Doug Ales

I was on a flight from the very small Appleton Wisconsin ATW airport going to LasVegas LAS on the discount airline Allegaint Air. Full flight.

Passenger comes down the isle to sit in middle seat next to me so I stand and move into th isle and a bit back to allow him to get to the middle seat. He asked me if I would swap seats with his wife so they could sit together. I asked where she is sitting. She is several rows forward, also in a middle seat. I said I'm sorry but at my size I need and paid extra for a isle seat then sat down.

He badgered me, said I was rude, that I should swap to keep them together because I'm just traveling alone. I asked him why he did not not book seats together. He blamed the airline (insert several swearwords here.) After a few more questions from me it turns out he would not pay the extra fee Allegiant charges for a seat assignment.

I put in my ear buds and started working on my ipad as I ignored him, but his badgering went on. His comments would stop for a bit then resume as I kept ignoring him. It was one long, non-enjoyable flight.

I'm open to your suggestions on how to better handle this situation.

schmoove

Sounds like you handled it pretty well.

Some people can't be reasoned with and are better off ignored.

WorldLux

"STEWARDESS!!!! This man can't control himself"

That kind of passengers usually can't handle themselves and will escalate things meaning:

http://nypost.com/2017/01/02/unruly-...ted-off-plane/

or
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...ly-passengers/

or
http://wkrn.com/2017/01/04/police-un...ville-airport/

or
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/56348196.cms

or
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/unru...rport-44461223

or
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/...NsGadwsUM.html

If he's looking for trouble, let him have trouble.

12939

Pepper spray?

You did the right thing. You needed and paid for the seat. He evidently wanted the money in his pocket more than he wanted to sit with his wife. He took a gamble on being able to coerce you into giving him something for free that he had the opportunity to obtain by paying for it. He learned a valuable life lesson.

Seat 2A

I doubt it. People who are old enough to be married and still behave like this generally stopped learning from these types of situations a long time ago - if they ever learned at all. For them, it's always somebody else's fault. For this guy to continue to badger you throughout the flight is as telling as it is inexcusable. Since logic and patience failed to assuage him, I would've read him the riot act and alerted a flight attendant to the situation, preferably before push back. Perhaps the threat of being put off the flight might have finally gotten his attention. Sadly, the whip and chair are probably all that'll work with chaps like this any more.

princeville

Hit the call button, preferably before the flight takes off.

Tchiowa

If he continues to badger you alert an FA. Otherwise, if he just stays annoying, turn in your seat with your back to him and let the phenomenon of lower gas pressure do its thing.

CitizenWorld

Had this before. Ultimatum, ask that he ceases this line of discussion or that you will involve the flight crew.

Fleck

Etymotic Research ER4P

yandosan

That's great that you put up with that guy's threats and badgering.
The tough guy approach might have been "Meet me in the LAV, pal."
I saw Don Johnson use that line in Miami Vice and it has helped me
out of quite a bit of litigation.

Duke787

You definitely did the right thing - if it escalates or you have had enough, the best thing to do is excuse yourself to the "restroom" and let a flight attendant know what's going on.

Doug Ales

Thank you everyone for your feedback. Greatly appreciated.

KevinDTW

Tough guy approach or Larry Craig approach?

enviroian

true, but also easy to armchair and say this from the confines of home. Most people won't do this and are afraid of confrontation.

princeville

Very true- I happen to be one of those non-confrontational people and probably would have done the same as OP. But no one should have to put up with that for an entire flight and there's clearly no reasoning with someone who feels entitled to someone else's paid-for aisle seat in exchange for a middle seat.