Two women clashed over a window seat on a flight. Then the argument turned into a viral ‘who’s in the wrong’ debate

A video shared on Reddit showed two women arguing on an airplane after one asked about the window during landing. The clip was posted in r/TikTokCringe by Small_Image_1722 with the caption “Social media is truly ruining the world.”

The video appeared with a “BREAKING NEWS” graphic and the on-screen caption “OHH MY GOD: VIRAL PLANE SEAT DRAMA WHO’S IN THE WRONG?” A blonde woman with glasses on her head filmed herself and the passenger sitting in front of her, who at first looked down at her phone.

The woman filming told the camera, “Look at this lady. She’s so upset that she doesn’t have a window seat.” She then said she had already refused the request more than once, stating, “And I said no. And I said no. And I said no.”

The woman filming told the other passenger to book a window seat next time

She turned to the passenger and said, “Then you should have booked a window seat. Then you should have booked a window seat.” After the other woman responded, the woman filming said, “No, I feel bad for you.” She added, “Grow up. Book a window seat. Book a window seat.” Such disputes over seating are common, like when a woman finds a family sitting in her Delta seat and refuses to give it up after they offer her a middle seat across the plane. 

The woman filming then said, “And I said no, and you’re having a temper tantrum.” The passenger replied, “I’m having a temper tantrum because legally, while we’re landing, you’re supposed to have a raise.”

The woman filming answered, “Then legally, so you can exercise that right, book a window seat.” The passenger said, “I can’t.” The woman filming responded, “Okay, then do that. Then do that. There you go. There you go.” Such tensions can escalate quickly, as when a flight attendant refused to get involved as two women fought over who gets off the plane first. 

She then said, “I feel so sorry for you. You are a really terrible human being.” The passenger stated, “Just because somebody asked you to walk away, don’t walk away.” The woman filming closed with, “No, how about you exercising self-control? Exercising self-control.”

Commenters on the Reddit post said the passenger appeared to be asking the woman in the window seat to raise the window shade. Several users wrote that airlines commonly announce that window shades should be open during landing so crew members can see outside the plane. 

One commenter wrote that the person recording seemed to be in the wrong and that passengers are asked to raise the window cover during landing. Another user said they had flown before social media existed and that entitled behavior on planes was already common then.

Viewers also noted that the video added music and gave clearer subtitles to the woman filming than to the other passenger. Some said that made it harder to hear the full exchange. One commenter wrote, “I really feel like some people are just dying for their chance to record a stranger acting in a way they don’t agree with. It’s honestly pathetic.” 

Another commenter stated, “So many people want to go viral, want to “feel” special, want attention, want to be right/justified and social media is a direct cause of this.” A third commenter said, “It seems to me like social media exposed something that was already there, and gave these people an outlet to act on it.” 

A user who identified as a flight attendant wrote, “I’m a flight attendant and this is so true. It’s disturbing how many people rush into an interaction with their phones at the ready, looking for a fight. It’s awful.” Another commenter wrote, “I have been on planes before social media, and entitled people have 100% always been a thing. One thing that probably contributes though, is that airlines have reduced the room we have by like half since then…”