Woman receives praise for declining a request to swap her first-class seat on a plane with a child

 'As a parent, you did nothing wrong,' one TikTok user commented on the viral video.

A woman has received praise for her refusal to swap her first-class seat on a plane with a child.

On July 20, TikTok user Dr. Sabra (@lifewithdrsabra) shared her recent flight experience on the platform. She posted a video of herself sitting in the first-class section of the plane, accompanied by a caption that read: "POV: Flight agent asks me if I want to give up my 1A seat so a child sits with their family." The joyful expression on her face indicated that she was pleased with her decision to keep the seat she had originally paid for.

In the caption of the video, which has been viewed more than 3 million times, she stated, "That's a no from me dawg, would you have given up your seat? Also they ended up finding a solution so no, I am not a terrible human being. Also the child was like 13."

Her TikTok viewers supported her decision, considering the position of her seat. As one viewer pointed out, her 1A position would not have had another seat directly next to it. Dr. Sabra confirmed this, but also mentioned that the family would have still been seated across the aisle from each other had she agreed to swap seats.

However, Dr. Sabra argued that it was not the family's fault that they were not seated together, but rather the airline's responsibility. One supporter commented, "Never switch unless it is an upgrade. Others' poor planning is not your fault."

To this, Dr. Sabra responded, "Nope, cause as a mom, it is a parent's responsibility to plan ahead. Just traveled to Europe for one and a half months with my toddler and no one had to move." Another viewer agreed, stating, "As a parent, you didn't do anything wrong."

Some viewers expressed surprise at the idea of asking someone to switch seats. "I can't even bring myself to ask someone to please get up so that I can use the loo, but there are literally people out there who ask to trade seats?" one person questioned.

"Worst part is the kid is usually like 12 and perfectly capable of being on their own for the flight," a viewer pointed out.

The incident shared by the TikTok user follows a similar experience recorded by the CEO of the global jewelry brand CONQUERing, Tammy Nelson. She was flying on Delta Airlines from Cincinnati, Ohio, to San Jose, California when she was asked to swap seats with a woman who wanted to sit next to her two children.

Nelson told Newsweek that she initially thought she might have been looking at the wrong window seat, but her ticket confirmed that the mother was sitting in her assigned place. "When I confirmed I was looking at the correct seat, I thought she must have just mistakenly sat in the wrong seat. So I said, 'I'm sorry but it seems you're in my seat,' thinking she would realize it and move," she told Newsweek.

The woman, however, did not get up and instead explained that she thought she could sit in Nelson's seat since she was with her children. Nelson didn't want to create any trouble, but she candidly shared with her followers that she tends to feel sick on flights, and window seats help alleviate her nausea by allowing her to rest and sleep.

Just like they did with Dr. Sabra, people praised Nelson for not giving up the seat she had booked. "The number of families who aren't paying to select their seats together is mind-blowing! You were 100 percent right to not give up your seat," one follower said.

The two influencers aren't the only passengers to experience a request for a seat swap, as there has been a recent increase in the number of people sharing their own stories on social media. Most individuals admit they refused to move, and according to travel etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, they are valid in doing so.

Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, spoke to The Independent about the one appropriate instance in which someone can request another passenger to switch their seat after having prebooked it.

If a parent had tried their absolute hardest to find seats next to their children but was unable to secure them, only then is it acceptable to ask if they can take someone's spot on the plane, train, bus, or any other mode of transportation.