A Passenger Apologized for Sitting in the Wrong Polaris Seat—but the Owner Kept Berating Him Until Crew Stepped In
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Regardless of what some people think, honest mistakes do happen.
Today, we’ll meet an United Airlines customer who recently learned that very lesson after sitting in the wrong Polaris business-class seat.
As soon as he realized what happened, he apologized to the lady and quickly moved to the seat he had actually booked.
However, the woman kept berating him even after he tried to make things right.
Then, making them appear even worse, her husband starting asking another passenger to move because he had made a booking mistake of his own.
Keep reading to learn exactly what this entitled couple was up to.
Entitlement and the Honest Mistake
I just boarded a long haul United Airlines flight. I was lucky to be sitting in Polaris business class. I took my seat in the row, having selected it using lots of advice as to which is the best Polaris seat. Turns out my seat was 9X.
I had just sat down, wiped down the seat and surrounding areas thoroughly with the provided antibacterial wipes, and was enjoying the complimentary bubbly when a middle-aged woman and her docile husband came over. In a raised voice, she accused me by saying, “You stole my seat!”
I briefly checked my ticket and realized I was in 7L . I apologized profusely, explained my error, and told her I just sat down and just finished wiping down the entire seat. But she continued to throw a tantrum, berating me and telling me that I was a bad person for taking the seat.
Even though he apologized, she still couldn’t let it go.
I explained again that my seat was also in Polaris and was a better seat, and I was very sorry. There were at least 15 minutes till takeoff, but she lurks over me as I rapidly pack up. Her husband grabbed a flight attendant, who immediately realizes they have a “live” one.
“Why would you do such a thing?” she continues to berate.
“I’m so sorry. Again, my mistake,” I said.
“That is my seat,” she reiterates.
Then, her husband started asking for favors.
“I know, but I am also in business class, just two rows behind you. Apologies again,” I repeat.
I repeated that I just cleaned it and I was very sorry. It did not modify her one bit.
I rapidly vacated the seat, grabbing everything of mine, dragging it to my true seat two rows back. At the same time, she turned to her husband and said, “Well?”
He then turned to the person sitting behind me in row 8L and said, “I made a mistake when I booked the flights, and my wife and I are sitting on other sides of the plane. Would you be kind enough to switch with me?”
Suddenly, the flight attendant felt the need to apologize for the other customers.
Meanwhile, the witch, now sitting in seat 7L, insisted on the flight attendant coming and taking a new antiseptic wipe and made her wipe down the entire seat, provide her with new bedding, even though I had not touched or opened the bedding, and generally made the flight attendant uncomfortable.
BTW, I’m neatly and properly dressed, clean-shaven, don’t smell.
Even though the flight attendant had no reason to apologize, she came up to me as I sat back down and was apologetic because of how rude the witch in my old seat was.
I explained it was my error and that I was sorry to make the flight attendant do extra work.
They both got a good laugh about it.
We both laughed at the irony of her being such a jerk while her husband, in an entitled manner, was asking somebody to move while, at the same time, forcing the flight attendant to do nonsensical work.
I got the feeling that the passenger agreed to move only because he was so scared of them, which, in front of him, and just wanted to get away as well.
A few minutes later, another flight attendant who witnessed the whole scene came over to me and apologized again on behalf of the airline. I once again reminded her that it was not the airline’s fault and that some people are unkind and demanding.
He left everyone with some parting advice.
I know those are two separate items, but I think it describes the person and the family perfectly: mean and unforgiving on the one hand, entitled and demanding on the other.
Those of you who get really upset when someone is in your seat, keep in mind sometimes it’s a mistake. If someone really moves fast to make amends, apologizes profusely, and tries to lighten the situation with a smile, move on. Life is good.
And for those entitled folks out there who are incredibly rude even when faced with multiple apologies and really good service, fly private. You deserve it, and we don’t deserve you!
Wow! You would’ve thought he really violated her or something.
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Let’s see what the people over at Reddit think about people like this.
Apparently, people in Asia know how to board planes better than Americans.
That would’ve been perfect.
This reader just encountered something like that.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a cashier and manager who came together to help a truck driver from another country.
Here’s someone who makes that same mistake on occasion.
It’s a good thing we don’t encounter people like that every day.
Generally, after someone apologizes, people forget about what happened and move on.
The fact that she just had to keep going on about it really says a lot about the type of person she is.
But the irony of her husband having to admit he made a mistake was the real icing on the cake.
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