Long flights can take a toll both physically and emotionally. While some travelers prepare in advance for a more comfortable journey, even paying extra for better seating, others take a bolder approach—claiming an extra seat without actually paying for it. Today, we’ll delve into a story about one such incident.Planned a long-awaited holiday
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“Hi! My name is Emily. I work as a marketer in a large company and unfortunately, I rarely allow myself a holiday. The last time I took time off was three years ago and only recently was I able to free up two weeks in my work schedule for a long-awaited vacation. I decided to go to Hawaii so I could combine some lazy time on the beach with activities like hiking in national parks.
There was one problem, though, I could only get tickets for the flight from New York to Honolulu, which is almost 12 hours long, and departs in the early morning. Anticipating getting to the airport in a half-asleep state, I made a point of buying a seat with extra legroom in advance. This way I could comfortably catch up on my sleep on the plane, and admire the vast Pacific ocean once I woke up. Once the tickets were bought, I fully immersed myself in planning the trip and dreamed of the long-awaited holiday. Unfortunately, I faced difficulties as soon as I got on the plane.”Found other passengers in her seat
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“Getting up early in the morning to catch my flight, I predictably didn’t get much sleep. What’s more, I’d been tossing and turning the night before, not being able to fall asleep, which is a common thing before a trip for me. So, in the taxi on my way to the airport I was already looking forward to a comfortable nap on the flight. I get on the plane and, to my surprise, I see a 12-year-old kid in my seat, browsing his phone. His mother is next to him.
I ask them if they got their seats mixed up. I show them my ticket and seat number, double-checking it myself. Maybe, in my sleepy state, I got it wrong. But no, the seat was correct. The child’s mother asks me to swap seats and, nodding at the boy, adds:
’The middle seat isn’t comfortable and my son wants to sit by the window and look out at the clouds.’
Looking at him, though, you wouldn’t have thought so. During the entire conversation, the child stares silently at his phone, sometimes frantically tapping the screen with his fingers. I refuse, and tell the mother that I understand her perfectly, which is why I booked a comfortable seat in advance and paid extra for it on top of the standard ticket price. But the woman doesn’t let up.”
Tried to calmly explain her stance
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