Outraged woman sparks debate as man invades personal space on flight

People are flying to social media in debate after a TikToker shared a video of a passenger encroaching on her 'personal space'.

Sitting in an airplane seat for hours on end isn't the most comfortable experience at the best of times. Least of all if your neighbor decides to get a bit too close for comfort.

However, one TikToker's reaction to the person sitting next to her has left people divided. Prepare to cringe in awkwardness:

TikToker @sterlingsavannah took to the platform on 17 December to share a video of herself sat in her window seat.

The video shows a view of Sterling, alongside the passenger sat next to her, who every so often within the 45-second clip leans over her to take a photograph through the window.

Sterling's captions on the footage read: "Do people not know personal space? And that you can choose a window seat?"

She adds her 'only option' was to just 'stare out the window'.

Although, not everyone's agreed with her condemnation of her fellow passenger.

TikTok/ @sterlingsavannah

The video has amassed over four million views, with thousands flooding to the comments section to weigh in on both plane passengers' behaviors.

One TikTok user wrote: "How is someone bothered by this?"

"It’s very important to be able to advocate for ourselves when someone is making us uncomfortable," another added.

A third said: "That’s when you ask, 'can I take the photo for you instead of you reaching into my personal space?'"

And a fourth argued: "This has been me a couple times. I dont mind at all. Seat windows are always taken up by the time u book most of the time or extra. And as a human I get wanting to admire the amazing view and wanting to document it. It’s two minutes out of what?..a two hour flight. Learning not to sweat small stuff like this will make life so much more enjoyable."

TikTok/ @sterlingsavannah

However, others stuck up for Sterling, agreeing the other passenger was behaving inappropriately.

A user said: "I don’t understand how someone could not speak up in a situation like this."

A second wrote: "The comment section is a bunch of people not understanding the freeze response."

"I think he was 100 percent being deliberate hoping it would make you uncomfortable enough to then offer him your seat," another added.

And a fourth resolved: "I refuse to believe this isn’t your dad. WHO DOES THAT?!"

What would you do?

Topics: Social Media, TikTok, Travel, Viral

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.