A plane passenger has sparked fierce debate after questioning her "etiquette" when sat next to a complete stranger.
The ongoing discussion around basic plane etiquette remains a contentious issue online.
Numerous passengers often pose the question of how to reclaim their space when their neighbour has chosen to take over, as there never seems to be a ‘right way’.
A passenger who recently flew on a United Airlines flight took to Reddit to share their ordeal with other users.
They asked if lowering the armrest between themselves and their neighbour was rude and inconsiderate. The passenger added that it was a smaller commercial plane with a two-seat configuration.
Where they had booked the aisle seat, and another women had booked the window seat.
The passenger shared on a United Airlines subreddit: "Am I a jerk for pressing the armrest down to force the plus-sized girl sitting next to me to readjust how she was sitting and move her body towards the window?”
The Reddit post further explains the incident: “I was in an aisle seat. She had the window. She was seated first, and then I sat down and pulled the armrest.”
According to the user, once the armrest was pulled down, the woman in the window seat had to shift over after realising how far she was encroaching.
The passenger then explained that once the armrest was lowered, the woman gradually moved back into the neighbouring seat, which inherently caused the armrest to rise again.
Once this happened, the passenger explained: “I didn't feel like spending three hours leaning into the aisle, so I pressed the armrest down to get her to move back. Felt like a jerk.
Am I a jerk?” The anxious passenger then asked the subreddit group what the 'appropriate way’ to handle this would be.
Sharing, “I didn't want to get the flight attendant involved as I thought it would embarrass the girl. She was likely mid-20s”
However, many users were divided in their responses. While many agreed they would’ve acted the same way, others were not too fond of the passenger’s reaction.
One user agreed, and added: “I've even done this with regular-sized people, I just want that boundary established. I'm not anyone who cares to be social with my unknown seatmates”.
While another user commented: “I mean, you’re not a jerk for wanting your seat, but the way you talk about the situation is pretty jerky.”
This led another to comment:
“'I would be mortified sitting next to you. We are human. Just talk to us, and more than likely, we are willing to accommodate.” The long-standing debate over seat armrests shows no signs of resolution.
Regardless of whether you belong to the armrest-up or armrest-down team, the key to a comfortable flight for all is to communicate with kindness.
