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A woman sparked debate online after she refused to swap seats with a mum so that she could sit next to her children during a flight

A woman has ignited a heated discussion after refusing to give up her plane seat so a mother could sit next to her children during a flight.

She detailed how she had pre-booked an aisle seat towards the front to help manage her anxiety whilst flying – explaining she prefers being close to an exit row should she need to leave the aircraft swiftly. However, just moments after stepping onto the plane, another passenger approached asking for a seat exchange as her children’s seats were “scattered around the plane”.

Writing on Reddit, she said: “She wanted my seat so she could sit closer to her kids. I looked at where her seat was, and it was a middle seat near the back. I politely declined, explaining that I’d paid extra specifically for this seat and wasn’t comfortable switching. She got visibly upset and started calling me selfish, saying her kids needed her nearby for the flight. The flight attendant even tried asking me to reconsider, but I stood my ground.”

She explained the mother ultimately found another passenger willing to swap with her, which provided some relief about her decision to refuse. Yet that comfort was short-lived once she overheard the woman discussing her with fellow travellers.

She added: “She gave me the cold shoulder the entire flight. I could hear her talking to the people around her about how rude and ‘heartless’ I was. Now I’m wondering if I was too rigid.”, reports the Mirror.

Seeking validation for her decision, she turned to social media to gauge public opinion. One person responded: “You’re definitely not the a***hole. It’s on the airline to fix this, not on passengers who already paid extra to sit where they want.”

Another added: “Why is it that these people always want the better seat instead of shifting the kids back to her row.”

A third wrote: “As tough as it may sound, it’s her problem and not yours. In a situation where you haven’t paid extra for this seat, and wouldn’t feel anxious in a different seat, I might say otherwise, but in your situation, absolutely not the a**hole!”

A fourth added: “You were under no obligation to switch, so your decision stands.

“The fact you had a specific reason you didn’t want to switch only reinforces your right not to. Without it, it was still a valid choice. I don’t like flying. I have purchased the seat next to me (yay for companion fares! ) just to have some physical space and control the anxiety. I have said no many many times. Yes, it can feel a little harsh, and I believe that you should always be kind. but be kind to yourself first.”