For passengers, getting a good seat on a flight often feels like winning the lottery. Especially on long journeys, people value their comfortable seat. Whether it’s a window or an aisle seat, the middle seat is usually less appealing for everyone. However, the process of changing seats is not always easy. Some passengers refuse immediately, while others try to negotiate. But recently a Reddit user shared how he made a quick buck by switching seats. In a post shared on the r/delta forum, a passenger explained that they were on a nonstop flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Austin Airport in Texas. During this time, two passengers sitting next to them both had middle seats, and were trying to sit in an aisle or window seat so that they could travel together. Both of them offered $80, but neither one accepted.
However, the events took a turn when one of the passengers sat next to the user. The user revealed that he cracked a light joke, saying “If you guys are lucky, one of the seats around might be empty.” After this, the passenger next to him suddenly raised the price of his offer, saying that he was willing to switch seats for $150. The user considered the offer and agreed.
The two immediately sealed the deal and the passenger transferred the money to the user. But it didn’t stop there. When the drink cart came on the plane, the passenger also offered to buy the user a drink, however the user decided to ask for “water” even though he could have had wine.
Reddit users react
The viral post spread rapidly on Reddit and many users reacted to it. “Looks like it’s a win-win, that’s how you request a seat change,” wrote one user. Another user said, “Someone paid me $100 to move from an aisle seat to a window seat. It was no big deal to me.” A third user said, “This is the right approach. If the flight isn’t too long and you can comfortably sit in the middle seat, just name your price. There’s nothing to lose, so why not?”A fourth user commented on the post, “This makes total sense and seems like it was a win-win for everyone.”
The incident has brought a new dimension to how financial negotiations can take place over seat changes in air travel. It was not just a funny and unexpected experience, but also an example of how sometimes a simple offer to change seats can lead to extra money. The post has indeed sparked a new trend in the online community, with negotiations and compromises over seats becoming more common.
