Imagine this: you're tired, just rushed through the airport to get to your gate, finally boarded, but as soon as you get into your seat, a fellow passenger asks you to swap seats. According to one survey, 92% of Americans have been asked to switch seats in the last 24 months.
This couple didn't just ask this pregnant woman to swap seats – they asked her to move to an empty row so that they could have more room. What's more, the husband already occupied the seat that was assigned to her. When she refused, she had to deal with demonstrative huffing and puffing, but what the entitled Karen did next violated all airplane etiquette rules.
An entitled passenger couple asked a pregnant woman to move to an empty row of seats
Image credits: OlgaSmolina / Envato (not the actual photo)
After she refused, the wife did something that ended up breaking the seat in front of her
Image credits: VidEst / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: pancakecel
Image credits: pancakecel
Passengers removing their shoes or going barefoot on a plane is one of the biggest icks for the majority of travelers
Unruly passengers make everyone's plane trips worse. Lately, it seems like we are reading more and more stories about entitled people on planes. And that is not an accident; airlines are registering record numbers of complaints about in-flight outbursts.
Something seems to have shifted during the pandemic. Compared to 2019, disruptive passenger incidents doubled in 2024. In 2025, unruly passenger events surged by a whopping 400%. They include all kinds of disagreements, from refusing to swap seats to more serious, sometimes even physical altercations.
Most conflicts arise because passengers don't adhere to air travel etiquette. It's like the pandemic made people forget how to act on planes, and some would argue in other public spaces as well.
In 2023, YouGov asked people all around the world about what behaviors they would deem the most inappropriate on an airplane. Drinking too much took first place, with 55% of respondents saying it's completely unacceptable. However, removing one's shoes is also a big no-no, with 56% of Americans specifically saying that they find it gross.
Removing one's shoes is one thing, but putting your feet up like the woman in this story did is definitely breaking airplane etiquette. Some people even go further and put their bare feet on other passengers' armrests. Yet, most passengers agree that this is a big no-no. According to a 2018 survey by Expedia, 90% of Americans think it's never okay to go barefoot on a plane.
Even when there is a row of empty seats, passengers should check in with a flight attendant if they want to move
Seat swapping on an airplane is a big topic of contention among travelers. Some believe that there is nothing wrong with asking someone to vacate their seat and move to another. Others think that if a person has paid for that particular seat, they have the right to remain there, no matter the reason for the swap.
Seat swapping on airplanes is pretty common, and most people are actually accommodating when asked nicely. According to a 2024 YouGov poll, 75% of American passengers would switch seats with somebody who wanted to sit next to a younger family member.
Others would gladly give up their seat as well if they were getting something out of it. For example, 72% of Americans would swap seats if they were getting a window seat, an aisle seat, or a seat with more legroom.
The author doesn't specify if she paid for the seat, so that might make the dilemma a bit more difficult. If she had paid money to sit in that particular place, she'd have every right to ask the man to vacate it and refuse any kind of seat swapping.
As one flight attendant told the Wall Street Journal, she doesn't even intervene in these kinds of arguments anymore, unless there is a child involved. "The next time you feel yourself getting angry or frustrated that you're not getting the seat you want, you need to remind yourself that you didn't pay to pick your seat. Otherwise, you'd be in it."
Are unoccupied seats always fair game? If they're still empty after boarding, they might be. But even then, it's best to check in with a flight attendant instead of going rogue and sitting wherever you want. Many airlines charge extra for more comfortable seats nowadays, and moving up into those might be prohibited in some cases.
In the comments, the pregnant woman explained why she didn't escalate the situation or call a flight attendant
"They make foot rests that attach to the tray table to put your feet up like that," commenters reacted, "Putting it in the mesh is gross
