The Great Southwest Seat Pocket Smackdown: How a Squished Sandwich Served Up Some Petty Revenge
If you’ve ever flown Southwest and found yourself in the dreaded “Group C,” you know the pain: the last ones to board, the only seats left are middles, and personal space becomes a luxury of the past. But what happens when territorial passengers push their luck and a passive-aggressive traveler decides enough is enough? Enter the saga of the squished sandwich—a hilarious, all-too-relatable tale of in-flight pettiness that recently took Reddit by storm.
On a flight from Chicago to Houston, u/PickleNo2013 found themselves in a showdown over space, snacks, and social etiquette. What began as a seemingly minor annoyance quickly escalated into a masterclass in subtle revenge, proving that sometimes, the pen (or in this case, the sandwich) is mightier than the sword.
The Setup: Exit Row Entitlement on Southwest
Southwest Airlines is legendary for its “choose your own seat” policy. Some love the freedom. Others, especially those in Group C, see it as a gauntlet thrown by fate. Our protagonist, u/PickleNo2013, boarded late and found the only available spot: a middle seat in the coveted exit row. The catch? The window seat passenger had no seat in front of him, so his seat pocket was out of reach—much to the detriment of everyone around him.
Now, any seasoned Southwest flyer knows the subtle games people play to deter others from taking the middle seat. A jacket spread wide, a backpack “accidentally” left on the seat, or, as in this case, a sandwich and water bottle stashed in the middle seat pocket. As u/PickleNo2013 put it, “I’m pretty sure he stuffed his sandwich and water bottle in the middle seat pocket to deter me from sitting in the middle but I do anyways.”
But the OP wasn’t having it. Channeling their inner passive-aggressive ninja, they “shoved my water bottle on top of his and squished his sandwich hoping he would move it but he didn’t!” Sometimes, the only way to fight entitlement is with a little sandwich squishing justice.
Passive-Aggression Takes Flight
If you thought the sandwich was the end of this midair standoff, you’re in for a treat. As the in-flight snacks and drinks arrived, the window seat man reached under OP’s tray table—undeterred—and retrieved his squished sandwich and water. The OP wasn’t going to let it go unnoticed: “I jumped and made it seem like he was doing something crazy he just looked at me and continued.”
The saga escalated when the man, perhaps emboldened by reclaiming his sandwich, took the liberty of using OP’s tray table as his personal valet, placing his phone and earbuds there before heading to the bathroom. OP’s response? “I politely put them on his seat and put the tray up and went back to ‘sleep.’” When the man returned, he tapped OP and demanded to know where his stuff was—proof that, sometimes, the passive-aggressive route is oddly satisfying.
As u/thaiberius_kirk quipped in the comments, “After he asked where’s his stuff, you should have told him that you threw it out the plane.” The crowd was definitely on Team OP.
The Community Reacts: “He Was Rude AF”
Reddit’s r/PettyRevenge community wasted no time weighing in. The highest-voted sentiment came from u/vanchica: “He was rude AF.” Many agreed, noting that the window seat passenger’s behavior was the real issue. OP responded, “Right! I was just stooping to his level,” earning kudos from others for their creative approach. “Yes you were. Like a champ!” cheered u/justagigilo123.
Others offered some truly diabolical suggestions, with u/meanderist proposing, “You should have given his phone and earbuds to the FA as lost items.” Meanwhile, u/sakurakiks094 went full villain mode: “Pretend to not know whose sandwich it is and take it and toss it while he leaves for the bathroom.” It seems the community’s appetite for revenge was almost as strong as OP’s.
Of course, not everyone was on board with the passive-aggression. A few dissenting voices, like u/Ok-While-6273, accused OP of being “entitled” as well: “So you just decided to act like an entitled c*** instead of using words, like an adult, to resolve a conflict.” But as u/Tshirt_Addict hilariously shot back, “Found the sandwich guy,” the crowd knew where their sympathies lay.
Airplane Etiquette: A Minefield of Petty Traps
Beyond the laughs, this saga raises a real question: what is the proper etiquette when it comes to communal spaces on airplanes? As u/Boeing367-80 pointed out, “Can’t imagine using a seat back pocket. People use them for used tissues, diapers, etc. ugh.” The reality is that airplane travel brings out a unique blend of territorialism and passive-aggression, especially on airlines like Southwest where seating is first-come, first-served.
And while OP admits, “I was very passive aggressive,” there’s something universally relatable about the urge to reclaim a tiny bit of dignity (and space) at 30,000 feet. As they later confessed, “It was satisfying watching him eat the squished sandwich 😂🤭.” Sometimes, petty victories are the sweetest.
Conclusion: Would You Squish the Sandwich?
Travel can bring out the best—and worst—in all of us. Next time you’re wedged in a middle seat, faced with a territorial neighbor and a pocket full of someone else’s snacks, what would you do? Would you speak up, or would you squish the sandwich?
If you’ve got a story of your own (or just want to share your thoughts on airplane etiquette), drop a comment below! After all, as this story proves, sometimes the pettiest moments make for the best tales at 35,000 feet.
Original Reddit Post: Man in exit row seat without seat pockets used mine, so I squished his sandwich