Flight Attendant Reveals She 'Punishes' Passengers Who Refuse To Swap Plane Seats

A flight attendant has shared an interesting strategy she employs to handle stubborn passengers on flights who are reluctant to switch seats to help families with children stay together.

She revealed that she has a unique method of dealing with passengers who refuse to move seats to accommodate families with children.

In today's travel environment, many airlines impose additional fees for passengers to select their seats, which often results in families being scattered throughout the cabin.

This situation sometimes leaves children seated alone or with only one parent.

Flight attendants often try to help passengers – but some have interesting ways of doing so Image: Getty Images

Being asked to change seats can be irritating, but one flight attendant admits she "punishes" those who decline her request.

We all get why someone might not want to swap a favorable aisle or window seat for a less desirable middle one.

However, dealing with an upset flight attendant might make reconsidering worthwhile.

She also has a rather unique method of irritating those who ignore her request.

Mitra Amirzadeh, who works as a flight attendant based in Orlando, shared with The Wall Street Journal her approach when a passenger declines to move to help a child sit with their family. 

She says she simply puts strangers in charge of the children if they refuse to move. Image: Sunday Mirror

She initially seeks volunteers willing to shift seats to accommodate them.

If no one volunteers, she takes a more direct approach with those unwilling to move by assigning them an unexpected responsibility.

She explained: "I have said before, 'OK, so you're going to watch the toddler?'"

Her form of retribution involves informing the person seated next to the child that they are now responsible for looking after them.

"You'll want their snacks and their coloring books then, because they're going to need that."

She wants people to help others when they need to sit with their children Image: Getty Images

Effectively, she transforms those who are unwilling to relocate into temporary babysitters for the duration of the flight, no matter how long it may be.

This tactic presumably motivates some passengers to reconsider and move just to avoid the hassle.

However, Mitra also noted that she does not "force" anyone to change seats to accommodate others, such as couples who wish to sit together.

She concluded by saying: "The next time you feel yourself getting angry or 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."