Have you ever experienced a flight that seemed destined for disaster, all because of your seatmates? Well, let me tell you about the newlyweds who transformed my 14-hour flight into quite the ordeal. They treated the plane like their personal getaway, and by the end, I decided it was time to offer them a crash course in airplane etiquette.
I’m Toby, 35 years old, and this story might make you rethink booking a long-haul flight. Imagine this: I’m heading home after a long business trip, eagerly awaiting the moment I can reunite with my wife and child. Everything was going smoothly until the couple boarded.
I had splurged on a premium economy seat for this lengthy journey. Let’s face it, for a 14-hour flight, a bit of extra room makes all the difference. Just as I settled in, a man next to me—let’s call him Dave—introduced himself.
“Hey, I’m Dave. Would you mind switching seats with my wife? We just got married and would love to sit together.”
I smiled politely. “Congratulations! Where is your wife sitting?”
Dave pointed to a seat at the back of the plane in economy.
Now, I understand that newlyweds want to sit together, but I had paid extra for the upgraded seat, and I wasn’t about to give it up without fair compensation.
“Sorry, Dave,” I said kindly. “I paid for this seat, so I’d only be willing to switch if the difference in fare is covered—around a thousand Australian dollars.”
Dave’s smile vanished. “A thousand dollars? That’s ridiculous.”
I simply shrugged and put my headphones in. “That’s the deal.”
As I relaxed, I heard him mutter, “You’ll regret this.” And soon enough, his words proved true.
The first issue? The coughing—loud, incessant, and rather disruptive. “Are you okay, Dave?” I asked, concerned.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he replied, coughing even louder.
Next, he pulled out a tablet and started playing an action movie—without headphones. Passengers nearby started to give him disapproving glances.
“Hey, could you lower the volume?” someone across the aisle asked.
Dave smirked. “Forgot my headphones. Guess we’re all in this together.”
I clenched my jaw, trying to stay calm. “Dave, can you please turn it down?”
“Oh, am I bothering you?” he replied, feigning innocence.
Things only got worse when Dave began snacking on pretzels, sending crumbs everywhere—mostly on me. “Oops, sorry about that,” he said, clearly amused.
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