Flight Attendant Reveals She ‘Punishes’ Passengers Who Refuse To Swap Plane Seats

A flight attendant has shared a clever way to handle passengers who refuse to swap seats when families with children need to sit together.

Many airlines now charge extra for seat selection, which often leaves families scattered. This sometimes results in young children sitting alone or with just one parent. Flight attendants try to help, but some passengers refuse to move.

Mitra Amirzadeh, a flight attendant from Orlando, has a smart response for those who won’t switch. First, she asks for volunteers to move. If no one agrees, she gives the person next to the child an unexpected responsibility.

She explained: “I have said before, ‘Okay, so you’re going to watch the toddler?’” She makes it clear that by staying in their seat, they are now responsible for the child. She even adds: “You’ll need their snacks and coloring books because they’ll need them.”

This tactic often makes people think twice. Many quickly decide that moving is better than babysitting a stranger’s child for the entire flight.

Mitra also made it clear that she never forces anyone to switch seats. She mainly uses this approach when a child is separated from their family—not for couples or other seating preferences.

She ended with a simple reality check: “If you’re upset about not getting the seat you want, remember—you didn’t pay to pick it. Otherwise, you’d already be sitting in it.”

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