Woman defends decision to refuse to swap plane seats so family could sit together

A woman has gone viral on TikTok for refusing to swap seats so a family could sit together on a plane, but she insists she's 'not a villain.'

When it comes to travelling, there's a long list of things that could make you very unpopular with your fellow passengers.

Opening closed blinds. Reclining your seat. Blasting TikToks for the whole cabin to hear.

And, of course, there's the never-ending debate over whether you should swap seats so a party can sit together.

Now, one woman has defended herself after refusing to do so on a flight, sharing her side of the story in a TikTok that has since gone viral.

Maresa Friedman uploaded a video of herself looking pretty wound up after she was asked to move seats by a family.

"No you can’t have my seat," she wrote.

"I am not a villain for moving from the seat in first class I paid full fare for."

In a series of follow-up videos, Friedman remained adamant that families shouldn't expect passengers who've already paid for their seats to move.

"I’m also a mom, so it’s called PLANNING AHEAD," she added.

A woman has defended herself after refusing to move for a family on a plane (TikTok/@maresasd)

In a further clip, she shared another in-flight story of a family demanding people move for them.

"Just watched a mom get mad that people wouldn't move," she said. "Watched her storm to her husband and complain...

"They booked basic economy which is all middle seats. I'm doubling down."

Many in the comments took the TikToker's side, with one person writing: "As she makes villain face, lol. Good for you, stand up for yourself."

"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.

She says if families want to sit together they need to plan ahead (TikTok/@maresasd)

A third person said: "Thank you! As a child free person I get shamed for not moving. I paid full price. I’m not moving."

"I'll never understand why people think you should give up the seat you paid for, just so they can sit together," a fourth thought.

But not everyone thought Friedman was in the right.

One person said: "I was on your side when I thought that u were being asked to go from 1st to economy, but it was just a row change in 1st! Most would've said 'ok'!"

And another added: "If I'm swapping my aisle for another aisle then I'm fine with swapping. I'll totally swap."