I still can’t believe what happened to me on my last flight. I’m a tall guy, and I usually book business class just to have extra space and comfort. This time, I booked two seats—the window and the middle—for myself. Shortly after settling in, a woman with a baby came aboard and sat in the aisle seat next to me. A few minutes later, she turned to me and demanded my middle seat, saying she needed it for her child. I was caught off guard but told her no. I paid for these seats, and I wasn’t about to give one up just because she asked.
As the flight went on, the baby started crying, and the woman walked up and down the aisle, bouncing her baby, making a scene. She even raised her voice so everyone could hear, accusing me of having no heart. People around started giving me dirty looks. One older man even said it was just one flight and I should let her have the seat. Another woman asked me how I could call myself a man during that situation. I felt cornered and uncomfortable, wondering if I truly did the wrong thing by holding onto my paid seat.
I kept thinking: I planned ahead and paid for the comfort I wanted. She didn’t. It’s not my responsibility to fix her situation when she didn’t plan, and claiming that I’m less of a man for it felt unfair. The flight was short, and the inconvenience minimal for me, but she made it feel like a moral failing on my part to stick to my right. I didn’t want to start a fight, but I felt judged by the whole cabin just for protecting what I paid for.
Still, I question myself sometimes. Was I being selfish? Was I wrong? Or was she out of line by trying to guilt-trip me in front of everyone? I don’t have a perfect answer, but I’m leaning towards standing my ground next time while trying to stay polite and neutral. After all, I booked those seats and just wanted a comfortable flight without conflict.
