Passenger Calls Out Women Who 'Piled Bags' in Empty Seat So No One Would Take It — then Giggled When it Worked

Mar. 15, 2025

Plane passenger putting backpack on the middle seat in her row.Photo:Getty

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A plane passenger is calling out two women on her recent flight after witnessing them lie about the middle seat being occupied so other travelers wouldn’t sit between them.

The traveler, who was flyingSouthwest Airlines, revealed that watching the other passengers’ behavior made them now support the airline’s controversial shift to assigned seating, per their retelling of the incident onReddit. While the airline is currently still operating under its open seating policy, it is going tostart phasing in assigned seatingfor passengers later in 2025.

Interior of an airplane.Getty

“One young woman sat in seat D and the other in F. They piled bags in seat E and told a few passing people the seat was occupied. When the cabin door closed they looked at each other and giggled before moving some bags to the floor under seat E.”

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Referring to Southwest, one person suggested, “Seems like they could just enforce rules against seat saving, rather than getting rid of the reason most of their loyal customers have chosen them for years.”

Others pointed out that even with airlines that do enforce assigned seating, passengers often face the issue of not being able to sit next to their travel companion.

“Read other airline forums. People don’t get seats next to each for whatever reason and then just sit in someone else’s seat and ask the person to kindly trade with them. The issues won’t go away,” wrote one user.

A third commenter added, “The last couple times I’ve flown, the seat saving has been so bad. People are only getting ruder about it. I’m looking forward to assigned seats.”

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Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800.Getty

Under Southwest’s current open seating policy — which operates on a first come, first served basis — there are no specific rules against saving seats.

“Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carryon items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you,” the airline advises, per theirofficial website.

However, in July 2024, Southwest announced that it would officially be doing away with its open seating rule that loyal customers have experienced for years.

PEOPLE previously reported that the airlinewill begin selling assigned seatsin the second half of 2025, however travelers won’t see the reserved seating in action on their flights until the beginning of 2026.

The big announcement comes after the airline conducted “extensive research” on customers’ needs while flying, which concluded that 80% of Southwest customers, and 86% of potential customers, prefer an assigned seat.

source: people.com