'7 years of loyalty gone': Couple vows never to fly with airline again after getting separated and placed in middle seats

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Apr 14, 2026 5:15 PM EDT

This couple somehow both got the dreaded middle seat on their flight, but that's not the only reason they're vowing to never fly with this airline again. 

People are super picky about their seats on flights, and it's no surprise why that would be. If it's a 2 hour flight, who really cares where you sit, right? 

But for a long haul flight, many people are happy to pay for the finer comforts in life. They love to relax next to their travel companions, so that they can talk, share snacks, and maybe even watch a movie together. Plus, if you can share the row with your partner, you can nap with your head on their shoulder, instead of trying to sleep without snoozing on the shoulder of some random stranger next to you.  

However, as this person learned, even if you pay for upgrades, if you pick the cheapest airline available, you still may wind up unhappy with your travel arrangements… 

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  • Airplane flying through the air.
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    Airplane flying through the air.

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

  • Well, I’m officially done

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  • Woman waits unhappily at her airline gate with luggage next to her, realizing she and her partner won't be seated together.
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    Woman waits unhappily at her airline gate with luggage next to her, realizing she and her partner won't be seated together.

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

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  • This is wild

    SheTrewLouboutins Former flight attendant. Exit rows should never be empty.
    via SheTrewLouboutins

  • Don't flights usually request that a few customers sit in these important seats, you know, just in case? The fact that this person and their partner were still relegated to middle seats while faced with a half dozen empty seats is pretty crazy. If they'd been offered that pair of seats by the exit row, I imagine they would've preferred that! There's some extra legroom there, not to mention it's a 2 person row, so you don't have to hang out awkwardly next to another traveller for the whole flight. 

  • No_Help1894 Original Poster's Reply That's exactly what I'm thinking like is happening when we need to exit in an emergent
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  • Savvy_Nick Southwest used to be so good. Hardly any delays, never lost my bags, I loved the check in option so you could grab a good seat if you checked in. Absolute sh now
    via Savvy_Nick

  • Seems like customer service (and products and services generally) are just constantly going downhill

    No_Help1894 Original Poster's Reply There is zero reason to fly them now. Would be surprised if they don't fail or M/A in the next 2-3 yrs
    via No_Help1894

  • This person could try for a refund...

    EkobasherX4Z I don't get this, you paid for a seat. They want to change you? Fine 100% refund right now. We have to pay when we book there's no option for "ughhhh I don't feel like paying right now I'll do it in a week or 4"
    via EkobasherX4Z

  • But we all know how this goes. They'll contact customer service, wait for hours to talk to a person, and then they'll be told that there was nothing the flight crew could do about it. They'll come up with some reason for separating them and denying them the seats they paid for. If anything, maybe this person can do a credit card chargeback on the seating upcharge, but even then, getting results seems dubious at best. 

  • So irritating, best of luck navigating all this nonsense

    No_Help1894 Original Poster's Reply Great I get my $250 dollar flight refunded but then I'm stranded 2k miles from home and any flights for the next 3 days are over 500 unless I fly frontier What logic
    via No_Help1894
  • dirtywithxtraolives Had that issue. Talked to the agent at the front that was working the flight. Boom. Fixed
    via dirtywithxtraolives
  • No_Help1894 Original Poster's Reply There was nothing to be done because the flight was "completely full" clearly it's not when exit rows and rows at the back were empty. I have no way of knowing if the flight is full or not ... guess I shouldn't have took them at their word!
    via No_Help1894
  • stevetures I had to pay through the nose to seat my family together.
    via stevetures
  • No_Help1894 Original Poster's Reply I paid through the nose to seat me and my partner together, and it was a waste of money. Did not get services paid for. Beware of this airline.
    via No_Help1894

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