I'm a flight attendant - I punish passengers who won't swap seats for families

"I make a threat that motivates them to move immediately."

We constantly hear about disgruntled plane passengers refusing to accommodate kids on planes, especially if they've paid for a certain seat.

But a flight attendant this week has said that if you don't help families who need to be seated together, she will "punish" you.

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"Are you going to watch the toddler?"

Orlando-based flight attendant Mitra Amirzadeh has now revealed how she 'punishes' passengers who refuse to consider families who've found they've been seated apart with one line that's sure to make them uncomfortable.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Mitra said: "I have said before, ''OK, so you're going to watch the toddler? You'll want their snacks and their colouring books then, because they're going to need that'."

Naturally, most people respond to this reality being pointed out to them, and they quickly give up their seat.  So it's a 'hack' that works like a charm, but Mitra added that she won't use it unless there are children involved - because then it's a real safety issue for them to not be with parents.

She also won't make the 'punishment threat' if a passenger has paid for their seat.

The flight attendant also advised, "The next time you feel yourself getting angry or getting frustrated that you're not getting the seat you want, you need to remind yourself that you didn't pay to pick your seat. Otherwise, you'd be in it."

Mitra estimates that passengers spark confrontations over seating arrangements on approximately 80 percent of her monthly flights.

Image: iStock

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I swapped my plane seat for a baby

I can understand why people who've booked seats are reluctant to move.

I was put in a situation where I had to accommodate a family who'd arrived late on the flight.

My dad had died in a car crash that morning, and I booked the next flight home. Having a pre-schooler with me, my son, I talked to the check-in desk about our seats, and they arranged a row specifically for us to have some space with no one sitting in the middle seat - because I just could not stop crying.

I was in shock, and an absolute mess.

But the flight attendant didn't know that, so when this couple with a baby came on at the last minute, not having made the right arrangements for themselves, I was asked to move.

Well, told, really.

I did it, because I was not in a position to speak up for myself at that time in front of a full plane. People must have thought I was crying because I was told to move seats.

No, I was crying because my dad dying in a violent car crash was at that time the worst thing I'd ever experienced.

But I'll never forgive the selfish family who hadn't been organised enough to ask for what they wanted before they boarded - as I did.

You can read more about what happened, here.

Originally published as I'm a flight attendant - I punish passengers who won't swap seats for families