[MyDaily = Reporter Seo Gi-chan] A woman’s raw account of a recent flight has reignited the long-running debate over seat encroachment on planes.
A video titled “13-hour flight stuck up close with a stranger” has been going viral across online forums and social media.
In the footage, the woman says the large man beside her sat with his legs widely splayed, leaving her visibly uncomfortable throughout the flight.
On-screen captions describe the awkwardness: “Not even my mom sits this close to me,” and “When I lower my head to eat, his elbow almost hits my throat.”
She says he would slump onto her shoulder and arm when he fell asleep, and because the flight was full she couldn’t move to another seat.
She noted he wasn’t trying to be mean — when she spoke up he immediately pulled in and made an effort — but once he dozed off she still had no choice but to shrink away.
Readers sympathized, with comments like “I’d freak out from claustrophobia,” while others pointed out the man’s size might have made the situation unavoidable. Some offered a practical fix: “If you’re big, buy two seats.”
This debate also ties into real airline policy changes. According to outlets including People, U.S. carrier Southwest Airlines began enforcing a policy in January requiring larger passengers to purchase an extra seat.
Southwest’s guidance says, “Customers who encroach on the adjacent seat must purchase the number of seats they need,” and it defines the armrest as the boundary between seats.
Even if a passenger hasn’t bought an extra seat in advance, staff can require an on-the-spot purchase, and if no spare seats are available the airline can deny boarding — a move that has prompted many complaints.
Some see the policy as a reasonable step for safety and comfort; others call it discriminatory because it relies on staff judgment. The fight over seat-occupancy rights looks likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
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