Woman defends decision to not swap plane seats so family could sit together

A family wanted to sit together. Maresa Friedman wanted to sit in the seat she paid full fare for.

A woman has divided the interest over refusing to swap seats so a family could sit together. Maresa Friedman, who is also a mum of two, uploaded a fiery TikTok defending her decision to refuse the family's pleas, saying she is "not a villain for not swapping her seat" on a Delta flight. "I am not a villain for moving from the seat in first class I paid full fare for," she said. The family had wanted to sit in the same row. In a series of posts, Friedman explained the family of three had asked that she move from her seat — which she had chosen specifically — so they could sit together. “I’m sorry moms and families but as a fellow mom I’m not a villain for not giving up my seat,” she captioned the clip, which has been viewed more than 1.4 million times. As the seats in first class had two on each side of the aisle, the family wanted Friedman to move so they could sit together in the seat next to each other as well as occupy the seat close to the isle in the middle. But, she refused. Her alternative suggestion did nothing to help the situation. Friedman suggested the family move into a different section of the plane that was in a different formation.  

@maresasd Replying to @acdaniel1987 ♬ original sound - Maresa Friedman | Strategy

“[After suggesting they move sections] I just got ‘the look,'” the frustrated flyer revealed. “The flight attendant looked at me and was like, ‘That was a good suggestion,’ but it didn’t stop this mom from [giving me] side eye,” she recalled. “I was getting looked at, she was talking about me.” Responding to those telling her she should have just moved, Friedman explained, as a mother herself, she always prepares when flying with children. “Even in the early stages and I would buy my baby a seat next to me,” she said. “But when you book with the airlines, you have to tell them to book your reservations together and that you’re travelling with a minor. That way, when they are looking to bump people they make sure to set you next to one another.”  

@maresasd Replying to @smoothb0 ♬ Strut - Kyle Walker

Commenters were divided over who was in the wrong. “It’s called just being a nice person lol. Don’t see the issue with switching to a dif 1st class seat,” one user told the TIkToker. “Was there a reason you couldn’t move to be nice? Or like, you just didn’t feel like being nice?” asked another. Others applauded her for not switching. “Their lack of planning does not constitute your emergency,” one user wrote. Another said they would have done the same as Friedman: “Thank you! Other people having kids is not my problem,” added another. "I don’t give up my seat anywhere ever on a plane. I reserved it early enough to get what I wanted. Your loss if you didn’t," someone else added. Another commenter, who doesn't have children, wrote: "Thank you! As a child-free person, I get shamed for not moving. I paid full price. I’m not moving."