Man upgraded to business class for 12-hour flight but left wife in economy

Is accepting an upgrade and leaving your partner in economy fair? The internet has decided on a recent Reddit thread. Photo / Pexels

A man was branded an "absolute a**hole" after upgrading to business class for a 12-hour flight, leaving his wife in economy.

Uncertain as to whether his wife was justified in being upset, the 25-year-old man, who lives in Japan, took to a Reddit thread called 'Am I the A**hole'.

There, he explained how he and his 24-year-old wife were flying to the US for a month of vacation and had initially booked to sit together.

However, when given the option to use air miles to upgrade his seat, the man took it.

"I told her that and she got upset because she thinks I chose business class over her and that's rude apparently," the post continued.

After his wife told him to call the airline and get his seat switched back, he took to the Reddit group of more than 33,000 anonymous users to ask: "I still have a week before my flight to maybe get it changed. AITA [am I the a*****e]?"

The response was overwhelming and the judgement severe, with more than 2,200 replies almost all condemning the selfishness of his decision and offering a fair amount of marriage advice to boot.

One user commented: "YTA [you're the a*****e]. You literally ditched your wife and then mocked her. You are absolutely the a*****e here and she is completely right to be upset."

Another wrote: "I would be extraordinarily upset. 'I'll go enjoy my flight from this amazing seat, good luck back there cramped with strangers, lol! I'll let you know how my drinks and full lounging chair are!'

2For a TWELVE HOUR cross-continental flight. What an AH [a*****e]. YTA [you're the a*****e] and you'd better do some grovelling here, or be prepared to pay for this down the line, because I guarantee you will."

Many users expressed confusion as to why the husband would rather sit with strangers instead of his wife.

"Why wouldn't you want to cuddle, talk, and be with your wife too? Aren't one of the perks of marriage never having to be alone on a plane again lol," asked one person.

Some suggested he simply pay for the upgrade of his wife's seat.

"If this happened with my hubby & I, he would have immediately paid to upgrade my seat," offered one users.

If it was "just a 12 hour flight" one user asked, quoting the husband, "what's the big deal about the benefits?".

Others said they would always prioritise their significant other.

"If there's only one upgrade my Mrs would be offered it first. Then she would knock it back bc she would prefer to be with me than comfortable alone," wrote one user.

"Which is sort of what marrying someone is meant to mean, don't you think? I wouldn't cash in miles until there was enough to either. You don't know how to be married at all," they continued.

Clearly in the wrong according to the group, the husband updated his post to admit he had been in the wrong.

"Edit: yeah I'm the AH [a**hole], I'm buying her the upgrade to sit next to me in business I offered to switch seats but she really wanted to sit next to me I guess," he wrote, later adding "since so many are asking, they were my miles and I couldn't use them to upgrade her seat."