I Paid an Extra $100 for Comfort Due, But an Elderly Couple Took My Seat

Long flights can be physically and mentally exhausting. But it gets even worse when at the very beginning of your journey, you have to deal with rude fellow passengers. We received a letter from one of our readers who had the misfortune of encountering such an elderly couple.

We appreciate you reaching out to share your recent travel experience. Certainly, many of us have encountered similar situations on a plane. And we were curious about what our readers think, would they give up their seat for an elderly couple or not.

• If they wanted extra legroom, they could have paid for it like OP did. I’m sick of hearing passengers trying to swindle and guilt people out of seats they rightly paid for. If you want a certain seat, fork out the extra cash for it. I myself always prefer the aisle seat so I pay extra to be able to choose said aisle seat. © C P / Brightside
• They probably could have afforded the upgrade. They’ve most likely had success with this tactic before. How do they have the nerve? Surely they must have noticed that the person they were trying to take advantage of was very tall and obviously needed the extra leg room! © S.J. Morrison / Brightside

• The solution is simple. All the airlines have to do is create a policy that does not allow seat swapping. © StaceyAnne Risovi / Brightside
• Just because you are elderly doesn’t give you the right to exploit others, some people just feel like they are entitled. © Pamela Jones / Brightside
• I’m 70 and my husband is 74. We would never attempt to steal someone else’s seat. None of our senior friends would do this either. © Kathy Marcum / Brightside

We hope you haven’t had to deal with rude fellow passengers. To make your flight more comfortable, consider using hacks that can turn your economy seat into a first-class experience.