Are you allowed to take an empty seat next to you on a plane?

Another day, another passenger accusing an airline of unfairly kicking them off their flight.

A musician has taken to social media to explain how he was booted off a Southwest Airlines Flight for refusing to check in his $80,000 violin.

It all started when Emmanuel Borowsky boarded a flight from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to Baltimore with his expensive instrument, when things took a turn for the worse.

"After checking in last night and arriving early to the gate, I was met with full overhead bins on the plane. The availability of extra seating space prompted me to place my violin there. In response, I was requested to check-in my violin," Borowsky wrote on Facebook.

Due to the delicate nature of the instrument, Borowsky stated that "checking in my violin is an absolute non-option."

The delay forced Borowsky to miss business meetings as well as university presentations, according to his post.

The airline has since released the following statement addressing the quarrel, with a few additions that contradict Borokwsky's story, "Our records indicate that the customer was among the very last to board the full flight and, unfortunately, the overhead bins spaces were filled with the carry-on baggage of other customers.”

This isn't the first time a musician has had issues with an airline. In August, a cellist was booted from an American Airlines flight after cabin crew informed her that her $30,000 cello was “too big” for the seat she purchased for it.

Are you allowed to use an empty seat?

Whether you can take ownership of the seat next to you depends on the airline. Empty seats on certain airlines – like Southwest for example – are not actually free. If you're unsure, the best thing to do is ask the check-in staff if there are any free seats on the plane which have an unoccupied seat next to it.

How to secure an empty seat next to you

If you know you're going to need an additional seat, being flexible on where you sit on the plane is a must for this tactic, according to Flight Centre's resident Chief Airfare Expert, Jason Nooning.

"Middle seats are generally the last seats to be filled as the plane sells out so by booking the aisle/window seats on either side, you could end up with an empty seat in the middle."

It's even better if you happen to be travelling with someone he adds, "If you're travelling as a couple and know you're going to need an additional seat, it's best to purchase an aisle and window seat in a row."

Don't forget; it never hurts to ask at the check-in desk.