Air travel is both wonderful but often exhausting. From the trials and rigors of airports, to being squeezed into a metal tube with other passengers. One has to deal with boredom, a lack of legroom, crying children and all sorts of other issues. So it’s not surprising that some folks might opt to spend more on better conditions.
A man wondered if he was wrong to not give a pregnant woman his superior seat for a twelve hour flight. We reached out to the passenger in the comfort seat via private message and will update the article when he gets back to us.
Some folks like to splurge a bit for better seats on longer flights
Image credits: Chalabala / envatoelements (not the actual photo)
But one passenger wondered if he should have given a pregnant woman his more comfortable seat
Image credits: OlgaSmolina / envatoelements (not the actual photo)
Image credits: CLwTCHMLK-3Y
There is nothing wrong with asking for an upgrade
Despite there being a lot of elements in common, air travel is not the same as being on public transport. While in most cities, you might give your seat to an older person or a pregnant woman on a tram or bus, plane seats are not only hard enough to buy, but the good ones almost always cost extra. But, as so often happens in life, some people feel entitled to things they didn’t really pay for in the first place.
So if someone has decided to splurge or use up their accumulated points, it’s not unreasonable for them to keep it. At the same time, it’s not unreasonable for a pregnant woman to ask. However, this begs the question, if flying on a twelve hour flight is so hard for her, why didn’t she get a better seat? People’s “tolerance” for longer flights really depends, as some folks wouldn’t find it a big deal at all.
Naturally, there could be some reasons, for example, a lack of funds. First class and “comfort” seats are generally more expensive. The comment about “carrying a baby in this summer heat” is completely unnecessary. After all, most airports are air conditioned and the temperature inside the plan is generally on the colder side. The only instances of heat she has to suffer through have nothing to do with this man.
It’s unclear why this woman didn’t plan for a better seat
All in all, her comments appear to just be in frustration from not getting a free upgrade. It’s perhaps understandable why someone might feel frustrated in a situation like this, but taking it out on the only person who can help you is poor form. After all, she knew what sort of seat she was purchasing when she got the tickets. Presumably, she was also aware that she would be pregnant while flying as well.
It’s obviously not easy to travel while pregnant, but relying on random strangers giving up better seats is just not a great idea. The man paid for the seat, so ultimately, it’s his decision. It’s understandable why he might feel a bit guilty, but only because this woman made a point of looking unhappy. It seems unlikely that the price of this seat outweighs the little bit of discomfort he ended up going through.
Flying does some with some very specific discomforts
All things considered, it could be a lot worse. As far as air-travel is concerned, some discomfort and guilt isn’t too bad. All too often, the stresses of air travel get the best of people, leading to what some label as “air rage.” Not to justify this sort of behavior, but flying can be physically and mentally tiring. If you’ve been on a flight with a screaming child, you have no doubt felt some degree of rage.
After all, it’s not the cheapest way to travel and often involves getting up at some absurd hour. Airports tend to not be located conveniently, baggage has to be checked, depending on where you are going, one might have to go through passport control. All the while, the passenger is surrounded by other, often irate fliers. Then there are the risks of flight delays or cancellations, perhaps someone is terrified of flying or just jetlagged and annoyed passengers take their frustrations out on other people.
This is before you even get to the airplane. When it comes to flying, you really do get (or don’t get) what you pay for. Cramped legroom, allowances for one tiny bag, no drinks or food, flying on a budget can often be pretty uncomfortable. There has been a recent uptick in instances of air rage since 2020. Unfortunately, it simply seems that some folks do not know how to handle a bit of mild stress. All things considered, the situation in this story, while uncomfortable, could have been a lot worse.
The passenger shared a few more details in the comments
Most readers thought the pregnant woman’s request was unreasonable
But a few thought he should have given her the seat
English (US) ·