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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ม.ค. 2025
- Airline Chaos Grows with "Seat Squatting" Becoming a Trend | Firstpost America
Holiday travel is supposed to be exciting, but a rising trend called "seat squatting" is causing chaos in the skies. Passengers are claiming seats they haven't booked, hoping the rightful occupant won't object. This brazen behaviour is sparking confrontations and forcing flight attendants to mediate. Airlines' increasing fees for premium seating are fuelling the trend, leaving travellers frustrated and divided. Social media is buzzing with tales of squatters refusing to move, travellers using creative tactics to reclaim their spots, and debates over airplane etiquette. With no clear airline policies in sight, the question remains: will seat squatting continue to plague flights in 2025?
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Seat Squatting | Holiday Travel | Social Media | Airlines | Firstpost America | Eric Ham | War | Geopolitics | Global Economy | Firstpost | World News | Latest News | Global News | International News | Trending News
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Completely untrue. If someone else is occupying your seat, show the ticket to the flight attendent and stand aside. Its the airlines responsibility to ensure you can sit in your seat. Been there, done that.
I agree
This video is click bait,no flight attendant will let a unbooked seat passenger to go sit in a booked seat 💺
No ways
Me too. Just show them the ticket and stand there till they get up.
Unfortunately, I encountered this situation on a Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt. I approached the person initially thinking it was a simple mistake on the person's part until a woman a few rows back yelled "Don't you move, (person's name)!" At that point I wasn't going to engage with the person any further and asked a flight attendant for assistance. Unfortunately, she did nothing to address the situation other than to say the row and seat number of the seat in question. As a matter of principle and angry at the other passenger's audacity, I did not let it go until the person moved. It made for an awkward flight, though, as the man was a part of the couple in the two center seats of the four in the middle of the wide-body plane for the duration of the flight.
Unfortunately flight attendants rarely do anything. The flight attendants should not bother arguing with the passenger they should immediately call for a police officer to remove the person from the flight in handcuffs.
@@JD-zt3nr It's not our job. Seating is the gate agent's responsibility.
Years ago I was traveling with my young daughter and found that a couple had taken our assigned. I told the flight attendant and she said just take any open seats. I told her there were 2 open in first class - she said "they're yours".
Best flight ever - especially when they served ice cream sundaes in the front!
Interesting story, but I doubt you were given seats in first class.
@@jimrogers6138 Unlikely they'd do it today but this was almost 30 years ago.
I flew over 100K miles a year until my recent retirement and even with my top status upgrades weren't doled out liberally.
This is ridiculous. If a so-called "seat squatter" doesn't immediately admit they made a mistake and move to their own seat, I would be in favor of having them escorted off the plane and forced to take another flight. This kind of response should stop the "trend" of "seat squatting."
I agree! We have too many grown-up toddlers who've never learned basic consideration for others. They move, or they get deplaned. Period.
It’s the entitled world we now live in. This example on the plane, is happening in other venues as well.
I was on a flight with no assigned seats Southwest Airlines and this woman and her child were seating in a row of 3 seats so I sat in the empty one. Then the woman said my daughter and I wanted a row to ourselves. I said, well you should have bought 3 tickets. That was a nice quiet flight for she never said another word.
Wow, good quick reply by you!
I pay for a seat. I expect the airline to make sure i get it!!
I always book my own ticket on Google flights and then on that specific airlines website book a seat 💺 also
Yes, instead of flipping you to stand-by because of an equipment change.
@ what are you on about?
This shouldn't even be a debate...if you want a seat, book it ahead. period
Squatters need to be removed and made to seat in their seats. Rules apply to everyone.
This is first time I have heard this happen
I have been flying every year since 2015 and sometimes even twice a year and never on Lufthansa Swiss air Air France KLM has this happened
Only time I never flew was in 2020/21
If I paid extra for a seat, and someone takes it, it’s theft. Contact a crew member, let him or her know and handle it. Also, should the “squatter” be permitted to fly? If he/she pulls such a stunt on the ground, what else might the squatter do, up in the air? I believe that squatters should be removed from the aircraft. (I’m assuming that the “squatter” is not someone who has made an innocent mistake, and once informed, complies with the request to move.)
Airlines cannot accept that type of behavior.
It's ridiculous the placate to these immature adolescents souls that think that they don't need to play by the rules. Stand your ground and don't back down to these bullies.
If you don’t have the ticket for that seat it’s not your seat.
i sit on your seat. what are you gonna do?
I agree 💯
Insist on sitting in your assigned seat and if the squatter objects then immediately remove them from the plane without refund ...it is pretty simple
It used to be that you were "required" to sit in your assigned seat, allegedly in case of emergency so passengers could be "identified."
Why would the airlines allow this for even one second?
They’ve been trying to change the duties of cabin crew for the last 20 years. They keep adding things that “aren’t their job” like helping you out your carry on in the bin, preventing people in back seats from using bins up front, all sorts of things. If you protest they say their job is safety and not whatever you want them to do they’ve been doing for 75 years
If I’m stuck with a middle seat, I’ll wait until boarding is pretty much done and then move to a window seat if possible or ask the flight attendant if a window was available . I wouldn’t argue with anybody that had an assigned seat! That’s really A-hole behavior that people would do that!
Nothing to do with ‘etiquette’ if you have booked a particular seat and paid for it. If airlines are not prepared to turf out ‘squatters’, then that means the whole plane- including first class- is up for grabs on an ‘i got here first’ scramble.
The squatter should be asked 1 time by the flight crew to move to their correct seat. If they refuse, argue, or cause disruptions of any kind, they should be immediately removed and charged for any delays they cause. They should also be put in a database of offenders. If they are found to be repeating this ridiculous behavior, they should be on a no-fly list. This is just entitled, absurd, and should not be tolerated. Smh
Literally the only people who don’t agree are some of the flight attendants and the squatters themselves
Ugh, this video could have been 30-45 seconds without the stupid fluff. And what to do they mean the “answer is up in the air”? No, it’s not. Everyone has a boarding pass with a specific seat number on it. There’s no confusion or anything ambiguous here.
If the flight attended is reluctant to do anything about it ask to see the pilot.
If the flight crew won’t do their job fire them
So how do they get on the plane unless they have paid for that particular seat. I paid for a certain seat. I want THAT seat
Can society’s behavior become any worse??? This cannot be tolerated anymore! Let the squatters know that if they do not vacate that seat, they will be arrested when the plane lands at the destination. DO NOT SERVE THEM ANY FOOD AND IF THEY GET UP TO USE THE BATHROOM, take the seat back. Then have the police waiting at the gate. Also…ban them from booking any flights for that airlines for 2 years!!! We are done with this shit!!!!
If they start removing Seat Squaters from the planes automatically it would end Real Fast.
If I pay for a specific seat, and I expect to sit in that seat. If somebody tries to take that seat, then I will call a stewardess and show them my “paid-for” ticket. If that doesn’t work, then I will ask that a Sky Marshal evicts the squatter from my “paid-for” seat. I will not back down, especially if I have purchased an exclusive seat (i.e. first class). They will not get away with this, as this is “theft”.
Proper aircraft etiquette is to show your ticket to the flight attendant and let somebody else resolve your problem.
If the flight crew refuse to handle the issue, have them formally remove you from the flight, file a complaint with the FAA, and collect your $250k paycheck from the airline.
Thank you. I was wondering what to do if the airline refused to do their jobs. I guess I would take names and complain to the FAA about EVERY SINGLE AIRLINE EMPLOYEE by name.
I can’t believe this is a thing.
Here's the solution: the airline crew instantly remove squatters and return them to their assigned seats. Then, once the flight has reached its destination, the squatters are permanently banned from that airline.
But all they care about is max profits, so that's highly unlikely.
It is easy, you politely say, "Excuse me, this is my assigned seat." If they throw entitlement at you simply get a flight attendant. The flight attendant will make them move. It is a waste of time to argue with someone so ignorant they feel justified in helping themself to your space.
You need to check out the definition of entitlement because you’re using it exactly opposite
I remember when flying was special. In the sixties my family went on vacation flying to Miami. My parents bought me a suit because flying was glamorous. Now it’s the sky bus. Society is going downhill fast. Soon we’ll all be hunched over dragging our knuckles….😞
It was literally subsidized by the government in those days
Should be kicked off the flight for refusing to move.
The crew needs to take care of it and if the person refuses to get back to his original seat, just bring the police in, easy as that
I agree
I will refuse to go sit another seat if I have paid extra for a seat
Unless they offer me a upgrade
This is one if many reasons why I stopped flying some years ago, and I started flying in 1969, and it was a fabulous experience. I avoid being any where near rude, trashy people all the time I can now.
Yep, airlines have transformed air travel into a lovely subway experience....
Someone took my seat on United bound from Honolulu to California in 2009. I told the woman she was sitting in my assigned seat. She made a lot of noise in protest. The flight attendant told me to find another seat. I found it unacceptable especially with bystanders telling me to find another seat. I didn’t make the noise. I took another seat. Rude people seem to win the crowd and the seat. I haven’t flown United since that episode.
Lazy, complacent , classless cabin crew .
Another commenter suggested that if the flight crew told you, "too bad, so sad, tough !@#, your problem" to leave the plane and complaint to the FAA. I would be dropping names of all the people involved. Even if you stayed on the flight complaining loud and long to the FAA might do some good.
I was just on a flight where 8 of us were confused about our seats…one person was in the wrong seat. Flight attendant checked all our tickets and had us all move to the correct seats.
If you aren't in the correct seat in Australia and argue with the Flight Attendant you will be arrested. The flights won't take off if you aren't seated in your allocated seat.
This sounds like an American issue, no wonder the world thinks so poorly of US tourists.
Actually it makes me think of 2 other countries
If they have a ticket 🎟 for a specific seat and they are in the wrong seat, then if they don't move, they must be kicked off the plane! 😉😅😂🤣
Not a big fan of Southwest cause of this. I like choosing my seat.
In other words another example of narcissistic entitlement, selfishness is destroying civil society 🤬
Simple solution is I don't fly. No need to be exposed to TSA violating my rights or ridiculous rude people during the flight. There is no reason I would ever fly commercial.
We had been down in Florida for a wedding. My friend uses a wheelchair and cane. We were booked into the first row of Premium Economy. Because of her challenges we were able to preboard with others in a similar situation. By the time we boarded there was a couple already in our seat…they had the game down pat! He was “disabled”. How dare we ask a “disabled” person to move! Well my disabled friend trumps your disabled husband who doesn’t need a wheelchair! We just stood there waiting, I showed our tickets…the wife was adamant we had fake tickets but would not show us hers until the attendant showed up and demanded to see their tickets. They were claiming seats in row 12 but had seats in row 21 and when they realized that they were caught claimed they read the number wrong and began apologizing and moved. If we hadn’t boarded when we did, and my friend wasn’t disabled we probably wouldn’t have won that fight because we would have been challenging squatters who were claiming a disability!
I'm disabled and usually board first. I've never had my seat taken thankfully. I also started flying first class and it hasn't been an issue there either. I would absolutely insist on sitting in my seat though, if someone was already there.
I used to enjoy flying, but for the past few years have come to disdain it! It's a hassle, uncomfortable, no thank you!
I have exactly same feelings :(
I never speak to people on the plane. If you're in my seat I point to myself and to the seat. If its an issue I just ring the button. I don't care why you are in my seat....move your ass.
Haven’t experiences it but travel to USA from Europe at least once a year I always hoped to get a row just for myself on the night flight back home, to let my 70+ yo body get some rest and maybe sleep.
Only once have I been granted this and when I was about to use the opportunity a young man of course occupied one of the empty seats.🤨
The plane will not take off until I sit in the seat I booked and paid for, trust me!
Seat squatters always lose. Refusing to move means only one thing, get kickoff the flight.
Depends on the quality of the cabin crew. Most would probably force them to move. Some are too lazy ass to do anything.
For me is simple. I paid for the seat selection, it is mine seat. It is Airlines responsibility to ensure the squatter leave as I'm being charged for it.
What's is wrong with these people?
It doesn’t matter unless you have to sit next to and assist a young child. The back of the plane goes to the same place as the front of the plane. If someone needs an aisle seat and I am in it, I switch. I am blessed with a small and healthy body. Other people may have pain or a bladder problem.
Why “chaos” and tension, etc? Just show the person and/ or the flight attendant your seat number that you paid for, problem solved.
The squatter has NO rights to that seat. You are assigned by the airlines, just as you would be in any concert or theater production, and the assigning body has the right to kick you out if you do not abide by their directions.
Assigned same seat , so I was move to First class once. 😅
It's easy if you pay to pick your seat. If someone else is there they have one chance to move. If not they are just taken off the plane.
If someone takes the space under the seat the same thing will apply.
Also, for people who would like to trade to sit with a partner: offer to trade the better seat away! If you own 12A and 36B, you ask 36A if he'll trade for 12A. You do not squat in 12B and offer them 36B.
If you both have middle seats, shut up, sit down, and enjoy your flight.
Yes, I have done this, and offered folks up my first class or business class seat to sit near the back with friends or family. One guy was so happy to have the bigger seat that he brought back the tray of nicer food they gave him and offered it to us. There is always a high road way to sit together.
People please! This is a click-bait video. Firstly, seat squatting has been around forever. Secondly, it can be dealt with by showing your ticket to the flight crew. Thirdly, someone tried to steal a seat I paid $56 for back in 2014. She had actually changed into her pajamas by the time I boarded and tried to pretend she was asleep. Of course, I was not having it.
Exactly! If you paid for the selected seat, then it is your seat. End of story.
This is 100% a click-bait video
Well squatting is becoming common at homes.. so why would same folks not squat for airline seats.
Years ago, I had someone do that to me. I had reserved an aisle seat and my friend was in the other aisle seat in same row. Someone was sitting in my assigned seat. I decided to be nice. Stupidly I took the middle seat next to my friend. Never again! Our flight was delayed 5 hours and we sat on the runway the whole time. The woman next to me was obese and short so her elbow stuck out and kept digging into my arm. I will never let someone take my seat again.
It's not a problem, not booked, get up, or get out
These people should be fined if don’t move at first request
Politely ask the passenger. If that doesn't work..ask the flight crew to fix it. If they don't, its nothing an elbow to the nose "accidentally" during "turbulence" wouldn't fix.
Happened to me once so I gave him 'incentive' to move. He got a broken nose and was very obliging to move to his correct seat. 😮
No if I pay and book $20 extra for a window seat no one is sitting in that seat except me. The airline will make 100% sure this will occur like the stewardess in the video said.
If seat squatters refuse to move to their assigned seat, they should be removed from the flight, assisted by the police if needed.
Period.
Zero tolerance.
This rule should be clearly stated in the terms of the purchase of their ticket…in writing and vocally before the plane boards.
They need to organize boarding groups more efficiently and in a way that discourages seat squatters. Board the window seats in the first group or two, making sure that people have only sat in aisle seats and no disputes, then the middles, and then the aisle seats.
"get the f outa my seat!"....there done! lol
It’s all these entitled brats!
The person in the middle seat is not entitled to both armrests. We’re in a shared space. We’re sharing the armrests, like civilized people.
If the airline is going to make money off of us, when we pay extra to select a seat, then it is their responsibility to ensure we get what we pay for, and remove the squatter
Just another example of why I'm glad I refuse to fly.
So how are you going to a country that is across the seas
Seat squatters are the kind of person that need to be educated. The airline staff responsibility is to make sure we get what we pay for safely. On an airplane the pilot is king. All he need to do is to announce “Go to your assigned seat now or you will sit at the airport.” Don’t let a few ignorant and arrogant people spoils the trip for everybody. Disruptive and violent customer should be put on the No-Flight list for 10 years. Let them take the bus.
The flight attendant must get the police in if the squatter refuses to go sit on their seat
It's not education. They need consequences.
I was traveling with my son 25 who is with autism he always loved the window seat when we are the last to board somebody is accupaying the seat which we payed.My son will freak out if the man did not removed.
Nope, if I paid extra for a seat- it is mine. It is my decision. If I just paid a normal fee, it depends. Is it a family or an elderly person? That is ok.
Oh no, if the airline makes us pay then they should address the issue. Make the thieves move or kick-off!
In the USA the lack of culture is notable, specially since 2016.
Your TDS is curable.
Misunderstandings do happen so being polite like, "Excuse me but I think you'rein my seat" is the best approach. It happened to my family where we were in a wrong seat one row up (still economy). The lady said not to shuffle around and she took the seat behind her original one, both were aisle seats and I apologized profusely for my error. But some people clearly know what they are doing and don't care. I also have had to split my children up before. Some people were kind enough to offer their seats, but I declined for multiple reasons, but one big one was that they paid for their upgraded seat and should enjoy it. I just made sure my kids weren't being irritating to everyone else. I also told the passengers next to my kids to let me know if they are acting up or being a nuisance. I was told they were great, quiet and/or fun to talk to the whole flight. Don't get me wrong, I've flown with my kids since they were babies and know that babies can cry a lot too on planes. So patience is important. That is how you are supposed to fly.
If most parents were like you, we wouldn’t have trouble with annoying people like that in the first place!
You don't need to be polite at all.if you have paid extra for a seat 💺 no way a flight attendant will allow a non paying passenger to just go sit down there
People who apologize for mistakes and offer to make it right are COMPLETELY different than the deliberate squatter types.
@rogergeyer9851 but how do you make a mistake on boarding
You look at your boarding pass and look at 💺💺 number
It does happen that you go sit on the 💺 you think is yours by either one row backwards or one row forward
Some plane's 💺 numbers are not always well positioned
But definitely not row backwards or far forward
If you, the airline or your travel agent books the seat, it is YOUR seat. There is NO argument for the rightful purchaser of that seat to assume irt. There shouldn't even be an argument. What is wrong with people these days? The sence of entitlent is beyond measurment.
Just let the crew member know politely, and 99% of the time, they will help you. Don't engage with the squatter, they know how to play games from experience.
There shouldn’t be a confrontation. The flight attendant should walk over. Tell them I’m sorry you know you’re in the wrong seat get to your correct seat. It’s like when you’re at a concert. They know they’re doing it wrong. Take care of the situation or tell them politely that they need to get off the plane and go get security, another annoying and ignorant negativity that people are putting each other through
Just ban this this people from flying on all airlines companies for at list 2to3 years ! If this people has this history totally ban from flying !
If they can't fix this then drop the extra seat charges
Airlines need to maintain a database that tracks people who do not follow established rules and protocols or display thuggish behavior. Such passengers should find themselves being blackballed when they try to book tickets in the future.
I'm 6'3" ... good luck to any squatting in my assigned seat.
🤔 never had an issue in Australia, will keep eye open now for it.
The airlines created this by charging extra fees for seat selection at the time of booking. In the past they would make an effort to seat couples next to one another, but in recent years they purposely seat them apart in order to coax out extra money for seat selection. It's a sign of the greedy times we're living in.
Why don't you travel by private jet 😅😊
@@Deep08-mumu
Pacifist laws backed by government enable people to get away with such bad behaviour. Imagine the Squatter Tenant vs landlord scenario.
@@Deep08- Thanks for the offer! I need your jet early next week. 😃
I always pay extra for my seat 💺 when booking a flight
I fly regularly between Germany and south Africa and this has never happened to me, this video is not true
Flight attendants will throw a passenger off the flight if thy refuse to go sit on their allotted seat
Never once have I had this issue in my several times a year flying. The worst I’ve ever encountered is a crying baby but being a mother I sympathize with the parents and put ear plugs in. I did fall asleep once and came to on seat mates shoulder which was embarrassing. He didn’t seem too concerned..maybe I reminded him of his grandmother😅 He even got my bag down from overhead.
If airline cannot move a squatter, I will simply ask for a compensation ($1000 atleast, nice hotel booking, be put on a diff flight of my choice)... as long delay is ok for me.
I don't think this video is true
One time my husband and I were in our assigned seats. A young couple came up and said "You are in our seats." I said "No we are not." We stayed put, he called the flight attendant. She looked at his tickets, and informed him, it was the same row as us, but the other side of the aisle. He still acted mad and sat in his assigned seat. When we landed, he barged forward even though his row was 23 or so, leaving his girlfriend behind. We got into the row, and waited our turn, but she had to get off after us.
Just look at the tickets, easy fix
If I paid for a seat, I absolutely WILL be in that seat. If the squatter refuses to move, I will stand in the aisle until he IS moved ... I don't embarrass easily.
Is this purely a land whale and Shaniqua problem?
Maybe purple haired ponies too😂
Uhm…. So they couldn’t tell the flight attendant? Lol tf
Why name economy class seats, even business class is a hurdle for example your neighbor wants his/her near and dear one seated beside him? He will verbally bully you. Its becoming a nuisance.
If they want seats together they need to BUY seats together or shut the hell up. And if they don't assign seats, they have no right to demand a given seat, once it's occupied.
If they try verbal bullying, just call the flight attendant.
You get what you pay for. END OF STORY
This is why I always pay extra for a seat 💺
Try that crap at a baseball game watch what happens🤣😂
seat squatting to emotional support animals to feet or hair invasion, Where the heck did commons sense to common manner has gone?????
I have never experienced seat squatting
And I fly international regularly
Even up to twice a year
Never experienced anything like this
My last flight was in last row 🙄 There was a young man sitting in my aisle seat. He said he wanted to sit next to girlfriend. I asked to see his ticket to verify he was giving me a window seat and agreed happily 😊 Total score on my part since bathroom was right there. 🤣
Literally happened to me on my flight back from emirates..on both connecting flights people are just irresponsible
I would fight until death to get my seat back
I haven’t flown since there was a smoking area yet, but from what I see on internet, I have no desire to fly again somewhere.
More like fight until jail if you start the violence, so good luck with that claim.
Out of my seat. Period.
Assign a $100 fine for seat squatter for delayed take-off time. Time is money.
I fly a lot and this isn’t a thing. The squatter stories are what people write on their social media for clicks.
The airlines have made it an issue, The flight crew needs to do their job and make sure everyone is sitting at their assigned seating.
What happened to air Marshalls? Someone in authority in each flight that no one messes with. If someone tried to squat in the seat I paid for, they’re going down.
The pilot has ultimate authority. They can insist everyone sit in their assigned seats
Carefully chosen and paid extra for.