A middle-aged couple ‘refused to move from their train seats’ for a pregnant woman and her three children, even though she had reserved them, she has said.
Wirch Mancino-Williams accused the couple, who appear to be in their sixties, of ignoring her when she arrived at her pre-booked seats on the carriage – but they allegedly told her “tickets don’t matter”.
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The expectant mum has explained that she asked them to move as she had all four tickets booked, but that the couple denied her the right to her seats.
Writing on Twitter, she said: “If a mum with three kids and bags has four reserved seats for a long train journey, and you’re sitting in their seats on a full carriage, don’t tell them that their tickets don’t matter in a posh voice and then say you’re not moving and refuse to make eye contact. Don’t be these people.”
In an outpouring of anger and emotion, she continued: “My 12-year-old daughter just stared the woman down. A kind man offered me his seat. I spoke to a conductor who was calm, lovely, and apologetic, said that instead of engaging with them he was going to move us to an empty table in first class.
“I grabbed our bags and turned to the couple and said, with a smile: Enjoy your seats!'”
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She continued: “I would always give up a seat, reserved or not, for someone who needed it more. But for her to tell me that my tickets meant nothing and then refuse to acknowledge me? Do people just expect you to slink away?
“I’m already being told off for posting a picture over an ‘everyday occurrence’. But isn’t that the point? It only continues to be an everyday occurrence as long as people don’t get called out for their pathetic behaviour. I’m sick of protecting [bleeps].”
My kids and I were being fair and following rules and these two were not. They immediately switched into bully mode as they saw us approach, clearly aware that those seats were ours. Many of you have written to me having experienced the same, and I'm trying to read through all.
— Wirch Mancino-Williams (@Manda_like_wine) October 23, 2019
Wirch went on to explain that while she and her kids were “being fair and following rules”, the older couple were not.
She revealed: “They immediately switched into bully mode as they saw us approach, clearly aware that those seats were ours.
“Many of you have written to me having experienced the same, and I’m trying to read through all.”
The train traveller insisted her “disgust is towards their behaviour, not them personally” and hopes they’ll be “kind and reasonable” next time.
“Also, I was trying to keep it quiet, but I suspect any witness statement will include that I’m 6.5 months pregnant – something they were well aware of when they decided to not allow me my seats. I didn’t want that info to detract from the story itself, but rather you hear from me,” she added.
My kids and I were being fair and following rules and these two were not. They immediately switched into bully mode as they saw us approach, clearly aware that those seats were ours. Many of you have written to me having experienced the same, and I'm trying to read through all.
— Wirch Mancino-Williams (@Manda_like_wine) October 23, 2019
Wirch, 37, was travelling on CrossCountry UK trains on the Cheltenham to Nottingham route.
A spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: “It’s a shame when a family has reserved seats to travel together, to be let down by others who ignore the labels in the back of their chairs.
“However, we’ll be thanking our conductor for quickly resolving the situation and hope they all enjoyed the extra space in First Class.”
They added that people would be entitled to compensation if they reserved seats and were not able to use them or find alternatives.
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