People leap to the defense of nervous flyer in window seat shade showdown

• A anxious passenger paid extra money to get a window seat on a plane 
• The traveler sitting next to her aggressively shut the window shade mid-flight
• Nervous flyer eventually reopened the shade – and a long-running discussion

An airline passenger’s attempt to ease her flying anxiety by paying extra for a window seat turned into a mid-air standoff when a fellow traveler abruptly closed the shade, citing concerns over her eyesight during a daytime flight. 

The nervous flyer claimed the woman sitting next to her slammed the window shade shut while she was resting against the window.

She posted on Reddit: ‘I paid extra money to get a window seat bc I have flying anxiety and looking out the window is the only thing that helps me not freak out.

‘And the lady next to me reached over me (my head was resting by the window) and she slams it shut and says ‘it hurts my eyesight’.’

As her anxiety rose for 30 minutes, she finally ended the ordeal by reopening the window shade – and a long-running plane etiquette discussion. She said she ‘didn’t feel bad’ about it and Reddit users agreed, leaping to her defense. 

The nervous flyer claimed the woman sitting next to her slammed the window shade shut while she was resting against the window 

The flyer posted about the ordeal and what she did after the incident, and several Reddit users have since come to her defense

Poll

Who has control of airplane window shades?

Who has control of airplane window shades?

Now share your opinion

One user said: ‘Window seat controls the window. Middle seat gets the handrests. Aisle seat gets easy access. That’s the rule.’ 

Some people, including the shade-slammer, feel everyone has some say in what happens with the window shades, particularly them, while others believe the person who bought the window seat has control.  

A Reddit user said of the shade-slammer: ‘Guaranteed she’s one of those people who go through life doing stuff like this then act shocked and completely befuddled when someone finally snaps back at them.’

‘Having the window open makes me anxious, which is part of why I always get window seat’ another stated. 

‘lf I don’t have the window seat, I don’t have control of the window. Clearly she doesn’t understand the law of the jungle here.’

The debate was one-sided on Reddit, but most frequent flyers will have encountered some kind of confrontation about the seemingly benign issue.

The debate was one-sided on Reddit, but most frequent flyers will have encountered some kind of confrontation about the seemingly benign issue. 

A distraction is one of the best ways of overcoming fear of flying – brain teasers, reading, or listening to music

A 2016 research paper written by Gavin I. Clark and Adam J Rock states that a flying phobia is a highly prevalent anxiety disorder, which causes sufferers significant distress and life interference.

A fear of flying can also trigger anxiety – similar to the anxiety the Reddit user felt while on the plane.

Aviophobia or aerophobia are issues that are seen frequently – as much as 40% of the US population battling them.

However, only 5% of Americans are affected so severely that they cannot fly. 

Thankfully, there are ways these phobias can be treated  – even if only for one flight.

The first is to know your trigger, which can help in coming up with the steps to take before boarding a flight.

You can then think about facing your fears – either by watching videos or taking small trips on an airplane.

Distractions such as sudoku and crossword puzzles are also key to helping you think about things other than being up in the air. 

If necessary, talk to your doctor about medication that can be useful in these situations – but don’t rely on them entirely.

Last but not least, think about what you would find most comfortable while sitting on a flight – aisle or window. 

Like the Reddit user, you may need to pay extra for a window seat or a preferred seat on a flight.

But if you know what you prefer, the extra dollars will be worth it – as long as you aren’t sitting next to a shade-slammer.

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