People divided after Southwest passenger moans about another guy sitting directly behind him on empty flight

Any frequent flyers out there will definitely have something to say about this awkward scenario.

Chef Anthony Thomas from Washington recently found himself in a rather peculiar situation during a flight with Southwest Airlines.

Despite the aircraft being nearly empty, Thomas was left scratching his head when a fellow passenger decided to take the seat directly behind him.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Thomas shared his bewilderment with a selfie capturing the man seated just behind him, despite plenty of empty rows available throughout the plane. "Of all the seats on the flight, look where he decided to sit," Thomas remarked in his post.

In the photo, two other passengers can be seen comfortably spaced out across rows located several seats behind Thomas and the mystery man.

Southwest Airlines, known for its open seating policy per its website, allows passengers to choose any available seat upon boarding, making the man's decision even more perplexing given the abundance of options.

Thomas' post quickly garnered attention, accumulating over 35 million views and sparking a lively debate about airplane etiquette and personal space in the comment section.

Some users expressed solidarity with Thomas, labeling the man's behavior as odd and even likening it to other awkward scenarios like crowded gym situations.

"It’s just like the folks who park right next to you and it’s tons of available spaces," one person tweeted.

"I would’ve moved, honestly. Dude is weird and I wouldn’t want him behind me just for that reason," another wrote.

However, not everyone was quick to condemn the man's seat choice, with some users suggesting that they too would opt to sit near other passengers, particularly on an empty flight, to alleviate any discomfort or fear of flying.

"He probably has anxiety when it comes to planes/flying & being near someone else gave him a sense of safety/security," one X user explained.

While Thomas' encounter may seem peculiar, it serves as a reminder of the strange and sometimes uncomfortable situations air travelers can find themselves in when taking to the skies.

Who do you think is in the wrong here (if anyone)? Let us know in the comments.

Featured image credit: Daniel Knighton/Getty