Morning Rant as I Fly to DCA: Bad Behavior Abounds

I’m on my way on a Delta flight to DCA. As I approached my seat (window), I went to put my bags up into the bin. FYI: bins tip back and I am 5’2” on a good day. The plane was full.

The passenger on the aisle (very large man in height and weight) said a tad aggressively, “Be careful of my sports coat.” Not only was I too short to see his coat but his leather flat briefcase was stored there too, unseen by me. My duffle didn’t slide in because of his hogging the space. My bag isn’t even big. Unbelievable that someone would horde space and then proceed to protect it!

Thankfully, a very pleasant fast acting flight attendant removed his two items and up my stuff went. “Good job,” I said. “Thank you.” She replied saying something like: “It’s not my first rodeo.” I smiled, although she couldn’t see it as I wear a mask on flights.

When I got myself seated, I said to the passenger: “Might be unwise to put a sports coat in the bin like that.” What I wanted to say was: “How rude are you? How self-focused! How selfish!” I’m too nice to express how angry I was but I was angry and I knew it.

I guess it is emblematic of how incivility rules the world. Passenger Rude now sits there, oblivious and with a mean superior look. Wow. We’re in real trouble when folks think they rule and are owners of space not theirs and ridiculously oblivious. Yipes.

Another yipes.

When the flight attendant handed out snacks and beverages, I shared that I had written a blog on the bin incident. I said I wrote positively about how well she handled the situation. And I said I was sending it to Delta. Her reply: “Thank you. It’s nice to be appreciated.”

She’s right. It is nice to be appreciated. Hey Rude Passenger: Be kind. Be respectful. Be aware of others. I’m sure he’s not listening.