Airplane rage is all the rage. It's not a new problem.
I have long legs and don't like being elbowed by the person sitting next to me, so to stretch my legs and move out of the way of flying elbows, I always reserve an aisle seat weeks in advance of my airplane rides ( and these days avoid airplanes as much as possible altogether).
One flight during my consulting days at the end of a long itinerary, I settled into my precious aisle seat, closed my eyes and started to doze, even before the plane took off. A commotion started at the front of the plane. A man who hadn't planned things the way he wanted was nastily abusing the flight attendants, demanding he be given a seat alongside his wife. The flight attendants said that they'd see what they could do, but it didn't look good since the plane was very full. Then the guy spots me and the empty seat next to me.
Will you move so my wife and I can sit there.
Find me an aisle seat, says I. I reserved this one weeks ago.
Then he got nasty and abusive with me.
Shut up sucker or I'll stuff you in the overhead bin, says I.
He was dumbstruck.
The guy in the aisle seat behind me gets up and moves into the seat next to me.
I don't mind, says he.
Gutless, says I. You shouldn't reward an abusive bullying person.
He shrugged his shoulders and I went back to dozing.
After the plane took off and we were safely aloft, someone gently nudged me.
It was a flight attendant. She whispered in my ear, can we buy you a drink.
Thanks, says I.
