‘I wanted to slap him’: Man refuses to swap seats to let couple sit together

An Aussie man’s question to the person sitting next to him on a flight has sparked a heated debate about plane etiquette. Who was in the wrong?

Have you ever been in a situation where you have asked a fellow passenger to swap seats with you so you can sit next to your friend, family member or partner, and they have outright refused?

Aussie man Jay Kloss was put in that situation when he asked the person sitting next to him if they could swap seats so he could sit next to his girlfriend Zoe.

The pair were travelling in business class on a Virgin flight and were unable to book two adjoining seats.

She sat in the window seat while he was sat on the aisle in the same row on the opposite side of the plane.

However, Jay was left in shock when the passenger next to him refused to give up their seat, sparking a heated debate on plane etiquette.

He took to TikTok asking viewers if he was in the wrong. “I wanted to slap him,” Jay said.

Aussie man Jay Kloss asked a passenger if he could swap seats with him so he could sit next to his partner – but the passenger refused. Picture: TikTok/jaykloss_

“We have a real rant today, a serious rant,” he continued. “I encountered an absolute f***wit on the plane.

“So when I booked the flight – we booked Virgin business and there’s only eight seats on the plane – Zoe booked there (on far left) and I was sitting here (aisle seat).”

Jay explained there was one person sitting in between he and Zoe.

“I politely asked him, ‘Bro would you mind moving so I can sit with my missus, it’s her birthday,’ and he just looks at me and doesn’t respond,” Jay said.

“I was like, ‘I have this seat, it’s sort of the same is it possible if you switch to here,’ but he just doesn’t respond and then he’s like, ‘No, I won’t.’”

Jay said the passenger said he would only move if he swapped with Zoe, who had the window seat.

“Zoe is not a great flyer, she gets super nauseous so she always needs to sit next a window, cool that’s on us, no worries.

“But either way he’s getting this seat in the exact spot but on the other side.

“I am like, ‘Bro really, you can’t swap seats?’ And he just doesn’t respond.”

Zoe also asked the passenger if he could switch seats.

“She was like is there a problem? It’s my birthday and I’d like to sit with my partner,” Jay explained. “He was like, ‘No, no problem just not moving.’”

Eventually the passenger in the window seat next to Jay offered to swap with Zoe allowing the pair to sit next to each other.

“Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on here? It’s the same section just on the other side of the aisle,” Jay said.

Jay’s partner was sitting on the far right window seat, while Jay was sitting on the aisle seat on the opposite side. Picture: TikTok/jaykloss_

Jay wanted to swap with the passenger sitting next to Zoe (circled) who was also on an aisle seat. Picture: TikTok/jaykloss_

“Surely I am not in the wrong – someone please tell me.”

Jay’s TikTok has since blown up, attracting thousands of comments from viewers and travellers mostly siding with the passenger who refused to give up their seat.

“Your [sic] automatically assuming he needed to give up his seat to accommodate you?” one person asked.

“Bro I’m sick of people asking to switch seats. Book the right seat first,” another wrote.

A third person said: “So what if it’s her birthday. She’s not five. Book the seats you want in future. Simples.”

He was left in shock after the passenger said ‘No’ to his request. He took to TikTok asking if he was in the wrong, with most people saying he was. Picture: TikTok/jaykloss_

Another said while it is no problem to swap, it shouldn’t be expected someone switch seats with you.

“I don’t understand why people need to sit together on a flight. You will see each other at end destination again,” said another.

Meanwhile, some jumped to Jay’s defence with one person saying: “I would love to help out anytime.”

“The flights around Australia are so short so why not make two people happy. Life is too short to be unhelpful,” a second wrote, while a third added. “Nah I’m with you. Why wouldn’t he move? Just a power trip.”

Meanwhile, a woman flying first class triggered the same debate when she refused to give up her seat to a family who wanted to sit together.

Maresa Friedman, a business, brand and marketing strategist from the US, had no regrets over the act, saying it all comes down to “planning”.

“I am not a villain for not moving from the seat in first class I paid full fare for. I’m also a mum so it’s called PLANNING AHEAD,” she said in the clip that has since attracted 1.4 million views.