Between seat size, meal selections, and add-on fees, many economy travelers feel nickel-and-dimed before the plane takes off.
So when the cabin is half empty, it seems natural to want to spread out and breathe a little. But while flying with Delta Air Lines, one New Jersey man learned that “just grabbing an empty seat” isn’t as simple as it may seem.
What Went Wrong On The Delta Flight?
TikTok creator @m_stoney shared a storytime explaining what happened on his short flight. His video has over 7,900 views.
“So I’m not a frequent flyer myself,” he says. “I was on a very quick flight… about an hour long.” He explains that he didn’t pay for a specific seat and let the airline assign him 23B, a middle seat wedged between two other passengers. Meanwhile, as he walked down the aisle, he noticed several empty rows just ahead.
“There was, like, six rows that were right in front of me that were completely empty,” he says.
Once everyone buckled up and the plane started to taxi, he decided to ask a flight attendant if he could move forward into one of the open aisle seats. “She kinda just laughed at me, and she was like, ‘No, you can’t do that, sir,’” he recalls her saying.
He says he stayed polite and pointed out the empty seats directly in front of him. “There’s like 15 empty seats right in front of me, and I’m, like, crammed in the middle of these two guys,” he recounts.
Still, the answer stayed the same: “’No, you can’t do that, sir. I’m sorry. That’s just our policy.’”
The confusion led him to TikTok. “Can someone please explain to me why moving into an empty seat on a plane is a sin?” he asks.
Are Passengers Really Not Allowed To Move To An Open Seat?
Likely yes, at least not without permission.
Just because a seat is empty doesn’t mean a passenger can claim it. Airlines can require payment to move, especially if seats belong to a higher-priced class or have extra legroom. But beyond the money factor, there’s a more important reason airlines keep people in their assigned spots: safety.
Aviation experts point to something called weight and balance. Airplanes need even weight distribution for safe takeoff and landing. Shifting passengers around unexpectedly can throw that off, especially on smaller planes.
Gate agents and flight crews calculate the aircraft’s balance based on where passengers are seated and where cargo gets loaded. Even a small change can force the plane to burn more fuel or, in extreme cases, struggle to get off the ground properly.
There’s also the fairness argument. If someone paid extra for a roomier seat, airlines don’t want another passenger to slide into it for free. One expert compared it to buying a Toyota and walking off with a Lexus because it happened to be unlocked.
However, that doesn’t mean you’re stuck forever. Airlines encourage passengers to use their app to switch before boarding. Gate agents sometimes help if they aren’t overwhelmed. Asking a flight attendant should be the last resort, and usually only if there’s a real issue, such as a medical concern or an unsafe situation.
Commenters Share Their Thoughts
Under the video, viewers had their own theories and advice.
“Why didn’t you just get up and say you realized you were in the wrong row,” one person wrote.
Someone else believed the seat assignment might matter in emergencies. “Better to identify in case of crash or accident,” they said, though experts note there are multiple ways to verify a passenger’s identity besides a seat number.
Others admitted they move around without asking. “I never ask I just move,” one viewer wrote.
@m_stoney Can someone please explain to me why moving into an empty seat on a plane is a sin ? ….#flying #plane #airport #delta
Another commenter pointed out that the type of aircraft matters. On smaller regional jets, crews sometimes need entire sections empty to keep the aircraft balanced. On larger planes, the rules often come down to money.
BroBible has reached out to Delta via contact form and to @m_stoney via TikTok messages for more information.