Seat assignment or civility?

I settled into my aisle seat on the Air France morning flight last Friday from Paris to Atlanta. Ahhh… going home after an amazing week at the Elastic Sales Training to see my incredible family and Home Team. After putting on my headphones, I was all ready to close my eyes and take a nap.

And then I noticed a couple with a small child looking frantic. I heard them saying that they had three middle seats, and they needed someone with a window or aisle seat to trade with them. A middle seat is not the preferred seat of choice on an international flight, but it is still a seat on the same plane, going to the same location, and arriving at the same time. So I asked myself the question - seat assignment or civility?

I gave up my aisle seat and moved back on the plane to a middle seat. A man told me that I was an idiot for giving up my seat as I walked by him, and the two women sitting in my new row told me that I was far nicer than they were to give up my seat. I sat down in my middle seat, put on my headphones, and fell asleep. 

The flight seemed short, pleasant, and peaceful to me – even sitting in a middle seat.

Here's to every global traveler who has given up a seat for the greater good!