'I won't share plane seat with sister's baby – she just wants free holiday' – The Mirror US
While family holidays sound like fun in theory, they can end up being stressful when it's time to fly.
Travelling with a lot of people has its drawbacks – especially if everyone has a different idea of a good time. And that was definitely the case for one woman, who is furious with her step-sister.
The woman took to Reddit to share an awkward argument that's arisen. She's not happy that her step-sister wants her to travel with her baby in her lap.
On Reddit’s popular Am I The A**hole forum, the woman asked if she was in the wrong “for refusing to take a flight with [her] stepsister's baby in [her] lap.” She managed to find some reasonably priced flights within her budget and explained: “It does have a layover and it's still pricey for me since I don't make much, but I figure it's worth it for an otherwise all expenses paid [holiday].”
She sent the link to the same flights to her other relatives but they’re all “in better financial positions so they're all splurging on direct flights and getting better seats”. The only relative unable to do this is her stepsister, Nikki, who is on a tight budget as a single mother to twins.
While Nikki would prefer the cheaper flight with her stepsister, she doesn't want to be responsible for having a toddler with her for the entire 10-hour journey. The woman continued: “I just don't think I could handle that for that long.
"They're both wriggly and I somehow doubt they're going to settle down and sleep the whole time. It's not a short flight either and I do already get a little nervous travelling. I'd rather be able to just relax and close my eyes on the plane ride and not get overloaded.
"The thing is if I don't do it it means my sister won't be able to come on the trip. She really wants to come on the trip though. She hasn't gotten to travel much and probably won't get to for a while either.”
Following the candid post, people weighed in with their thoughts in the comments section. One person said: “Two hours? Easy. Eight hours? Forget about it. […]. Besides at 15 months old these are not babies any more but wilful opinionated toddlers who wanna walk around and move and play… They wanna be mobile and explore.”
Another simply replied: “It’s actually THE WORST age to travel with.” A third said: “Not your job to be a free babysitter at 30,000 feet.
"Flying with babies is hard work. Even parents struggle with their own kids on planes. Your stepsister wants a free solution to her problem by making you uncomfortable. Maybe the family can chip in for that extra seat instead?”
And another added: “Go and have a good time. Sorry that your stepsister can't go, but when you have kids, you have to make sacrifices. Not your problem.”
