Entitled airline passenger steals the seat of another flyer, loses out on seeing the Northern Lights only visible from that side: ‘Absolutely gorgeous!'

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
May 5, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

When flying, it's very common to find someone sitting in your assigned seat. Usually this is by accident, and you can either clear it up and get your seat or, if you both agree, can switch seats. There can be a really easy solution. Unfortunately, the world is filled with entitled people and they seem to really love to travel because the internet is riddled with people making it a much more difficult issues. These are the entitled travelers who do not think they have to pay extra to get those seats that cost extra. They think if they are sitting in it, it is their's and no one else's. In fact, that seat was always reserved for them, it doesn't matter if your ticket says you paid extra for it! They have so many miles with this airline! Yadda yadda yadda. It's annoying. 

 

So what do you do when you encounter a Karen stealing your seat? You do your best, that's what you do. Sometimes, you can just take their seat and it's fine. You let them throw their fit, think they win, and you can carry on living your life with no more bother from them. However, where is the justice in this technique? Well, this guy had karma on his side! 

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  • He was also forced into an entitled seat-stealer situation. The guy stole his seat didn't even want to interact with him, he just tried to ignore him and then gave him sass. So he just took the male-Karen's seat and was like, “whatever.” However, the universe decided to reward his calmness and he got to witness something that is on many people's bucket list. The best part was that the Karen couldn't even see it unless he was in the seat he forced the guy to take. lol Karma rules. 

  • Cheezburger Image 10500434432
    via Unsplash+ (and Killian Pham)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.
    (Northern Lights - Unsplash+ & Cezary Morga)

  • "The time a seat stealer made my whole night"

    I always see seat stealer stories and have been shocked I never came across one. Today while reading someone else's post I realized I actually have had a seat stealer incident but the coolest thing happened because of it.
    via russingtonIII
  • Now this one could've been an honest mistake on the couple since the seats were pretty much identical, but it was the way the guy reacted that was what sucked. I was supposed to be in 1c and 1d but the couple with a baby who were supposed to be on the other side. 1a 1b were
    via russingtonIII
  • sitting there. No big deal at all I don't even want to make them get up, but I still have to make sure they were supposed to be in a/b so that I don't steal someone else's seat. I ask, the guy ignored me. I ask again
    via russingtonIII
  • explaining that I don't care you're in my seat we'll sit on this side I just want to make sure it's what your original assigning was so that I'm not taking anyone's seat. The husband looks at me weird and was like yeah yeah it is. Cool, we take the seats and no interaction with them from there.
    via russingtonIII
  • What was awesome is that the flight attendant quietly came up to us (we were up still it was 1am) mid flight and told us to open our window. I got to check off the bucket list that I got to see the northern lights that night. Absolutely gorgeous. Only visible to the left side of the plane haha.
    via russingtonIII
  • Raysitm That's so cool! As you said, they didn't make an announcement because they didn't want to wake people up at 1 AM, but I would have been so disappointed if I was sitting on the left side with the window shade down.
    via Raysitm
  • csj97229 I always make a point to try for left-side seats when flying overnight to Europe. We've seen a few beautiful Northern Lights shows that way. DaHick I never thought of this. I usually go 4 - 7 times a year. I will do this next time. Thank you.
    via csj97229
  • Fickle-Copy-2186 That is a great karma win.
    via Fickle-Copy-2186
  • Key_Employment4536 Several years ago, I was flying home from Europe and I had an exit row aisle seat. I get to my seat and Mr. entitled is in my seat. I just pushed the call button. The flight attendant shows up and he starts in. He has millions of miles, he spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on and on and on he's the most important flyer Delta has ever had, he showed out big time.
    via Key_Employment4536
  • She takes both of our boarding passes and she walks away Now I have not said anything throughout this entire Mr. entitled fit. She comes back a few minutes later and she smiles as she hands me my boarding pass I look down. I am in business class, Mr. entitled with the millions of miles and hundreds of thousands of dollar spent was in coach. Sometimes karma is a witch.
    via Key_Employment4536
  • Arrask9 I used to travel a lot. One time, when I was flying on a mission overseas, i bought 7 business class tickets, and a couple had a young child. The dad got a ticket for mom and the kid next to me. They were super cool, and he got her seated in the seat next to me. Then he went to the back of the plane and sat down. No, fus no muss, I asked her why
    via ArrasK9
  • they were not together, and she said someone bought most of the business class tickets, and he wanted her to be comfortable so he sat in the back. I felt bad. I did give up my seat to the husband because I thought it's the right thing to do. The FA came to me once we were under way and got me an up grade to 1st class on my way back to the States. Sometimes, it pays to by kind.
    via ArrasK9
  • Cheezburger Image 10500457216
    via Unsplash+ (and Jaanus Jagomägi)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Second_Breakfast21 Someone was in my window seat on the way to Egypt. I happily took her window seat on the other side. Honest mistake. No one had to get up. Quick resolution. On approach to Cairo, the pyramids were on my (new) side!! So glad I didn't bother making a fuss for the other side lol
    via Second_Breakfast21
  • Dazzling-Read1451 I once sat in the wrong seat by mistake. Wrong row because the overhead numbers weren't lined up with the rows correctly. Person told me I'm in their seat. I was puzzled at first, then I realized my mistake.
    via Dazzling-Read1451
  • Only thing, was that my original seat was far nicer. I told them they're welcome to it, or I'm happy to move. They were very happy and occupied my original seat for a very long intercontinental flight. Not all seat stealers do it on purpose.
    via Dazzling-Read1451
  • Not-a-lady75 I was traveling back to Portland from New York in the spring of 1980 when Mt St Helens had started rumbling. We were ahead of schedule so the pilot circled the ash covered mountain so both sides of the plane could see it. Two weeks later it erupted and I was scraping ash out of my gutters.
    via Not-a-lady75
  • Accomplished_Emu_658 Thats a cool ending. I really hate seat stealers who think ignoring you is solution. Luckily it worked out for you. But boy it's gotten ugly for me.
    via Accomplished_Emu_658

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