New 'seat squatting' trend on flights could leave you without your seat

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Air travellers have been alerted to the rising trend of "seat squatting", where individuals claim unoccupied seats without seeking permission from flight attendants or waiting for boarding to conclude - gambling that displaced passengers will not cause a scene.

Influencer Shannon Ella shared her flying experience in a TikTok video that has since gone viral with over 212,000 views. In the video, a man claimed her seat and refused to budge, assuming she would concede it to him. "Is that a thing that people are doing on planes now?

They just sit in your seat and just go like, 'no, it's mine, I sat there first so minesies? '" she queried. The video has triggered a wave of comments from others who've faced similar situations. READ MORE: Winter sun destination is 30C in January and direct flight away from Manchester One passenger recalled handing her two young children to a woman occupying her seat, causing the squatter to quickly locate her correct seat.

A flight attendant named Olivia offered her perspective on the issue, stating on TikTok: "I'm a flight attendant and once a passenger says someone is in my seat, I 100 per cent make them move to their assigned seat." Online forums are awash with similar tales, including one from a traveller who observed three "seat squatters" on a single flight, with one audaciously claiming a seat far from his assigned spot, reports the Express.