A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Los Angeles has accused a fellow traveler of demanding his first-class seat because hers would not recline. Justin Escalona, 27, recounted the incident on Monday, stating he was awakened before the 6 a.m. departure by a woman who asked him to switch seats.
Escalona, an entrepreneur, initially agreed, believing the woman simply wanted a better view. However, he claims she occupied his lay-flat seat only to reveal her own seat was inoperable. Escalona captured the ensuing exchange on his phone.
"It's six in the morning and I am getting in a fight in the First Class section," Escalona is heard saying in the video, describing the woman's insistence on remaining in his seat. "I was half asleep, this woman she is currently in my seat, woke me up and was like 'hey, you mind swapping seats?'"
He recounts his initial assumption that she wanted a better view, only to learn the actual reason. "Hers won't recline and somehow it's my fault. She won't get out of my seat, she's just in it," he said.
Escalona then approached the woman, identified as being in seat 6A, and confronted her. "You gotta get out of my seat, this is crazy," he told her. After a tense exchange, during which the woman claimed "You were moved, sir," Escalona showed his boarding pass indicating his seat was 6A, while hers was 3F.
The video shows the woman eventually gathering her belongings and moving, expressing frustration as she left. Escalona then returned to his seat. The incident, shared online, drew numerous comments labeling the woman as "entitled."
Some online commentary noted that Escalona had received his first-class seat as a complimentary upgrade, while the woman had paid for her ticket. Escalona responded to these comments, questioning why the circumstances of his upgrade were relevant to the woman's alleged behavior.
Escalona, who founded the streetwear brand 1340 COLLECTIVE, was traveling home to Los Angeles. He stated he established the brand with a $100 investment, growing it into a company valued at $5 million while he studied film and TV production at the University of Southern California. The Daily Mail has reached out to Escalona and American Airlines for comment.