It's a huge achievement that we managed to achieve the wonder of flight, and an even bigger one that we have now ruined it.
Whether it's the recycled air, being frisked at security because you packed too much perfume in your hand luggage, or the seemingly endless extra charges, we have done a great job of turning a miracle into a mundanity.
Among the many things which have only quickened this descent (geddit?) into frustration are the seemingly endless squabbles over assigned seating on planes.
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It's become a constant struggle between people who sit in their assigned seating and people who choose someone else's seat, for whatever reason that might be.
One passenger has become the latest person to fall foul of this, with them claiming that a parent demanded that he give up his seat so that her child could look out of the window, and then getting angry when he refused.
They took to Reddit to explain what happened, writing: "So, I’m on a 5-hour flight for a work conference. I booked a window seat because I like to lean against the wall to sleep. I board the plane, settle in, and everything seems fine.
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"Then enters Entitled Mom (EM) and her Kid (EK)."
According to the passenger, the mother demanded that they move from the seat so that her child could sit nay the window.
She even went so far as to say that the child 'deserved' it more.
Now, when it comes to flying some people might not be too attached to any particular seat. If it's a child's first time flying and they want to look out of the window, swapping seems like a kind thing to do.
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Plus, flying with a child doesn't exactly seem like the most stress-free experience for a parent, so if it makes their lives a bit easier then fine.
Nonetheless, people were quick to point out that the parent didn't ask the passenger nicely - she instead demanded. And not only that, but when a flight attendant intervened, she still would not give up.
One person responded: "Wow, didn’t even ask. Just straight to it’s our seat. That’s some crazy level of entitlement there."
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Another took a more nuanced view, though with a caveat, posting: "I was happy to give up my unassigned seat on Southwest to a young girl who was clearly disappointed she wasn't sitting by a window and was across the aisle from her parents. I OFFERED to switch with her and everyone was fine.
"No one demanded it. I'd seen the view from Orange County to San Jose often enough."
And a third wrote: "My son loves to look out the window on airplanes, so I book and pay for a window seat. We prebook and pay for designated seats for every flight."
Would you allow someone to take your seat if they weren't polite about it?
Kit Roberts