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An airplane seating arrangement between two friends has travelers debating whether having a bigger budget means picking up the tab for someone else’s upgrade — or not.
Savannah James, entrepreneur and wife of NBA superstar LeBron James, recently discussed how she and her friend April McDaniel handle the difference in their travel budgets when they travel.
Speaking on the “Mental Wealth” podcast, McDaniel said she does not expect to sit in first class simply because Savannah James does.
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“If we’re going on the same trip, I don’t feel the need to be in first [class] because that’s not in my budget,” McDaniel said.
Savannah James said her friends understand that traveling with her does not mean she will automatically cover their expenses.
A comment by Savannah James, pictured above with her husband, LeBron James, has led others to debate online whether wealthier friends should pay for others to fly first class with them. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“My friends are very respectful of my situation,” Savannah James said. “There’s no expectation of, like, taking care of something or, you know, just having me be responsible for them. It has never, ever been that.”
This approach to traveling together has created debate online — with some people questioning whether the wealthier friend should pay the difference so that the group can sit together.
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Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas, told Fox News Digital there’s nothing inherently wrong with friends choosing different cabins as long as everyone is comfortable with the arrangement.
“If you have a group of friends, and they are flying coach while you want to fly first class, there’s really nothing wrong with it as long as everyone is understanding and agreeable,” Gottsman said.
Etiquette experts say there’s nothing wrong with friends choosing different airline cabins as long as everyone is comfortable with the arrangement. (iStock)
The situation changes, however, if someone feels excluded or uncomfortable, she said.
Even when one traveler has considerably more money to spend, Gottsman said that doesn’t make that person responsible for paying to upgrade everyone else.
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“It’s not an obligation of the person who makes more money to upgrade everyone else,” she said. “Just take your seat up front and say you’ll see everyone when you land.”
“It’s really not that big of a deal.”
The arrangement shared by Savannah James and her friend April McDaniel drew sharply different reactions from travelers online.
One commenter said that while friends should not feel entitled to someone else’s money, having significant wealth would make them want to share more of those experiences with people close to them.
Savannah James, pictured at right with her husband, said her friends understand that traveling on planes with her does not mean she will automatically cover their expenses. (iStock; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)
“No one is entitled to anything,” the Reddit user wrote.
The person added, “If we’re childhood besties, and I have an abundance of wealth, I’m treating my friend to nice experiences!”
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Others saw nothing wrong with friends paying for the level of travel they can each comfortably afford.
“I feel empowered to get what I can afford and not have my friends pay for me just because they have the money,” another person wrote. “I’m not her kid.”
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“It’s really not that big of a deal,” another user wrote. “It’s a plane ride.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Savannah James for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Kelly McGreal is a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. She and the team cover travel, food and drink, health, relationships and more. She also produces the weekly American Culture Quiz and handles other special projects.