Christian Magnuson paid extra for his preferred seat on a Scandinavian Airlines flight, only to find it had been reassigned – moments later, he spotted who was sitting in it
The traveller was confused when his seat got changed, but couldn’t believe who had taken it (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or preparing to board a plane for the first time in ages, most of us have our tried-and-tested routines for making the journey as pleasant as possible. This might include wearing a particular outfit, grabbing some food or a drink at the terminal, or pre-selecting your favourite seat on the flight. But when these arrangements fall through or take an unexpected turn, it can throw your entire day off.
This was precisely what happened to one passenger named Christian Magnuson, who, despite being a regular flyer who frequently posts snapshots of his journeys on social media, was left utterly bewildered when his seat was abruptly switched without any warning.
Chris went on to show evidence that he’d reserved seat 17C on his Scandinavian Airlines flight, explaining he had paid extra to secure a seat towards the rear of the aircraft on the route from Stockholm Arlanda airport to Kalmar, a city in southern Sweden.
However, when boarding time arrived, Christian discovered his seat had been unexpectedly switched to 5D. The confusion deepened as he stepped onto the aircraft, only to spot his original seat remaining vacant.
Nevertheless, he proceeded to make his way through the plane to his reassigned seat. It was at that moment something wholly unexpected happened.
“Then a convoy of cars pulled up and the King of Sweden boarded the airplane and sat in my seat,” he revealed in the caption of the post.
The footage captured King Carl XVI Gustav standing on the tarmac as Christian made his way down the aircraft steps after landing. A silver vehicle could be spotted in the distance, presumably waiting to collect the monarch from his journey.
Later that day, the royal family’s official Instagram account, ‘Kungahuset’, posted a photograph of the King alongside his eldest daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, clarifying the reason behind the King’s travels.
“Was it fair of them to kick me out of my seat with no compensation? I will say it was cool that he flew on a regular airplane but he took my seat!” Christian added in the caption of the post.
Viewers quickly flocked to the comments section to voice their opinions, with many praising the Swedish King for choosing to fly commercially. “Happened to me too and I’m just proud to have a monarchy not wasting our resources with a private jet,” one person said.
A second user wrote: “I think it’s awesome that the King flies commercial. Also, you have a cool story.”
Others also questioned why Christian should have received compensation, given he still secured a seat on the flight. “Well, the king is… the king,” one person argued. Someone else added: “Airline employee here, yes its fair since they need security personnel onboard. ARN – KLR is also a really short route.
“I would be happy and proud to give him my seat! It’s for his safety. He did not decide himself,” another user chipped in.
Scandinavian Airlines has been approached for comment.