'I don't want to sit next to a screaming baby': Mother carrying an infant is kicked out of first class seat by passengers who are angry because she didn't have the right ticket... but who is in the right? 

  • The mother was travelling on a Southern rail service to Brighton on Friday 
  • Fellow passenger denied her a seat because she hadn't got a first class ticket 
  • Southern say that priority seats in first class are available to ticket holders only unless it has been declassified due to disruption 

By Martha Cliff for MailOnline

Published: 05:55 EST, 13 December 2016 | Updated: 07:26 EST, 13 December 2016

A mother carrying a baby travelling on a commuter train was denied a seat by her fellow passengers because she had not paid for a first class ticket.

Tyrone Williams, from Bromley, shared a video that captured the moment when the woman was forced out of her seat despite the fact she had an infant in a sling.

In the video the young mum travelling on a Southern service to Brighton can be seen trying to reason with a woman who was using the empty seat next to her to store her luggage.

The mother says: 'I asked you nicely to put your bag on the floor and I offered to put it up. I'm carrying a baby you have to respect me.'

The woman then responds: 'And you have to respect your elders and betters. People have actually paid to sit in this carriage'. 

The mother then explains that she has paid for her ticket but the elderly woman challenges her saying she does not hold a first class ticket. 

A mother carrying an infant was forced out of her seat by other passengers who challenged her for not having a first class ticket

The woman with the baby then tries to reason with the passenger once more explaining that the seat is a priority seat reserved for travellers not able to stand.

The elderly woman then comments: 'I don't want a screaming baby'.

At this point the mother points out: 'He's not screaming he is behaving better than you'.

Several other passengers then join the discussion and while others agree that she has not got a first class ticket Tyrone disagrees.

An elderly lady demanded that the woman 'respect her elders' and said she didn't want to sit 'next to a screaming baby'

Eventually another man aboard the train offers the woman a seat so that she doesn't have to sit with the elderly woman 

He says: 'At the end of the day she's got a baby so she can sit where she wants'. 

The elderly woman continues to try to deter the mother from sitting with her by revealing she has a 'stinking cold'.

Another passenger points out that at the last station 'that because of Southern problems you can travel in any part of the train'. 

Eventually a passenger further down the carriage asks the mother if she would rather have his seat and she says: 'Thank you yeah. Would be nicer'.

Several other commuters can be heard applauding the man's gesture before the video ends.

Tyrone shared the clip on Facebook on Friday and since then it has been viewed almost 250,000 times and had more than 1,000 reactions and 3,000 shares. 

A spokesperson from Southern Rail told the MailOnline: 'Our priority seats are available in both standard class and first class. 

'They should be given up if they’re needed more by people with disabilities, expectant mothers, elderly passengers or those carrying infants. 

'Passengers using priority seats in first class should still have a valid first class ticket unless first class has been declassified due to disruption.' 

 

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