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By Rachael O'Connor
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A man who refused to give up his seat to a pregnant woman for a 12-hour flight has been backed for his decision after taking to the internet for advice.
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The 28-year-old took to Reddit's AITA [Am I The A******] on June 27 where he explained that, as a 6 foot four inches tall man, he paid for a seat with extra room for his long journey from New York City to Hawaii.
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But just before take-off, he wrote, he was asked by a flight attendant if he would be willing to switch seats with a woman who was "visibly pregnant."
Despite being offered a refund for the difference in cost of the comfort seat, the man "politely declined," and no other passengers with extra room volunteered.
Eventually, the woman "told me I wouldn't understand what it feels like to be a woman carrying a baby in this summer heat, got upset and eventually had to return to her seat in the back."
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He began feeling "guilty," and asked in his post—which has racked up 15,000 upvotes—if he was in the wrong for refusing to swap his seat.
And Newsweek spoke to Jo Hayes, founder of EtiquetteExpert.Org, who admitted that even as an expert, "this is not an easy situation to call."
While she would usually "advocate for the needs of a pregnant woman," particularly in summer and on a long-haul flight, "in this situation," she is leaning "in favor of the man."
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Because of his height, "I can understand how uncomfortable a long-haul flight would be for him in a regular economy seat," she said. "He had the foresight to book well in advance, and pay for, a good seat that would allow him a bit more comfort. The pregnant woman could have done the same."
Hayes added that it was "not fair" of the woman to expect someone else to give up their specially booked seat, particularly someone who also clearly needs the extra space, just because "she failed to make a wise decision ahead of time."
While in most circumstances, "decency would dictate giving priority, and extra grace, to people in need," when people fail to make these decisions, "it's not fair to expect that other people will accommodate their lack of prudence."
"In this situation, simply offering the man reimbursement for the cost of his comfort seat is not sufficient recompense for him to give up his seat," she said.
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Reddit users were in complete agreement, with over 7,000 comments on the post, many saying the same thing.
"I fly all the time and so many people try to scam seats that I have no compassion anymore," one person admitted.
"You paid for that seat, and she paid for hers," another said. "She could have booked a different class if she wanted to. Most likely she knew she would be this pregnant when she booked the flight."
One recalled flying several times when they were heavily pregnant, and said "never have I asked someone to give up their seat for me. Her ask is appalling."
And one user joked the man was in the wrong, only for "still thinking about this and not enjoying your vacation."
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