A traveler has sparked controversy online by recounting an incident on a flight where a woman requested a seat swap to sit next to her child.

In an old Reddit post that resurfaced and gained viral attention, the frustrated flyer described refusing the mother’s request, citing that it wasn’t their responsibility to accommodate them as they hadn’t booked seats together.

The traveler, who remains unidentified, was seated in a window seat on a trans-Pacific flight departing from Japan, while the child was in the middle seat. The child’s mother was seated directly behind them in the same row, also in a middle seat.

The mother asked the traveler to switch seats so she could sit next to her daughter, while the traveler would take her middle seat in the row behind. However, the traveler declined, expressing frustration in the post and criticizing the mother for not seeking alternatives within their tour group or from the tour operator.

Responses to the Reddit post varied, with some questioning the traveler’s decision and others supporting it. One commenter, identifying themselves as a parent of a toddler, expressed astonishment at the traveler’s reluctance to move, while others shared their own rules for seat swaps.

Overall, opinions were divided, with some sympathizing with the traveler’s frustration with entitlement from others, especially on planes.