Overview

• A 29-year-old business traveller declined to swap his pre-booked aisle seat for extra legroom when asked to move next to a couple’s middle and window seats
• The requesting passenger branded him an “inconsiderate loner,” prompting a flight attendant to order the couple back to their assigned seats or face removal
• The Reddit post went viral, earning widespread praise and prompting other travellers to share their own refusals of swap requests
• The incident has reignited discussions about passenger entitlement and whether couples should depend on others to give up seats
• Airlines are now asking travellers to look after children as a tactic to persuade reluctant passengers to agree to seat swaps, a method reported to be largely effective