Plane Passenger Says Her Faith Prohibits Her From Sitting Between Two Men and Demands to Switch Seats

From what we've seen in old photos and videos, air travel used to be an elegant affair that affluent people prepared for. These days, it's definitely cheaper, but it's not as fancy as it used to be unless you're in first class.

While it's still exciting to travel from one corner of the earth to another, it's more like a necessary chore you have to endure with gritted teeth. Commercial airlines are determined to pack as many people as they can into one of their jumbo planes, making flying about as enjoyable as a trip to the dentist.

Ask any frequent flyer, and they'll have at least one unforgettable yet unfortunate experience while on a plane. This can be due to hours of delays and missing luggage, but more often than not, the complaints are about fellow passengers.

A traveler was the subject of a complaint when he refused to switch seats with a woman. OP (original poster) shared that he was headed for a lacrosse summer camp.

Once seated, the woman in the middle seat asked OP to change seats with her. She stated that, according to her religion, she is not allowed to sit next to two males due to possible "sexual issues."

OP assured her that he is gay and has no sexual interest in women. The woman then approached a flight attendant to explain her predicament and OP's remark.

The flight attendant informed her that there was nothing she could do. The man in the other seat mentioned that he has bladder issues and couldn't trade seats.

A gentleman from an aisle seat finally agreed to trade places with the lady.

Grom92708

OP is wondering if he's the a**hole for not granting her request. Read his full post below:

Grom92708 Grom92708

Maybe it's specific to being seated between two men?

neverthelessidissent

Or she just really hated being trapped in the middle seat.

lolikamani

Apparently, in some religions, the restrictions also apply to men.

QCr8onQ

Is this the missing 11th commandment?

faeyt

The word of the Lord is mysterious and shouldn't be taken too literally.

Effective-Penalty

They can't sit with women unless she's their wife or related to them.

xlxcx

Shouldn't they be the ones to make arrangements knowing what is and isn't allowed in their religion?

Skankasaursrex

Why should others be inconvenienced so you can follow the tenets of your religion?

Logical_Ruse

It's up to the individual to avoid situations that could compromise their beliefs. She should have booked two seats.

cantankerousgnat

Here's the linked post from the above comment:

shulchanaruchharav.com

The laws are too expansive and complex to be fully understood, so sometimes, like the lady, some become overly cautious.

cantankerousgnat

If the lady was indeed Jewish, a Rabbi would have advised her to do nothing but make a fuss, says this commenter.

cantankerousgnat

It's true that what she asked wasn't unreasonable, but she could have expressed her request with a better attitude.

hannahstohelit

When expressed this way, it's easy to understand that it was really the lady's responsibility to ensure she wouldn't accidentally violate her religion's rules.

Big_Metal2470

Buy multiple seats just to be safe.

majesticjewnicorn

The last sentence is poetry.

InfamousBanana4391

Assuming that the whole plane was booked, the flight attendant really couldn't do much.

Brickolas75

It could be both: she's not allowed to sit next to men not related to her AND she hates that damned middle seat.

Basic-Neighborhood10

A Reddit user from a faith with a similar rule explained it more clearly...

BornTheme3419

... we can't blame the woman for following the practices of her faith, BUT she should have made proper arrangements so as not to violate them.

BornTheme3419

Like what the commenter above said, the woman must have felt trapped sitting between two men when her beliefs tell her it's wrong. However, she was wrong for not making the proper arrangements beforehand and instead chose to inconvenience the people around her.

OP is most definitely not an a**hole in this case, despite his doubts. He reassured her, but as a paying customer, he was well within his rights to refuse her request. The lady in the middle seat should take this experience as a lesson for when she books her next flights.