Entitled Couple Stole the Airplane Seat I Paid For—So I Gave Them Turbulence They Deserved

I’m Carly, 32, obese, and used to making myself smaller in public. For a solo work flight to Westlake, I bought two seats for comfort, costing $176 extra. A couple, Mr. and Miss Entitled, claimed my empty middle seat, ignoring my protests. He invaded my space; she called me a “fat jerk” loudly. Instead of arguing, I smiled, ate crunchy chips, and subtly reclaimed my space, nudging him repeatedly. Frustrated, he called a flight attendant, who confirmed I’d paid for both seats, forcing him to his assigned seat. Miss Entitled insulted me again, but the attendant

reprimanded her. Later, they unsuccessfully tried swapping seats. I reported their harassment to the attendant, Jenn, who encouraged a formal complaint. After landing, I publicly called them out for their behavior and filed the complaint. The airline responded, noting the couple’s violation and awarding me 10,000 miles. I learned to refuse shrinking myself for others’ comfort, embracing the space I deserve.