'Indian man asked me to…': US-based techie says passenger escorted off plane over seat swap drama

A viral social media post stirred a row about in-flight etiquette after a US-based techie said he was approached by a passenger asking him to swap seats on an international flight.

Saran Shanmugam, an Indian-American and director of Information Technology at the Biophysical Society, was travelling to India on a Middle Eastern airline. He had pre-booked an aisle seat in advance for comfort during the long flight. He said a fellow passenger, an Indian man, requested Shanmugam to switch his aisle seat so the man’s brother, seated in a middle seat in another row, could sit together.

Shanmugam refused the request. “I just said no. He approached a male steward and started demanding. The steward walked him off the plane while his entire family watched. Minutes later, he was allowed to come in. Never heard a peep or a glance from him again in my direction. I assumed the airline staff ensured a lifelong undertaking from him,” Shanmugam wrote in a post on X.

The passenger’s insistence reportedly prompted a brief intervention by the airline crew. According to Shanmugam, the man was escorted off the plane for a short time before being allowed back on. After returning, the passenger made no further attempt to engage with Shanmugam regarding the seat swap.

The incident quickly went viral, with social media users debating passengers’ rights, seat etiquette, and how airlines handle disputes on board. Many commenters supported Shanmugam for maintaining his pre-booked seat, while others discussed whether accommodating fellow passengers is a courteous practice during flights.

Social media reactions:

• I also always do pre book my seat as I prefer aisle. Once I switched with a mother who wanted to sit with her young kids. I sincerely feel, people need to learn to pre book their seats to avoid any hassle.
• I have faced this many times. My response always been, I will exchange my aisle seat for another aisle seat period.
• Reasonable requests are ok (this one was not). I have been on both ends of this. I have given my seat a few times and once Indigo had mentioned requesting it.
• Throwback to when aunties asked to get lower berth back when normal Indians could still travel in trains. Or asking if some snotty kid could share the lower berth with me because the family didn't buy a ticket for the child.