Flight Passenger Shares Clever Trick to Outsmart Seat Squatters, Ignites Online Debate

A flight passenger has sparked a lively online debate after sharing a cheeky strategy to deal with "seat squatters"—those pesky travelers who claim seats they weren't assigned. The conversation kicked off on Reddit's "r/unitedairlines" forum when a user posted a screenshot of a sparsely booked flight alongside a caption: "The seat squatters can't ruin your flight if you do it to yourself."

The photo accompanying the post showed the user deliberately selecting a middle seat, implying that picking a less desirable spot could deter others from trying to swap or take your seat. Bold move, right? But the Reddit hive mind had plenty to say about it.

One commenter suggested a similar tactic: "If the seat map shows the row is empty, I'll book the window and, to prevent a seat squatter, sit in the middle while everybody else boards." Another user added their own twist: "Booking the window and aisle seats, leaving the middle seat free. The idea is that nobody will pick the middle seat when checking in." Clearly, creativity thrives at 30,000 feet.

Redditors also swapped stories about their own encounters with seat squatters. One user explained: "A seat squatter is someone who sits in your seat and tries to send you to theirs, pretty much always a worse seat. They don't ask—they just take." Yikes. Another shared a more lighthearted anecdote: "LOL, I was once on a flight where my husband was at the window, and I had the aisle. A guy offered to switch with one of us. I was like, 'Nah, I'll see him when I land.'" Honestly, that level of commitment to personal space deserves applause.

Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," weighed in on the phenomenon, explaining that most seat squatting incidents are accidental. However, when it's intentional, it's typically an attempt to snag a better seat. "I don't think I've seen anyone choose to try to take someone else's middle seat," Leff quipped.

Leff acknowledged the logic behind picking an undesirable seat to avoid confrontation but added that it might not be worth the trade-off. "You’re essentially guaranteeing yourself a less comfortable ride," he said. He also recommended seeking assistance from flight crew if you encounter a seat squatter, reminding passengers: "You’re generally entitled to the assigned seat on your boarding pass."

Airlines, Leff noted, have tightened their policies around switching seats on underbooked flights. "You used to be able to take any open seat in your cabin once the doors closed," he shared. "Now, it’s best to play by the rules or ask for help if needed."

While the Reddit user's flight appeared to have plenty of open seats, the debate over how to handle seat squatters has clearly struck a chord. Whether you're a middle-seat martyr or a strategic seat selector, one thing is for sure: personal space on planes remains a hot commodity.