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24th October 2023
01:03pm BST
It's seemingly a constant source of debate when travelling by plane - as a single traveller, should you swap seats to let family or couple sit together?
One woman is in no doubt about where she stands on the matter, saying she has no sympathy for families who haven't had the foresight to book seats together.
Writing for the Daily Mail, Jaci Stephen said that she never moves seat for anyone on a flight, even if they "start yelling" at her.
The writer explained that she likes to be at the front of the plane and will "spend weeks, sometimes months, making sure I have my favorite seat."
But she said she has "lost count of the times" that she has been asked to move to accomodate a family just because she is a "single woman on her own."
Stephen said she "always" refuses, and detailed one occasion when a woman behind her asked if she could swap seats so she could sit with her boyfriend.
She said the woman was 'incredulous' when she refused.
Stephen also recalled a time when a man asked her to move so him, his wife and two kids could sit in a row together.
The man became angry and "started shouting at me, wishing me ill for the future if this were ever to happen to me."
The situation escalated, as crew members got involved and the man went down the plane asking others to move and shouting back at Stephen.
She said she spent "eight hours in fear" as a result of his actions.
But there was one occasion she did move seats - when La Toya Jackson requested her seat before take off.
Stephen said this was the "only time I have surrendered."
She finished by writing: "Here's the simple fact: if you want to travel as a family or in a group, book your seats together beforehand.
"Your incompetency in failing to do so is no one else's responsibility and you should certainly not be making others feel uncomfortable when they want to stick to their probably well organized plans."
You can read Stephen's full piece for the Mail here.
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