'Seat squatters' on planes are latest travel trend taking over social media

When it comes to choosing seats on a flight, some travelers make sure to book more desirable seats while others may just wing it. 

The term "seat squatters" has been circulating on social media, with flyers calling out those who rob seats that were assigned to others.

Gary Leff, a Virginia-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital that the person holding the seat assignment on their boarding pass is entitled to that seat.

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"[Flyers] may not be able to get what they want from the airline when reserving seats, or the airline may want a fee for the seats they want and the passenger doesn't want to pay — so they'll try their luck on board," said Leff.

One traveler shared an experience on Reddit in the "r/delta" forum with the caption, "My First Class Seat Squatter."

Flight passengers' encounters with "seat squatters" are circulating on social media, with some flyers taking over more desirable seats not assigned to them. (iStock)

"Well after the boarding door closed, an agent approached me and let me know someone didn’t show, so they had a first class seat (3A) available for me. Score," posted the user.

The user went on to say, "I noticed a woman in the seat. I figured the computer was wrong and the person originally booked for the seat had made the flight. I approached the attendant just to double-check, and she confirmed that 3A was now assigned to me."

The user claimed that "this lady had just seen an open seat in first class and figured she’d see if she could get away with sitting there."

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The Redditor went on to share that the woman ordered a beer while occupying the seat, which was later delivered to her [the rightful seat owner] and she "gladly drank."

On the "r/unitedairlines" forum, another flyer shared a post of a run-in with a "squatter."

"Ah, the thought of being confronted for doing that gives me anxiety, lol," commented one Redditor about taking a different seat. (iStock)

"So midway through my flight, a swarm of FAs [flight attendants] approached the woman in the seat across from me. She had apparently snuck into the seat a few hours in, and [the] main FA had only just realized it," said the Redditor. 

Users took to the comments section, replying, "I would be so ashamed to be caught for something like this in the confined space of a plane on a long trip," said one.

"Ah, the thought of being confronted for doing that gives me anxiety, lol," added another.

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A post titled "Main Extra Squatter" in the "r/americanairlines" subreddit shared a passenger’s story of witnessing a squatter getting away with staying in the seat.

"I booked a Main Extra seat near departure because I saw an empty row and thought I’d take advantage of a whole row to myself," the person wrote. 

"Upon boarding and just before the door was closed, a person came along and sat in the seat I had presumed was empty."

One Reddit user (not pictured) said a woman who took her seat ordered a beer. (iStock)

The Redditor said he or she assumed the seat was booked at the last minute and did not suspect anything — until a flight attendant approached the fellow flyer.

That flyer could not locate a ticket for the assigned seat.

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"When the FA returns she asks my neighbor her name again and calls them out for being 10 rows forward of where they’re supposed to be," said the post.

The user continued, "FA pauses a moment before telling them, ‘Ah, you can just stay there’ and just walks away. After all the lies and posturing my neighbor gave, the FA didn’t relocate them to their seat."

A travel industry expert suggested that instead of stealing seats, flyers can try their luck on board by simply asking others to swap seats. (iStock)

Leff suggested that instead of stealing seats, flyers can try their luck on board by simply asking others to swap seats.

"Have a compelling reason that will resonate with the person you're asking, and have something decent to offer in return so it isn't as much of a hardship for the person to give you what you want," he said.

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Leff added, "You need decent trade bait! Don't offer a middle seat in the back in exchange for an extra legroom aisle."