Flight passenger asked to switch seats 3 times by 3 different people on 1 trip

A flight passenger on a recent trip found himself or herself nearly switching seats three separate times with three separate individuals - begging the question, How many requests to switch seats on one flight is too many?

On the subreddit known as r/unitedairlines, a user referenced a recent flight involving multiple seat changes and little ability to decline the requests - until things came to a head.

The passenger promptly relocated to another seat. 

"At that point, I was seething - but seeing as I'd barely touched my butt to the new aisle seat, I just said, 'Whatever,' to them and moved," the flight passenger continued.

Then, the Reddit writer went on, "when a THIRD person came up to me to start the 'hi, um' - I immediately said, 'I have switched twice already. You can take it up with someone else.'"

The passenger did acknowledge that he or she could have refused to switch each time - but said it was a desire to be empathetic and accommodating to others in those situations.

Other Reddit users joined in on the conversation, sharing thoughts on the controversial seat hopping. 

The original user responded by saying, in part, "The empathy comes from the person moving, sure - but what about showing empathy or gratitude in return when you ask someone to move and they do?"

"I refuse 100% of the time," the same person noted. "I didn't used to. Now it just happens way too often, and people act very entitled to the seat you paid for. I'm done. Never switching again."

Rosalinda Randall, a California-based etiquette expert and trainer, shared her insights on the high-flying seat changer. 

"Airlines cannot guarantee that your preferred seat will be available or that you and your travel partner will find side-by-side seats."

"If seat choices were limited at the time of booking, there is still the opportunity to explain your situation to the agent at your gate," Randall said.

She said that if you find yourself traveling with someone who requires extra care during the trip, it's best to plan ahead - partly in an effort to avoid questions from others about a lack of preparation.

"Using a tale of woe, no matter how true it is, does not give you the right to expect people to grant your request," said Randall. 

"Nor does it give you the right to get upset, harass or embarrass them for turning you down."

She added, "Any time you make a request in-flight, it should be polite and perhaps with an offer to pay for in-flight services or pay the upcharge for that seat."

The best thing to do when in an uncomfortable position is to seek advice from a flight attendant, she noted - though that does not guarantee the FA will be able to solve the problem. 

"Don't be surprised if you get the eyeroll or the evil eye for not having taken responsibility for your preference or need," Randall noted.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Reddit user and United Airlines for comment.