Flight passenger says man deliberately squatted in window seat, ignites social media debate

Fox News

02-04-2025

One flyer said she recently encountered a seat squatter and claimed she was shamed for asking the person to move.
In the forum "r/delta" on Reddit, the post was titled "Man takes my window seat in lieu of his own window seat. On purpose."
"I boarded my 3 hour Delta flight towards the middle of boarding, yet still in flow with my zone. The entire time I'm thinking 'I pray no one's in my seat'! I'm seated in C+ (F) side which is a window seat - my personal preference," the post read.
The user said that once she approached her aisle, she spotted a man sitting in her seat.
"I reconfirm my seat assignment and politely say 'Sir, I think you're in my seat' HE motions to with his hand towards the (A) window seat on the opposite side of the same aisle and says 'Take that one,'" the user continued.
The user said that once she looked over at the man's rightful seat, there was a "linebacker built" male sitting in the middle.
"I panned back at the "gentleman" and replied, 'No, I'd like to take my seat if you don't mind.' What he said next made me know he was calculated in his actions. He replied 'Fine, if you want to make three men get up so you can sit here' and huffed," said the post.
The user continued, "I didn't say a word, I just stood there until one by one they started to shuffle and get up and move to allow me to sit in MY seat. The absolute nerve and 'guilt' attempt."
"The 'make men move' comment silently infuriated me! I knew immediately why he chose to ignore his seat and take the opposite window seat. He'd already decided he would make the poor sap to come along 'later' just take the remaining opposite window seat without question," the post said.
Reddit users took to the comments section to discuss the encounter.
"YOU'RE making three men move, not me," wrote one user.
"This entitlement will continue as long as people don't stand up for themselves. Well done," another user said.
"His actions made 'men have to move,'" one person commented.
"I don't tolerate seat swaps. Period," said another user.
"The FA's [flight attendants] rarely intervene," said one.
"I will never forget when something similar happened to me and my husband. The man in ten windows was UPSET my husband, the man, took the middle seat and even made a comment about how he should the aisle," another person commented.
Brandon Blewett, Texas-based author of the book "How to Avoid Strangers on Airplanes," told Fox News Digital that he sees more people encountering airplane seat squatters.
"Let the flight attendant handle it. Nobody wants to go viral in a reel titled, 'Passenger meltdown at 30,000 feet,'" Blewett advised.
He said sitting in someone else's seat can cause disruptions to an entire flight.
"[Squatter] encounters often lead to delays that often cascade, leading to missed connections and frustrated passengers throughout the cabin," Blewett added.
Blewett said one can usually figure out the difference between an incidental seat squatter and someone who is trying to self-upgrade if they are unwilling to show their boarding pass.