Aisle seat drama: Passenger told to ‘climb over’ after asking fellow flyer to move for bathroom break

Anyone who’s flown economy knows the struggle—you’re stuck in the window or middle seat, nature calls, and now you have to navigate the delicate dance of getting out without causing a scene. A recent Reddit post has sparked debate over the proper etiquette in this situation after a passenger was met with unexpected resistance when asking to be let out.
The passenger, seated in the window seat, politely asked the man beside them to move so they could reach the aisle. The man in the middle seat went to shift, but the aisle passenger had other ideas. Instead of standing up, he “made a motion” for them to squeeze through the small gap in front of him.
With two passengers ahead working on their laptops and little space to maneuver, the window-seated traveler wasn’t keen on climbing over. “I told him no, I won’t fit and the other folks had their laptops out,” they wrote. Still, the aisle passenger insisted, motioning again for them to “go around.”

The passenger stood their ground, repeating that they wouldn’t fit and asked once more for the aisle passenger to move. Eventually, he did—but not without making it clear he was unhappy about the request. The post has now gone viral, with Reddit users commenting furiously and sharing their own stories.

Unwritten rules in a plane as per Reddit users?

One user went ahead and wrote down unwritten rules when it comes to seats in Economy class. They start by emphasizing, “I don’t understand how hard it is for people to know the rules.” Then he mentions the seats and the respective rules with the seats. He said, “Aisle – easy access to lav, extra legroom in the aisle when nobody is walking by and/or FAs are done with their service, must get up if anybody needs to use lav. Middle – gets both armrests, has to get up if window needs to use lav. Window – controls the shade (don’t be a dick if the sun is blaring through), gets a free headrest in the form of the sidewall, try to control bladder but you gotta go when you gotta go”.

Other Reddit users agreed, with some even suggesting that airlines should hand out these etiquette guidelines along with safety instructions before takeoff.
People also shared their love for the aisle seat, with many agreeing that it’s the best choice.“I love the aisle, I can get up to go to the bathroom whenever I want, and when the middle/window needs to go to the restroom, it’s a great excuse to stretch my legs!” one user wrote, echoing the sentiment of many others.