A woman has sparked a fierce debate after she refused to give up her first-class seat on a plane for a child who wanted to sit with their family – and she’s not the only one who feels this way
A first-class plane passenger has been praised for refusing to give up her seat for a teenager who wanted to sit with their family. The woman had been allocated seat 1A, often considered the best seat on the plane due to its window view and ample legroom.
However, she was taken aback when a flight attendant asked if she would be willing to move to accommodate a 13 year old child who needed a seat near their family in the first-class section. Sabra, known online as @lifewithdrsabra, was unwilling to relinquish a seat she’d paid a premium for and took to social media to criticise the staff for making such a request.
In a video that has since garnered over 1.8 million likes, she narrated: “POV: Flight agent asks me if I want to give up my 1A seat so a child sits with their family.” She further added in the caption: “That’s a no from me dawg would you have given up your seat? Also they ended up finding a solution so no, I am not a terrible human being. Also the child was like 13.”
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Many TikTok users rallied behind the woman’s decision. One user commented: “As a mum, I’m on your side. If they wanted to sit together they should have made sure the seats were together.” One retorted: “I worked overtime for 2 weeks to be able to upgrade my seat for comfort and experience. No way I would have given that up.”
Despite criticism towards the family for wanting her to switch places, the TikTok user clarified in her video that she had no direct contact with them at all. She explained: “To clarify, the gate agent asked me, I asked to see the seat map, I didn’t like the alternative. They were kind and found a solution right away. The family never addressed me. I think it was even the airline’s rule, not them asking to sit together.”
There were those who felt she should have been more accommodating considering the situation. One viewer said: “When I was 18 I did give up my window sweat so a child could sit with her mum. I kept thinking of how scared the child was.” Additionally, someone else shared: “Last flight I took, they wouldn’t let us choose seats until boarding. They sat my four-year-old alone. Sometimes it’s not poor planning by parents.”
