Liberal-PROGs have taken over the airlines as they did the News Media and no one noticed till Trump became president. :^)
Something similar happened to me 30 years ago. I bought tickets for my dad, myself, and my three kids, one of whom was just under two. I didn’t want to have to hold her the entire flight and wanted her in a car seat for takeoff and landing. The flight attendant tried to pressure me into giving up the seat. I felt bad for the guy who didn’t have a seat, but it was the airline’s problem. They wanted me to give up a seat I had paid for, without their refunding the ticket. But at least they didn’t threaten me with jail.