A woman is sharing her side of the story after a viral video showed her refusing to move for a toddler on a flight. She is now considering taking legal action against the person who filmed her.
On December 4, 2024, Jeniffer Castro, a 29-year-old from Brazil, boarded a GOL Airlines flight and found a young child sitting in the seat she had booked. The child’s mother said they wanted to sit by the window, but Castro explained that she had chosen and paid for that seat. She then politely asked them to move.
Things took a turn when the mother started recording Castro, saying: “I’m recording your face. This is disgusting. It’s the 21st century, and people have no empathy for children.”
Now, Castro is speaking out and considering legal action against the woman who filmed her.
Speaking on the Cola Mais Podcast on January 22, Castro was asked whether she planned to sue the airline or the woman who recorded her. She replied: “[Translation] Measures are now being taken. What I went through wasn’t easy. The flight attendants didn’t even ask if I needed anything or if I was uncomfortable.”
Castro said she was polite when asking for her seat back and even waited for the child to move. A passenger across the aisle suggested she switch to an aisle seat, but she declined. She also described the child’s mother as “very rude” and said the child cried for most of the 50-minute flight from Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte.
The video quickly spread on social media, sparking debate over plane seat rules. While some people supported the mother, many defended Castro’s decision to keep the seat she paid for.
One person wrote: “She has every right to keep her seat. Parents should plan better.”
Another commented: “Recording someone without permission is wrong. I would take legal action too.”
A third person added: “She paid for the seat, so she doesn’t have to move. The mother should have booked the seat she wanted.”
Castro’s story has started a discussion about airline etiquette, personal rights, and privacy. Many believe passengers should not be pressured to give up their reserved seats, while others feel more understanding is needed in such situations.
