‘Entitled’ seat squatters are the worst type of airplane passenger

Have you ever been confronted by a seat squatter? (Picture: Getty Images)

Some people simply shouldn’t be allowed on public transport.

There are the barebeaters who blast their music with no headphones, double baggers who believe their bags need a seat of their own, and airport carousel grinders, who are determined to stand as close as possible to the luggage conveyer belt.

And now, there’s one more annoying habit to add to the list: seat squatters.

Seat squatting, which commonly occurs on flights, is when someone takes a spot that isn’t assigned to them (and that they haven’t paid for), often in a bid to sit next to a friend or family member.

While it might seem harmless, it can quickly lead to some awkward standoffs.

And, for the seat squatter themselves, it has some pretty extreme consequences. If ‘entitled’ passengers refuse to comply, seat squatting could even get them kicked off the aircraft.

Cabin crew should be consulted if you’re planning on swapping seats with someone (Picture: Getty Images)

The term seat squatting was originally coined by Facebook user Lin Nea, after she’dbeen forced to ‘stand back, stoically waiting’ while a seat squatter tried to nab her designated seat, 25A, in order to sit next to her husband.

Recalling the incident, Lin described seeing her personal seat squatter feel the ‘weight of silent shame’ as she shuffled back to her original seat.

But while some might think seat squatters deserve to be sent directly to jail, the internet is divided, with some labelling the habit as ‘selfish’ and ‘rude’, whilst others argue it’s totally harmless.

Some even say getting riled up by seat squatters is ‘petty’, with one TikTok user admitting they regularly ‘risk’ sitting in someone else’s seat when flying.

Is there an official policy against seat squatting?

If someone refuses to move out of your seat, you should alert cabin crew.

An airlines T&Cs (their Conditions of Carriage) generally sets out that you have a right to your designated seat, and if a passenger refuses to vacate that seat, the crew is at liberty to remove that individual from the flight.

In one particularly volatile case, a man was forcibly removed from an American Airlines flight in 2019 for refusing to relinquish a stolen seat.

The man reportedly became aggressive and disruptive when the flight attendants attempted to move him back to his original seat.

In most cases, it’s the escalation — not the seat dispute itself — that leads to a passenger being removed.

A number of users online have shared their own experiences with seat squatters.

@Ultionm wrote: ‘I had a guy try and ignore me when I told him he was sitting in my seat. Probably hoped I was too timid to repeat myself more than once. Nope. I wanted my window seat.’

Another user, @kp, shared: ‘I was once on an international flight and one of the last to board. Some girl deliberately sat in my seat (a solo row) that I paid extra for and wouldn’t move. Attendants had to move her and check our tickets.’

What’s even more frustrating is that even once you are finally seated and settled, you’re still not safe.

In order to avoid certain pre-flight costs (a standard seat with Ryanair costs anywhere between £4.5 and £20, per person, per flight) some travellers might approach you and ask if you’re willing to switch seats — often in a bid to sit with a family member, friend, or partner.

Most airlines allow seat swaps, but only with cabin crew approval and after boarding is complete.

While voluntary swaps are common, you are under no obligation to accommodate others, including families with young children who want to sit together.

Is seat squatting bad etiquette?

Etiquette expert Laura Windsor has some pretty strong feelings about seat squatting.

She tells Metro: ‘Questions like “can I sit here” or “is it okay if we switch seats” should be redundant today. If people want to sit together, they should have booked accordingly.

‘Someone’s holiday shouldn’t be ruined because certain people don’t have manners.’

If you do find yourself confronted with a seat squatter, Laura recommends not even engaging with them – instead, you should go straight to a member of cabin crew.

She continues: ‘People shouldn’t feel as though they can do whatever they want. Also, people shouldn’t really have mixed opinions about this. It’s incredibly clear.

‘You should never be inconveniencing other passengers because you want to sit where you want. People should have some manners.’

That being said, while seat squatting shouldn’t be encouraged, there’s an argument that if both parties are happy to swap, there’s no real harm in it, especially if it’s a like for like swap.

Some people online who are open to swapping seats seem to share one main condition. As one user, @Bre, put it: ‘Honestly, if the seat was comparable it really doesn’t matter to me.’

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