Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Air travel is stressful enough without entitled passengers making it worse. Whether it's armrest hoggers or seat recliners, there's always someone who makes the journey unpleasant. But one airline passenger took things to another level—flat-out refusing to move from a seat she didn't pay for.

Reddit user u/compile_commit shared the wild story, which involved his cousin flying from Ahmedabad to Kolkata on Indigo Airlines. He had specifically booked an exit row aisle seat and even paid extra for it. However, when he boarded, he found a woman already sitting there, completely unwilling to move.


Representative image via Canva

At first, she insisted she "always" booked an aisle seat, refusing to even check her ticket. When he calmly explained it was his seat, she escalated the situation, growing more defiant. Frustrated but not willing to let it slide, he called over a flight attendant to settle the matter.

"I spoke to the attendant. She confirmed it's my seat, but since you seem certain, she's offered me a complimentary upgrade to business class."
— @compile_commit

The woman was stunned by the mention of a business class upgrade. Before she could think twice, he offered to switch seats, saying she could have his "business class" seat instead. Eager to take advantage, she jumped at the offer.

With a smug strut, she marched to the front of the plane, only to be met with reality—there was no business class on the flight. Embarrassed, she returned to confront him, but by then, he was already settled in the seat that was rightfully his.

media.giphy.com

The final blow

A small scene unfolded as she tried to argue with him, but a nearby passenger backed him up, confirming he had never actually promised her an upgrade. When the flight attendant stepped in again, things only got worse for the woman.

As she hesitated to produce her boarding pass, trying to argue her way out of the situation, the captain himself arrived. At this point, the flight had been delayed, and his patience was running thin.


"Ma'am, this says 22B. Your seat is nine rows back, and it's a middle seat."
— Airline Captain

The realization hit her hard. She had not only been caught in a lie, but she was now stuck in a dreaded middle seat, rows away from where she had tried to sit. With no other choice, she muttered complaints about the situation being unfair but ultimately shuffled to her assigned spot.

media.giphy.com

Reddit debates whether the story is real

As entertaining as the tale was, some Reddit users were skeptical about its authenticity.

u/Shihaby questioned whether a captain would ever get involved in a seating dispute, saying, "There's no way the captain went to the back to check on a seating situation, simply fiction."

Another user, u/Waylander08, shared their own experience with accidental seat stealing, recalling, "I got on a mostly empty plane and ended up sitting in someone else's seat. Turns out, we had the same seat number!"

Meanwhile, u/Drazilou found the entire scenario hilarious, writing, "She just had to inform the entire plane of her entitlement, making sure everybody knew how obnoxious she was and taking her embarrassment from nose to tail."

media.giphy.com

Regardless of whether the story was embellished or not, it resonated with many who have encountered entitled travelers. One thing's for sure—this passenger learned the hard way that stealing someone else's seat doesn't always work out in your favor.

More For You

Man cancels wedding after fiancée refuses to include his daughter
Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | TranStudios Photography & Video; Reddit | u/whoevenisthat5

Man cancels wedding after fiancée refuses to include his daughter

A wedding is supposed to be a celebration of love and family, but for one man, it became the breaking point in his relationship. Reddit user u/whoevenisthat5 shared how he was forced to call off his engagement after his fiancée refused to include his 11-year-old daughter in their wedding.

At first, he thought it was just a disagreement over wedding roles—but when he found out her real reason for wanting to leave his daughter out, he realized there was no future for them.

Keep ReadingShow less
9-year-old with autism stuns the world with an IQ higher than Einstein
Cover Image Source: Instagram/Adhara Maite Pérez Sánchez

9-year-old with autism stuns the world with an IQ higher than Einstein

At just 9 years old, Adhara Pérez Sánchez has achieved what most people can’t even imagine. The Mexico City native has an IQ of 162—higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, who were both estimated to have IQs of 160, according to PEOPLE.

Despite facing relentless bullying due to her autism diagnosis, Pérez has not only graduated high school but is also pursuing two college degrees in systems engineering and mathematics.

Keep ReadingShow less
kimberly dowdell, reunion, down syndrome

Brothers Blake and Jack have an emotional reunion.

thekimberlydowdell/Instagram

Teen with Down syndrome travels hundreds of miles for incredible reunion with brother

Going off to college is the break-free moment that most young adults long for. While the newfound freedom is an amazing change, it is also a time of transition--which can bring a lot of uncomfortable feelings with the adjustment. It can be overwhelming, scary, and unfamiliar. So when mom Kimberly DowDell (@thekimberlydowdell) received a message from her son Blake that he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed during his second semester at college, she knew exactly what to do. She loaded up the family, including her husband and Blake's brother Jack (who has Down syndrome), and got on the road to go see him. And the brothers had an emotional reunion that was shared on social media.

"Blake is in his second semester of college, and being away from home can be hard. When he told us he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, we didn’t even think twice—we jumped in the car and drove 286 miles just to be there for him," she wrote in the post's Instagram caption. "To remind him he’s not alone. To give him words of encouragement. To wrap him in a hug that says, we see you, we love you, and we’re always here for you."

Keep ReadingShow less
Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself
Representative image by Canva

Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself

School excursions often provide unforgettable experiences and bonding opportunities for students, but for teachers, they can be loaded with logistical headaches. So when a teacher was asked to single-handedly finance a field trip—with zero compensation—Reddit user u/Unfunded_Teacher took to the platform to vent about this bizarre demand.

Representative photo by Pexels | Anny Patterson

Keep ReadingShow less
A child's hand in an adults hand.

Representative Image: A mother and son found their way back together.

She gave her baby up for adoption. Years later, he named his son after her.

Choosing adoption is never easy. It’s a decision filled with love, sacrifice, and hope for a better future. When Schauna Austin gave birth to her son at 20 years old, she made the difficult choice to place him for adoption. But thanks to the openness of his adoptive parents, she remained an important part of his life, proving that family isn't just about biology—it’s about love.

A mother’s love, even from afar

After giving birth, Austin named her son Riley and treasured every moment she had with him before saying goodbye. She held him close for 72 hours straight, making sure to soak up every precious second.

Keep ReadingShow less