Mom puts 8-year-old son in a window seat despite it belonging to another passenger on flight, leading to a confrontation when passenger demands her seat back: ‘Be kind for once’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
May 20, 2025 1:00 PM EDT

Buying a flight ticket is definitely not as fun as it used to be, mostly because of how expensive everything has become. Only a few years ago, you could have gone to one website, set up your date and destination, and get offered a deal that provided exactly what you were looking for. Now, the same deal that you find on the same website is far from what you will find yourself paying once you finally reach the payment moment.

First, there is the initial ticket price. But wait, you want to add a suitcase? That'll be $25 more. Oh, you want to actually sit on the plane? Add 30 more dollars to that. You're planning on coming back? Double the price for a return ticket. Lastly, don't forget to add the taxes!

It is natural to try and save up however you can when buying a plane ticket, because it is ridiculous to be expected to pay for things like the actual seat on the plane. However, if you decide not to pay for that, you cannot expect to still get the seat you wanted, especially if someone else decided to pay for it instead.

Unfortunately, that is what happened with the entitled mom in the story below.

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

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    AITA for not giving up my window seat on a 6-hour flight to a kid?

    So, I (27F) recently took a 6-hour flight for a work conference. I booked my ticket two months in advance and paid extra for a window seat
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    because I get a bit anxious on planes, and the view helps calm me down. I'm also pretty tall, and I like leaning against the window to sleep.
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    When I boarded the flight, I found a woman (probably mid-30s) already sitting in my seat with her 7-or 8-year-old kid next to her. I politely
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    told her I had 21A (the window), and she asked if I would switch to the middle seat so her son could have the window.
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    I said I was sorry, but I'd specifically paid for that seat, and I really preferred to keep it. She got annoyed and said her son loves looking out the
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    window, and asked if I could just be kind for once and "make a kid's day." I again said no, and added that I had anxiety issues and had paid extra
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    to choose my seat. She rolled her eyes, but eventually moved back to her original seat (two rows behind me).
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    The flight was awkward she kept giving me dirty looks whenever I got up, and I overheard her telling another passenger
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    how "some people just don't know how to be decent humans." When I told a friend what happened, they said I could've just s 'ed it up
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    for a few hours and been nice. Now I'm wondering... AITA for not giving up my window seat to a kid?
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    Cheezburger Image 10507534080
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Anunez1412 NTA. But that other woman sure is. If she wanted a window seat for her son then she should've paid for
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    one. Also, even if they'd offer to reimburse you I'd still have said no. I'm glad you stood your ground.
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    ratherBwarm No, you're not. 6 hrs in the middle seat with a non- related 7 yr old? Nope.
    via ratherBwarm
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    Radio_Mime A 'decent human' would book seats appropriate for her child instead of expecting someone else to just give it up. You paid extra. She could have done the same thing. Instead she tried to play the 'pity me' game.
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    Gnarly_314 NTA. The mother could have been nice and not stressed you out. Her child didn't get a window seat because she didn't pay for one. She and her child should sk it up.
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    pretty_pregnant_lady She should have atleast offered to reimburse you the extra cost you paid for the window seat or alternatively she could have paid for a window seat for her son
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    herself. I am a mom and I won't be teaching my son that it's okay to disrespect other peoples things and time if you get what I mean. Also get a new friend NTA
    via pretty_pregnant_lady
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    Cofeefe Nta. If she wanted to, "make a kid's day," SHE could have booked him a window seat. And it is VERY unreasonable that the seat poachers always want to trade up and give you their sty middle seat in return.
    via Cofeefe

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aita kids mother flight plane reddit story passenger pay entitled seat Reddit mom money children airplane entitled people
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