If you are sitting comfortably on your paid airplane seat, right next to the window, and the woman next to you asks you to change seats to a middle seat in the back so her teenage son can be next to her, would you switch? TikTok user Surya Garg didn’t and raised the debate on the social media app.
Garg shared a video on January 17 explaining what happened to her on the plane. She said that she is usually willing to change seats for families with children, but this woman’s son was a grown-up teenager who did not need any assistance.
At the end of the story, the lady requesting the swap was not happy and made Garg understand it. “Under her breath, for the entirety of the flight, she was muttering profanities at me. Was I in the wrong here? I need someone to tell me,” asked the TikTok user.
The video got 1.2 million views and nearly 5,000 comments. It’s not the first time this topic has been discussed on this application, and Garg starts her story by saying, “I know this has been a big debate on TikTok recently.”
@surya_garg for real like was I wrong #nyc #airplane #airplaneseats
TikTok has become a great travel source, providing valuable user content from top destinations to the dark side of Bali and now trendy debates. The topic “airplane seat switching” is among frequent searches, and there are videos and even popular sounds related to this subject on the app. Here’s what travelers and other Tiktok users have been saying about seat switching on airplanes:
What TikTok Travelers Say
According to the information shared by TikTok users, there are a few considerations that might affect the decision when someone asks for a seat swap. While some users said that they don’t mind changing seats with anyone, these were the most common opinions:
Only For An Upgrade
Many travelers agree on this: only change for an upgrade. Changing a window seat for a middle seat a few rows more in the back is considered a downgrade, and many are not willing to worsen their travel conditions, especially during long flights.
“I will never switch seats unless it’s the flight attendant telling me I’m getting an upgrade to first class,” wrote a TikTok user. First class, window seat, more leg room or the same seat but closer to the front are also considered as better conditions to change seats.
No. Never.
“Other people’s poor planning is not my responsibility,” commented a user on a video. And many—especially those paying for better seats— do not like being requested to change seats and are not willing to do it for anyone. Not for babies, not for newlyweds, not for the elderly.
Many defend their time planning and their investment to travel comfortably. Others explain that they are very tall and usually pay for more extra legroom because otherwise they literally suffer during the entire flight.
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There’s a viral Family Guy audio on Tiktok from a scene where the character Stewie declines a seat switch request from a woman with a baby who wants to sit next to her husband and says: “Your poor planning does not constitute an emergency for me. You’ll see him in Paris, go sit down”.
Depends On The Person Requesting
The majority of comments on Garg’s video are from travelers saying that, in her case, she did the right thing and that only babies, toddlers, or young children need their parents by their side. Senior passengers or travelers with special needs are also part of the group of people that travelers have no problem switching seats with.
Depends On The Way People Ask To Switch Seats
Different TikTok users have also explained that they are usually willing to change seats but that the way they are asked affects their decision-making process. “Once, a guy asked me to switch with him WHILE he was already sitting in my seat. Firm no from me,” said a user in a comment.
There are dozens of horror stories on the app, from passengers rudely asking for a change or shy introverts accepting to change to uncomfortable seats next to the worst travel companions. Many have encountered unpleasant situations and have had to travel for hours next to a person purposely making their flight miserable.
Ask For Money
Apparently, it is not that unusual. Another user said that he once saw someone offering 200 dollars to another passenger to change seats so that he could travel next to his partner.
User hunterkaimi has shared a video where he plays being asked to switch seats and asks for $300. “Cash works. I’d do a Venmo if that’s more accessible for you,” he says.
