Mom pulls off sneaky airline seat hack that has other travelers in disbelief

Posting in the "r/unitedairlines" forum on Reddit and using the title "Seat Shenanigans - advanced tactics," a user revealed in real time how he saw the mom hack the system.

The user then said the "mom is anxiously refreshing the seating chart in the app. I'm thinking they are waiting for the upgrade to Polaris (as am I). I check the app, see that row 9 is showing completely empty."

"They're watching the seating chart like hawks, hoping the seats don't get booked, waiting for the door to close, because they wanted to take over an empty row," the person wrote. 

"Door is closed, and we're taxiing. The seats are theirs! Well played, mom," said the user.

Many Redditors took to the comments section to discuss the travel "win" and to weigh in on taking seats in this manner.

"I really think people should sit in the seats they paid for," commented one user.

"They were all smiles and high-fives once we started taxiing," the Reddit poster responded. "There was no doubt what they were up to."

Wrote one user, "Some FA's [flight attendants] will enforce the walk of shame."

Wrote another person, "I don't see the issue here. They waited until doors were closed to capture the seats. They knew they could be moved. I think it's fine."

Another user shared, "Lately I have seen FAs call people out and make them pay. A guy went full 'man child' when they told him to pay for the exit row he invited himself to or go back."

"You gotta admire their strategy. Not something I would do, but wow," said another. 

"You used to be able to take any open seat in your cabin once the doors closed," he said. 

"You might move closer to the front, grab an aisle seat or head for an empty row in the back so you could stretch out."