Plane seats are a common cause of arguments – but this woman actually has the support of people online after she put her bags on the seat next to her and refused to move them.

The issue of seats on public transport being taken up by bags can be a frustrating one. If you’ve ever boarded a train or a bus to find that all the free seats have people’s belongings on them, you’ll know how annoying it can be to have to awkwardly ask a stranger to move their things so you can sit down.

But what if you ran into this issue on a plane, where all the seats are assigned before boarding? You wouldn’t think it’s something that can happen, but according to one woman on TikTok, it did.

Nicole de la Cruz, a musician, posted a viral video in which she explained she had placed her bags on the spare seat next to her for a good reason – and when a woman asked her to move them, she refused.

The altercation led to a flight attendant needing to get involved to sort the issue between the two women, and she surprisingly sided with Nicole, as it turned out she had a good reason for leaving her bags on the seat.

In her video – which showed Nicole acting out all three parts including herself, the other passenger, and the flight attendant – she explained that the reason she had put her belongings on the seat was because she was travelling with her expensive cello and had actually booked both seats for herself.

The other passenger had booked a seat further back in the plane, but was demanding the seat beside Nicole because it was “bigger” and had more room.

She argued in the clip: “Your cello is not a person, that seat was made for a person. Your cello belongs with the other baggage under the plane.”

Nicole snapped back and told the passenger that she didn’t want her cello to get broken, so paying for an extra seat was worth it to guarantee she could keep an eye on the instrument while she travelled.

Eventually, a flight attendant joined the conversation and told the other passenger to return to her seat, stating that those who booked the seats could use them however they wished.

The flight attendant said: “It’s for whoever paid for them, ma’am.”

Commenters on the post were quick to defend Nicole, as many of them said it isn’t uncommon for musicians to take their instruments on the plane with them and buy extra seats to ensure they don’t get damaged.

Many also pointed out that the other passenger was in the wrong because she already had a seat that she’d paid for herself, as they noted Nicole only would have been at fault if the woman had nowhere else to sit.

One person said: “As a musician, yes, we buy extra seats for our instruments.”

Another stated: “Conversation should have been over after ‘I paid for this extra seat’. Even if she booked it to just have extra space for her or put her purse there, she booked and paid for it so she decides.”

And a third posted: ” As a flight attendant yes, even though I was confused when they came on board. Indeed they can buy a seat for their instrument.”