to their row.”
In a separate incident a flight attendant explained how “people sat down, received their pre-flight booze and then said, ‘I’m just going to go say hi to my sister in the back of the plane,’ and walked off with the free drink to obviously not return,” the Reddit user wrote.
Other Reddit users called the behaviour shameful and “disgusting.” One user commented: “I honestly refuse to believe people are resorting to such a low move to get ‘free’ alcohol. And the pre-departure drink isn’t even that great!”
“Some people have no shame. They pulled a fast one and probably post[ed] it to social media, too,” another added. “Dignity and respect for others is out, pranks and hacks are in.”
Another Reddit user shared how a passenger had been upgraded to first class because the original passengers did not show up. However, when the passenger arrived at their new seat assignment, a woman was already in her spot. The user then claimed that “this lady had just seen an open seat in first class and figured she’d see if she could get away with sitting there.”
They added that the first-class seat squatter had also ordered a beer while sitting in the seat, “which was later delivered to [the rightful seat owner] and she ‘gladly drank’.”
Seat squatting has become more common over the past months, and sees individuals attempt to upgrade their own seat essentially by stealing someone else’s. On most flights, seats are assigned. Passengers can pay for upgrades for specific seats such as ones with extra leg room. Alternatively, to avoid a fee, travelers can wait until they check-in for their flight, where they will automatically be assigned a seat.
