Woman Is On Texas Flight. Then They Ask Passengers To Shut Windows. Her Seatmate Does Something Shocking

If a crew member on a flight tells you to do something, you should probably just do it.

While most flights are completed without issue, there’s a lot that can go wrong when you’re 15,000 feet in the air. This is why it’s vital to listen to crew member directions, such as noting when they tell you to put your seatbelt on or when it’s OK to use certain electronic devices.

Sometimes, however, people ignore these directions. A passenger recently experienced an in-flight incident in which a passenger did not listen to crew instructions. She could not believe the crew’s response.

‘Please Close Your Window’

In a video with over 966,000 views, TikTok user Rosey Catherine (@roseycatherinep) recounts an unpleasant experience she had on a flight.

“I was on a flight recently out of Texas,” she starts. “They came over the loudspeaker and was like, ‘Can anyone sitting in a window seat please close your window? The light will reflect in from the concrete and make the plane really hot.’”

As Catherine was in the middle seat, she had no window to close. But, seeing that the person in the window seat in her row did not close his window, she decided to mention the announcement to him.

“I tap the guy on the shoulder…and I said, ‘Hey, can you close that window? They just asked, and it’s getting really hot,’” she recalls.

For some reason, this small request made the man snap.

“He goes, ‘I can do whatever … I want! I paid for this seat,’ he yelled, and then did not get in trouble,” Catherine shares. “And then, I got in trouble because I had my needlepoint on my lap during takeoff.”

Do You Have To Follow Crew Member Directions?

In recent years, the number of “unruly passenger” incidents has gone up significantly. In 2017, the FAA reported under 600 unruly passenger incidents for the entire year. Since 2021, the country has averaged over 1,500 unruly passenger incidents annually.

If a passenger is loud, rude, or otherwise a jerk, they may be reprimanded by staff but still be able to remain on the flight.

However, if someone is causing a problem for others on the plane, they may be detained or arrested upon arrival. In some cases, they may even cause the plane to land prematurely so that their exit can be assured.

That said, it does seem like one’s window shade is within their own control, even if the staff would really like you to close your window. As reported by the Washington Post, while an airline may ask a passenger to adjust their window for safety or comfort reasons, they are generally not obligated to do so.

The primary exception is when not doing so would present a safety concern for other passengers or if a passenger’s failure to do so would interfere with normal crew member duties. Some airlines may also have their own rules about window shades that differ from FAA regulations.

In practice, this means that, if a crew member tells you to stow your bag or put your tray table up, you have to do it. But, if they ask you to close your window, it’s really more of a polite request, unless they are requiring you to do it for safety reasons.

Still, it’s probably best to follow their instructions. After all, no one wants to find themselves being cooked alive in a hot plane because someone wanted to see the bags being loaded.

Travelers Have Stories

In the comments section, users offered their thoughts on Catherine’s experience.

“Personally wouldn’t have said anything to him tho because that’s not my job it’s the flight attendant’s job,” said a user. “Mind your business.”

“This ‘close the window’ request is new,” alleged another. “I flew out of Austin last October and heard this request for the first time. He was a jerk but I hope it was a short flight for you.”

Others simply noted that the man may have had reasons for his actions.

“Some people need the window open because they have claustrophobia or could be suffering from PTSD. It was a suggestion and not mandatory,” stated a user.

In response, Catherine said that she understood. Still, she added that the man “still didn’t have to scream at me.”

BroBible reached out to Catherine via email and Instagram direct message.