Debate Erupts After Man Refuses to Switch Plane Seat for Grieving Mother

A university student is under fire — and also gaining support — after he shared a personal dilemma on Reddit involving a tearful request during a long flight.

The student, known online as user Ok-Abroad-7867, described returning to the U.S. after completing a study abroad program. As a reward for his hard work and the emotional toll of the semester, he decided to upgrade to a premium economy seat, which offered more legroom — a luxury especially valuable to his 6-foot-3 frame.

While waiting to board the 10-hour flight, he was approached by a middle-aged woman and a flight attendant. She politely asked if he would consider swapping his premium seat with her spot in the back of the plane — a cramped, non-reclining middle seat — so she could sit next to her young son. The woman explained they were flying home from her father’s funeral and she didn’t want to be separated from her child.

Despite feeling empathy, the student declined. He explained he had paid extra specifically for the additional space and rest. The woman, visibly emotional, didn’t argue but walked away. According to the student, he later overheard her say to the attendant, “I guess some people only care about themselves.”

During the flight, the boy sitting next to the student remained silent and calm. But once the plane landed, another passenger confronted the student, saying, “You could’ve shown some humanity.”

In his Reddit post, the student expressed regret and confusion: “I don’t owe anyone my seat, but I keep wondering if I should’ve just done it.”

Surprisingly, the majority of Reddit users rallied behind him. Many felt the woman’s request was unfair and that his decision was completely justified.

One commenter remarked, “Why didn’t they just move the kid to the back to sit with his mom? Makes more sense than asking someone to give up a seat they paid extra for.”

Another echoed the sentiment: “She didn’t want to move — she wanted the better seat without paying for it.”

Some even suspected the woman was trying to take advantage of the situation, using her emotional story to guilt-trip another passenger into giving her an upgrade. One user commented, “She gambled on tugging at heartstrings for a free premium seat. If she truly wanted to be with her son, the airline could’ve swapped seats with someone else in economy.”

In the end, the Reddit community largely agreed: while compassion is important, paying passengers aren’t obligated to give up their seats — especially not at the cost of their own comfort and money.