A NEW “seat squatting” trend has sparked controversy on flights and it is driving passengers mad.
A slew of flyers have complained about the trend where fellow travellers steal assigned seats and then refuse to move out of them.
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Annoyed passengers have taken to social media to express their frustration about the bizarre trend.
TikToker Shannon Ella said a man had taken her window seat and did not move till a flight attendant did not intervene.
She added: “When I got to my seat, I saw someone sitting in it. And I said, ‘Hey, you’re in my seat.’
“He looked at me and was like: ‘I don’t think so.'”
Shannon later revealed that the passenger refused to move out of her seat and asked her to sit in his seat instead, The Daily Mail reports.
“I asked him to get out of my seat, but he said that it is his seat now because he got there first.”
Another passenger shared their experience on Reddit: “I was flying a red eye and I always book a window seat for those so I can lay my pillow against the wall and sleep.
“I board the flight, there’s a couple in my row and the lady had decided to take my window seat.
“I told her nicely that she was in my seat and she played dumb about which seat corresponds to the letter.
“A flight attendant preemptively intervened without me having to say anything else and had her move over. I think she hoped I just wouldn’t say anything.”
If you’re tired of boarding a plane and finding out you’ve got a terrible seat then it might be time to do some pre-flight checks.
Avoiding major seating disasters on a plane is vitally important, as a good seat can get you a number of perks such as more luggage room.
Figuring out which seat is the best option is also super easy to do and takes just seconds.
The key detail you need to find is which type of plane you’ll be on.
When booking a flight many airlines list the style of plane in the flight details section online.
If you can’t see it then simply put your flight information into clever websites such as Google Flights or SeatGuru and they’ll magically tell you all you need to know.
When you have the exact model of plane set to whisk you away on holiday you can figure out the seating plan on the flight.
The seating set-up usually tells you more than just your position though as you can also see just how comfortable your journey is going to be.
Sites like SeatGuru allow other passengers to leave reviews of their seats in a very interesting ratings system.
All of the seats are ranked in the system into the best to worst meaning you can steer clear of some and try to bag yourself others.
They even come with detailed reviews sometimes making it even easier to figure out if spending an extra few quid on an upgraded seat is worth it or not.
Airport Festive Travelling Tips
- Festive favourites – airline policies vary widely so check airline guidelines before packing festive items, and if you are bringing presents, please don’t wrap them in advance because airport security staff might have to unwrap them for you to check what’s inside.
- A list-mas miracle – write that all-important checklist in advance to ensure you bring key travel documents, confirmations, medication and gifts ready to go.
- Silent night – try to get seven hours of sleep before flying so you are wide-eyed and feeling fresh ahead of your trip.
- Present panic – if you’re flying at Christmas and have forgotten a gift, do not panic! You can pick up any last-minute gifts or festive treats to save your holiday in Duty-Free.
- Ho Ho Go! – book a slot with our pre-book security to avoid any last-minute hiccups if you’re in a rush.
This means you can also spot other useful details like the amount of carry luggage you can bring, any flight amenities or even key information about kids.
Meanwhile a flight attendant gave their say on which plane seat they always book.
According to them, the aisle seat at the front of the plane is the best one to book.
This flight attendant made the bold claim when picking out the best seats to sit in for a journey in economy class.
As another renowned traveller said that the general consensus among travel experts is that the back of the plane is one of the worst places to sit.
Flight attendants warn passengers not to sit there if they don’t like experiencing turbulence, with planes shaking much more at the back than they do at the front.
What’s more, passengers who sit at the back have longer to wait to get off once the plane has landed than those who sit nearer the front, due to the way people disembark.
And a flight attendant also recently revealed the best seat to book on a plane if you’re scared of flying over water.
Kristina Galvydyte has been a cabin crew member for six years for a leading UK airline and said: “If you’re flying over the sea for long periods of time, sit by the wings as that is the primary exit if you have to land on water.”
But Kristina isn’t the only flight attendant who has said that the best seat to book on a plane is over the wings.
As ex-cabin crew member Beth Windsor also claimed the emergency exit is the best place to sit on a plane.
