Police board Latam plane in Germany over seat assignment dispute

A Latam flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to São Paulo, Brazil, experienced significant disruption when a dispute over seat assignments prompted police to board the aircraft. The incident occurred on Saturday night (May 23) involving a Brazilian couple who had purchased seats with extra legroom.

According to passenger Pâmela Baldan, the couple received boarding passes indicating different seats than those they had selected and paid for during booking. When they brought this to the attention of the flight crew, they were initially advised to take their originally selected seats. However, the situation intensified when another passenger appeared, claiming to have also purchased one of the same premium seats, specifically seat 13K, which Baldan was occupying.

“

The seats of the customers in question were automatically changed in 2025 to separate places, as their reservations were made separately.

The flight crew attempted to resolve the conflict before takeoff, but the disagreement escalated. Videos recorded inside the cabin show a Latam employee asking Baldan to vacate the premium seat for a standard one. She refused, asserting her right to the seat she had paid for.

The argument led to the police being called onto the plane. Ultimately, Baldan moved to a less comfortable seat, and her husband took one of the originally assigned seats. Latam Airlines Brazil stated that the customers' seats were automatically changed in 2025 because their reservations were made separately. The airline expressed regret for the inconvenience and clarified that seat changes cannot be made once passengers are on board, emphasizing that procedures aim to ensure flight safety and efficiency.

“

LATAM regrets the discomfort experienced by the customers and is in contact with them. The company clarifies and reinforces that new seat changes cannot be made once on board. The procedures carried out by LATAM employees aim to ensure flight safety, efficiency, and speed.