As someone who flies often and knows airplane seats don’t accommodate me well, I always buy two seats — one for me, and one for comfort and courtesy. I do it so I’m not intruding on anyone’s space and can travel without worry.

On a recent flight, I boarded, settled into my row, and buckled in. That’s when a woman approached with a small child — and without saying a word, she placed her child in the second seat I’d paid for.

I calmly told her both seats were mine and I’d purchased them for personal reasons. She scoffed and loudly accused me of being selfish. A few passengers jumped in, saying, “It’s just a child!”

Trying to stay calm, I asked a flight attendant for help and showed both my boarding passes. I explained that if the seat wasn’t cleared, I’d file a report for interference with a paid reservation.

The crew handled it quickly. After speaking with the captain, they removed the woman and her child. Turns out, she had tried this move before.

Once we were in the air, the cabin was quiet again. A few people came over and apologized. Most just looked away.

P.S. I didn’t buy two seats to be rude. I did it out of respect — for myself, and for everyone else.