A female traveler seated in a window seat found a man in the seat next to her reaching over her to take pictures out the window with his mobile phone. No, that was not okay. But perhaps she could have handled it better too if it really bothered her?
Personal Space: Man Stretches Over Girl In Window Seat To Take Pictures Out Aircraft Window
Video posted to TikTok shows a man seated in an aisle seat on regional jet (though for purposes of our discussion it is no different than a middle seat) reaching over the passenger in the window seat next to him to take a picture out the window.
https://www.tiktok.com/@sterlingsavannah/video/7313648617548434730
Maybe the guy tried to get a window seat but they were all reserved. Maybe his seat got re-assigned at the last minute. The issue, to me, is not whether he should have reserved a window seat if he wanted one, but whether he could reach over the passenger seated in the window to take his pictures.
The answer is, of course, no…not without permission.
This happened to me once on a recent flight. I was in first class with 2-2 seating and the passenger in the aisle seat clearly wanted to take pictures as we flew over downtown Los Angeles on final approach. He didn’t just invade my space, but tried to take pictures from his seat…so I invited him to lean over and get the pictures he wanted. He was very grateful.
Here’s one thing I understand but still shake my head at. Why create a video and post it on social media instead of just asking the guy to stop? As a fellow millennial, I get it. Confrontation is hard and it usually more satisfying to be passive aggressive. But the better way is just to tell him to stop…though if I am being honest I cannot say I would have handled the matter differently than she did (though at least I would have had a pecuniary motive for this blog). That’s an indictment against me…
CONCLUSION
A woman was uncomfortable that a man reached over her to take pictures out the window on a regional jet. She was right to be uncomfortable, though it probably would have been more efficient to ask him to stop instead of filming it and venting about it later. But the man should have known better…it is not okay to reach into other people’s personal space unless you have been invited to do so.
(Hat Tip: View From The Wing)
Watch the man turn out to be her father or someone traveling with her who she knows. That would be about on par for that sort of tik tok video.
What nerve from the old guy, though you’re right, she should have told him to keep his hands and phone out of her face.
If she had told him to stop filming, he probably would have been hostile and called her names.
I’m glad she posted this to social media. Females are constantly being violated by bad male behavior; I’ve seen way too many situations like this one.
Maybe we need to go back to when females only went out in public with a male relative to speak for and defend them. Not really, but every woman in my family and that I know would have no difficulty putting anyone, male or female, in their place if they were seriously be bothered or worse.
Grow up!! Women are constantly being violated by other women’s bad behaviors not just men…actually we are far more ugly to each other on purpose.
Go to it, Karen.
Chad
The man should have better manners but the woman is acting like a sex offender, secretly video recording up his nostrils, almost like upskirting! Scold the man and make the woman register as a sex offender! Ha!
There is a way to photograph and that is to zoom so you only get what is out the window.
Love this!!
Actually this situation occured on my flight from Mex. A was at the window guy asked me to take pic and i happily obliged. No issues.
I would have closed the shade over the window. I do anyway as I hate them up. Especially if the sun is blaring through and blinding people on the other side of the plane.
@JamieMcDaniel, you are absolutely correct! If the guy didn’t stop after politely asking him to, I would have slowly shut the blind, as I stared him dead in the eyes, smirking. Rudeness earns rudeness back. I give you one chance to correct your rudeness. You don’t take that opportunity, my pettiness is going to shine bright like a diamond.
Heather you are a beast!!! Hahahaha, love you style!!!
I personally would have told him to stop. After leaning in a couple times, it appears his arm comes in contact with her right breast. Get that man away from me!
I would ask the windower for a moment to film, but I’m very rarely NOT at a window seat. Honestly, if the act of filming isn’t infringing on my space or what I’m doing I don’t think it would bother me unless it going on pass the take off/landing time.
Close window shade.
No, the gentleman should not have just reached over, but being a gelatinous, underhanded ,cry baby is not the way either!!! So sick of these spineless people always being “uncomfortable” but can not stand up for themselves. Speak the fuck up!!!! This is life ,not kindergarten and social media is not the teacher to go to, to tattle !!!°
But it’s OK to violate his right not to have his face published in front of the world without permission??