Air passengers have been warned about the emerging “seat squatting” trend that’s sparking debates across social media. The term refers to travellers who take seats they haven’t been allocated, without checking with cabin crew or waiting until boarding is complete.
Content creator Shannon Ella shared her annoyance in a TikTok video watched by hundreds of thousands, as reported by Express.co.uk. She recounted an incident where a man occupied her seat and refused to move, expecting her to concede it to him.
She questioned her viewers: “Is that a thing that people are doing on planes now? They just sit in your seat and just go like, ‘No, it’s mine, I sat there first so minesies? ‘”.
This behaviour isn’t unique, with numerous TikTok users sharing similar experiences. In one account, a mother flying with two young children handed them to a seat squatter, prompting the person to find their correct seat quickly.
Thankfully, flight attendants are on hand to resolve such issues. Olivia, a flight attendant, confirmed: “I’m a flight attendant and once a passenger says someone is in my seat, I 100 percent make them move to their assigned seat.”, reports Bristol Live.
Reddit boards are chock-full of similar stories. A traveller shared seeing three “seat squatters” aboard one service: “First was a guy that was supposed to be in 28C who was all the way up in 12B and was trying to argue it was his seat,” they recounted.
“The next was a lady in 18A who was being adamant with the seat holder that she needed to be by the window and not in the middle.”
They continued, “The next was a couple that was supposed to be in 24C and D and decided to camp out and plant their flag in 24A and B.”
On top of this, netizens have been swapping tactics on how to handle the situation, suggesting either selling the offenders the seat or refusing them entry altogether. What would your response be to such a frustrating scenario?