Woman Refuses to Change Seats with Parents On Flight Despite Their Child's Tantrum, Parents Become Passive Aggressive for the Rest of the Flight: 'Some people have no heart'

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Dec 9, 2024 5:00 PM EST

Welcome, women of the WWW. Flying nowadays is wickedly expensive. It seems like more and more airlines are tacking on extra fees and making customers pay for things that used to be free. Growing up, I remember looking forward to getting a little bag of pretzels or peanuts on every flight — no matter the airline or destination. Now, there are no free snacks. Flight attendants are happy to take your credit card if you're hungry, though. Luckily, most long, international flights still offer food, although the drop in quality is palpable. People used to be able to pick their seats for free, but now it comes with an extra charge. Sometimes, though, it is worth the money.

In our story, today, our protagonist did pay that extra fee to ensure a window seat. However, once on the plane, she was pressured into changing seats by a pair of entitled parents when their child threw a tantrum that could be heard from the cockpit. Get all the details by scrolling down. 

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  • 01
    She immediately started complaining. "I want the window! I want the window!" Her parents tried to calm her down, but she quickly escalated into a full-blown tantrum, crying and yelling about how she wanted my seat.
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  • 02
    r/AITAH u/Safe_Ad_9314 • 2d AITA for not giving up my window seat on a plane to a kid just because she threw a tantrum?
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  • 03
    I was on a domestic flight, and I had specifically booked a window seat because I love looking out at the view, it's one of the few things I actually enjoy about flying.
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  • 04
    After I settled into my seat, a family boarded: a dad, a mom, and their little girl, who looked about six years old. The dad had an aisle seat, the mom was in the middle, and the kid was supposed to sit in the other aisle seat. Everything seemed fine until the girl realized she wasn't sitting by the window.
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  • 05
    She immediately started complaining: "I want the window! I want the window!" Her parents tried to calm her down, but she quickly escalated into a full-blown tantrum, crying and yelling about how she wanted my seat.
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  • 06
    At this point, the dad leaned over and asked, "Would you mind switching seats with her? She's just a kid." I politely explained that I had booked the window seat in advance because I really wanted to enjoy the view. The dad insisted, saying it would be "nice of me" and that "it wouldn't hurt" to switch.
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  • 07
    I reiterated that I understood his frustration but didn't think his daughter's tantrum was a valid reason for me to give up a seat I specifically reserved. He sighed and tried to push further, but I stood my ground.
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  • 08
    The girl cried for about 10 more minutes before her mom managed to calm her down with a tablet. However, the tension lingered. Throughout the flight, I could feel the parents throwing me judgmental looks, and when we landed, I overheard the mom muttering something like, “Some people just have no heart."
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  • 09
    This made me wonder if I had been too rigid. I know kids can be a handful, but I also feel like giving in would've taught her that throwing a tantrum gets her what she wants. Still, I couldn't shake off the guilt. So, AITA?
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  • 10
    So, AITA? Edit: Thank you all for the comments, they helped me a lot to realize that I really wasn't the TH, and for those who said it's fake, I can't change your opinion, but for those who have doubts, the seating arrangement was 3x3. 32.1k ✓ 8,159 ☑
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  • 11
    Sure Freedom3 • 2d I am a mum of three. Kids get explained that they can't have that seat as it's already occupied, end if it. Time for a game. Reply 19 15.3k
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  • 12
    hierosx 2d Here it is. You teach your kids how society works and that not everything is at their disposal all the time. If you fail as a parent for something as simply as this, then you know and deal with it. Other people shouldnt suffer because you screwed up. I'm a father of a 4yo ← 88991 5.5k
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  • 13
    Hesitation-Marx • 2d I'm the mom of a 21 year old. He had a public tantrum once. Once. Because when he did, I took him out of the store, told him "I'm gonna put you in the car, and you can have your tantrum in there, and I'll be right outside where you can see me, because nobody wants to hear you yelling".
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  • 14
    Took about five minutes, we had a talk about how to act, and he never did it again. I despair about the "just a kid, you should make space for them to be spoiled". No, you should put in the bare-assed minimum effort. 16 5.4k
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  • 15
    HoldFastO2 • 2d Yeah. My niece gets that, and she's four. "I want blueberries!" "We don't have blueberries today, honey. How about a nice apple?" "Okay. Can I have blueberries tomorrow?" "Maybe, we'll have to see." 371
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  • 16
    TADAWTD. 2d lol, Brazil just had a case like this. The entitled mom filmed a girl saying she wouldn't switch seats trying to shame her online for her tantrum throwing kid. Only for everyone to hate on the mom and for the girl she was trying to shame to get like 500k followers on her socials.
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  • 17
    Yeah, I have a 3 year old who loves planes, when me and the wife travel we always pay extra for the window seat so she can enjoy the view, it just requires planning and putting in effort. 319
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  • 18
    NTA philmcruch 2d • I politely explained that I had booked the window seat in advance because I really wanted to enjoy the view. The dad insisted, saying it would be "nice of me" and that "it wouldn't hurt" to switch. Thats when i would have said "lucky for me im not a 'nice' person, and yes it would hurt my bank account to switch since i paid extra for this seat. You had the same option and chose not to pick it" ← Reply 8.3k
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  • 19
    Aggravating-Cat5357.2d "But since YOU picked and paid for it, and I have a child, I'm entitled to your window seat." It's a great lesson in teaching your kid that having a tantrum won't lead you anywhere, but since that was her response, you can tell she just gives in whenever her child throws a tantrum and expects everyone else to follow suit. 3.1k
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  • 20
    Affectionate Bread520 • 2d Hit em with "yeah it would be nice of me, but it's not nice of you to ask me in the first place. It's not nice of your daughter to behave this way, and it's not nice to teach her this is acceptable or to reward it" 1540
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  • 21
    YeeHawMiMaw 2d Readers, if this happens to you, the best response is, "I know mom, but don't beat your self up for not reserving a window seat for your child. You didn't know she'd throw a tantrum." Reply 20 12.7k
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  • 22
    MizzyvonMuffling · 2d Stop discussing this sh with those people, you booked and paid for the seat, they can go cry elsewhere. I'm a former flight attendant and if a passenger wouldn't voluntarily give up their seat we won't make you unless we have a better seat for you. You want a window/aisle seat, book it. Otherwise shut the f Reply 31.7k
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  • 23
    DiverQuiet1381 • 2d NTA life isn't fair and her parents are just setting her up to be a spoiled brat u did a good thing Reply 1.9k
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  • 24
    NPDerm83. 2d This! I have 5 kiddos and I would NEVER expect someone to do something like that, because of a tantrum. This just shows them to do a tantrum again next time when they want something. NTA ... 428
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  • 25
    74Magick 2d And my response would have been "Some kids just have no home-training" (Southernese for manners and discipline). NTA Reply 32.5k
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  • 26
    Mindless_Wolf_8736 • 2d As a mom of four: NTA. It's your seat. You booked a window seat for a reason. They could have done the same. Reply 590
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  • 27
    SapphireSwan34 • 2d Absolutely not, the window seat is a luxury and not a right. Plus, giving in to a child's tantrum only reinforces bad behavior. Hold your ground, fellow aisle seat warrior. Reply 372
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  • 28
    Fun Orange_3232.2d lol NTA and the parents shouldn't have even asked. giving in to tantrums is absurd. also why did they have her across the aisle when there were two seats together? ← Reply 197
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toddler fatherhood Female Empowerment flight motherhood reddit story relationships parenting entitled reddit thread Reddit raising kids Parenting Fail parents airplane vacation
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