Woman who refused to give up window seat for crying child stands firm on decision despite online controversy

A Brazilian woman has doubled down on her decision not to give up her plane seat for a crying child, despite 'losing' her career over it.

When it comes to scenarios which could see you achieve viral fame, getting into a row over seating on an aeroplane sounds like a worst nightmare scenario for most of us.

However, this exactly what happened for Brazilian woman Jeniffer Castro.

Back in December 2024, the 29-year-old former bank worker boarded what should've been a relatively routine 50-minute flight from Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte when she found a young child in her pre-booked seat and requested they be moved.

Which is pretty standard procedure you'd think?

The 29-year-old became unexpectedly famous after being filmed by another passenger (Instagram/@jeniffercastro)

Apparently not, as another aggrieved passenger - not the child's mother - then filmed Castro during the flight in an attempt to shame her for asking a crying child to move out of her seat.

The clip was then uploaded to social media and subsequently went viral, as people debated the finer details of plane etiquette.

As thousands flocked to argue over whether or not Castro was in the wrong for her actions, the Belo Horizonte native has since seen her life change dramatically — even revealing to MailOnline that the attention means she had to leave her previous job.

Despite the huge amounts of upheaval, Castro does not regret her decision and doubled down on the importance saying no without a justification.

"I believe that we should respect people's choices and decisions, especially when they are within their rights," she told the outlet.

The incident occurred on a GOL Airlines flight (AGB Photo Library/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The former bank worker went on to explain why she believes it's 'essential' to normalise saying 'no' to requests from others as well, saying that it's essential to 'understand that no one should be forced to justify something they simply don't want to do'.

"We live in a society where 'no' is often seen as rude or selfish, but this needs to change," she continued.

"Each person has their own reasons, preferences, and limits, and all of this must be respected without judgment."

Despite the backlash, Castro maintains that she wasn't in the wrong (Instagram/@jeniffercastro)

Castro didn't specify whether or not she was fired or decided to quit her former career in finance, but confirmed that she was now utilising her two million strong Instagram following to work as an influencer. She is also examining her legal options after the backlash and confirmed that she was in the process of suing the airline, adding: "I decided to sue the airline because what happened to me was a huge embarrassment, and this situation should never have reached this point.

"This lawsuit is not just about reparations, but also about setting a limit on this type of behaviour."

LADbible Group previously reached out to GOL Airlines for comment.