Few things test your patience like being stuck on a plane with inconsiderate people. But when clever revenge takes flight, it reminds us that justice can prevail even at cruising altitude.
Air travel can be a test of patience, especially if you’re stuck next to inconsiderate passengers. From manipulative spouses to those who think the entire cabin is their personal space, some passengers push others to their limits. Here are four epic stories of clever revenge that prove karma happens even in the air.
I fell asleep on my husband on the plane, but woke up in shock on another man’s shoulder
When Jerry took on a new project six months ago, I knew it would be demanding. But I didn’t think it would consume him entirely, leaving me feeling like unnecessary baggage in our marriage.
Late nights, weekends — our relationship was turning into a ghost town. Conversations were strained, and his eyes always glazed over with disinterest when I tried to talk about us. It felt like I was shouting into the void.
So when Jerry suggested postponing our week-long holiday, I stood my ground.
‘Everything’s already booked,’ I told him firmly. ‘We can’t cancel the trip.’
‘We’ll have to,’ he snapped. ‘My project has entered a critical phase. Or have you forgotten that some of us can’t live off our investments?’
‘Jerry, you know perfectly well that I don’t “live off my investments” like some trust fund kid,’ I replied, rolling my eyes. ‘I work too, I have career aspirations and responsibilities.’
He always brought up money when he couldn’t get his way, and this time I wasn’t going to give in to his tactics!
‘Besides, your holiday has already been approved, and as I said, we can’t cancel it.’
Jerry let out a long, drawn-out sigh. ‘Fine. It’s not like you’d lose the deposit if we did, but you’re the boss, right?’
Do you understand why we needed this holiday so badly? Jerry and I couldn’t go on living like that anymore. We were living past each other, and it would have destroyed our marriage if we hadn’t done something about it immediately.
I started packing immediately. That Friday, we loaded our luggage into the car and headed to the airport. I was thrilled, and even Jerry started smiling when we entered the building.
I took it as a good sign, but soon discovered that it wasn’t!
On the plane, I let my exhaustion take over. Jerry’s shoulder felt like a refuge, a fleeting moment of closeness that I desperately clung to. I woke up when the pilot announced that we were approaching our destination.
‘Did I sleep through the whole flight?’ I muttered. ‘Baby, you should have…’
But my words died in my throat when I looked up and realised that the man next to me was not Jerry. Panic seized me.
I straightened up and was about to scream when he said something that turned my world upside down.
‘Your husband is not who he claims to be. He is lying to you.’
‘What?’ My heart was pounding, my head was spinning. ‘Stop being so mysterious. Who are you and what the hell is going on?!’
‘We don’t have much time. I saw you and your husband at the airport and decided you should know. When he comes back to you in a few minutes, act normal.’
I stared at him, trying to make sense of his words. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m Michael. At the airport, I met a girl named Sophie. I liked her, I flirted with her, but then I overheard her phone conversation with another man. They were talking about how he had left his wife to spend time with her.’
‘What does that have to do with me?’ I asked. ‘You’re not saying…’
‘I saw you fall asleep on your husband’s shoulder shortly after take-off. Fifteen minutes later, I saw him get up and go to meet Sophie.’ He gestured towards a narrow archway at the end of the aisle. ‘They were flirting and acting as if they had known each other for years. Your husband is the same guy she was talking to on the phone.’
My world collapsed.
I couldn’t believe it. Jerry, my Jerry, was cheating on me? I tried to reconcile Michael’s words with the image of my husband. Could it be true?
‘You can’t know that for sure,’ I said.
Michael smiled kindly and put his hand on my shoulder. ‘I may be wrong… but I don’t think I am. I’m sorry you had to find out this way.’
He slipped out of Jerry’s seat and headed for an empty seat at the back of the cabin.
I was so shocked that I jumped when Jerry sat down in the seat Michael had vacated.
‘You’re awake,’ he announced with a broad grin. ‘Ready for our party?’
All I could do was stare at him. He frowned slightly, but then the usual instructions came over the loudspeakers again, telling passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seat belts.
Then I decided I needed to check if Michael was right. I decided to act normal, watch Jerry, and see if what he said was true.
When we arrived, Jerry looked like his usual self, charming, engaging in light-hearted conversation and making romantic gestures.
For a moment, I doubted Michael’s story. But then Jerry got a phone call. He went out onto the balcony to answer it, but soon returned looking gloomy.
‘I’m sorry, darling, but I have to fly home urgently. I have urgent business with a project. But I’ll be back by Wednesday, I promise.’
My heart sank, but I hid my hurt and suspicion, pretending to understand and support him.
‘Of course I understand. Work is important,’ I said, forcing myself to smile.
‘Thanks, Jess. I knew you’d understand,’ Jerry replied, kissing me on the forehead.
He grabbed his suitcase, which he hadn’t even begun to unpack, and headed for the door. As soon as Jerry left the room, I hurried after him.
I needed to know the truth, even if it meant breaking my heart. I kept a safe distance as I followed Jerry down the stairs. He jumped into a taxi parked at the entrance. I immediately got into the next one and asked the driver to follow Jerry.
It soon became clear that Jerry wasn’t heading to the airport. My heart skipped a beat when the taxi stopped at a luxury hotel.
And then my worst fears were confirmed.
A gorgeous red-haired woman in a bikini and sarong ran up to Jerry and threw herself into his arms. He spun her around, they both laughed, and then he kissed her.
I felt anger, pain in my heart, and betrayal, but I remained calm. This was the moment of truth. I wasn’t going to let Jerry continue to deceive me.
I paid the driver and entered the hotel, a plan swirling in my head.
I headed to the pool bar and waited. Soon Jerry and Sophie appeared. They sat on deck chairs by the pool, laughing and acting like a carefree couple.
Seeing them together made my stomach churn, but I kept my cool and ordered a cocktail. When Jerry walked away and jumped into the pool, I headed over to Sophie with my drink.
I stopped by her deckchair and looked at her lying in the sun with her eyes closed, her skin glistening with suntan oil. She wouldn’t even notice.
With one sweep of my arm, I tipped my entire drink, ice cubes and all, onto Sophie. She squealed like a piglet as the cold liquid splashed her.
‘Oops,’ I said, trying to keep a straight face.
‘What’s wrong with you?’ she snapped, jumping up. ‘Learn to watch where you’re going, you idiot!’
I was struck by the venom in her voice, but before I could respond, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
‘Sophie, darling, what happened?’ Jerry pushed past me and rushed to Sophie.
‘So you’re having an affair,’ I said.
Jerry looked up when I spoke. His gaze fell on me, and I saw the blood drain from his face.
‘Oh my God, Jessica? What are you doing here?’
‘Catching you red-handed, you lying fraud!’
‘Is that your wife?’ Sophie said, looking me up and down. ‘That’s wonderful. Now we can finally be together, Jerry.’ She turned to him with starry eyes. ‘You can leave her, and we’ll start a new life together, just like you promised.’
I looked at Sophie, feeling a surge of triumph. ‘You think you’re going to live happily ever after with Jerry? Good luck. Everything is in my name. You’ll have to live on his charm alone.’
Sophie’s face fell, and she turned to Jerry.
‘You told me it was all yours! You said we’d be fine!’
Jerry tried to ignore her, his eyes pleading with me. ‘Jessica, please, let’s talk about this.’
I shook my head, my voice steady. ‘There’s nothing to talk about, Jerry. It’s over.’
I turned and walked away, my heart heavy but determined.
When I got home, I immediately began divorce proceedings. I also contacted Michael to thank him for his honesty and support.
A few days later, we met for dinner, and I found comfort in his presence.
‘Thank you for everything,’ I said, looking him in the eye. ‘I would still be living a lie if you hadn’t approached me on the plane.’
Michael smiled and reached across the table to take my hand. ‘I’m just glad I could help.’
When we finished dinner, I felt a connection forming between us. It wasn’t the fairy-tale ending I had once dreamed of, but it was real and honest.
The trip wasn’t the romantic reunion I had hoped for, but it was the beginning of a journey of self-discovery and resilience.
I left a toxic marriage, stood up for myself, and found the strength to start over. And in the process, I discovered that sometimes the best beginnings come from the most unexpected endings.
A titled mother demands that I obey the wishes of her teenage son — a flight attendant teaches them a lesson.
I fastened my seatbelt, preparing for the long flight from New York to London. I love reading, so I brought a stack of books with me, hoping for a peaceful journey across the Atlantic. Next to me, a teenage boy was watching a TV series on his tablet. Even though he was wearing headphones, I could still hear the noise.
His mother was sitting in the aisle seat and acting as if the plane were her living room. She had her hair done with hairspray and gave me a sharp look as she sorted through her numerous handbags.
At first, we hardly spoke. I tried to concentrate on my book, but I was distracted by the sound of the boy’s show. I politely asked him to turn it down.
He just nodded and said, ‘Okay,’ but didn’t lower the volume. His mother just leafed through a magazine, ignoring the fact that her son was disturbing others. The flight had only just begun, and I already knew that it would be difficult to find peace.
As the night wore on, the cabin grew quieter, except for the noise coming from the teenager’s tablet. It seemed that his headphones were just for show, because the air was filled with the sounds of car chases and dramatic music. I tried to read my book, but it was difficult because of the noise.
I leaned over and asked him again, this time a little louder, ‘Could you please turn it down?’ He looked up, paused his show, and gave me a weak smile. ‘Sure, sorry about that,’ he said, but as soon as I leaned back in my seat, the volume went up again. His mother didn’t even look up from her magazine.
Then the battle over the curtains began. I was enjoying the night sky, but the teenager suddenly reached out without a word and pulled the curtain down. I waited a moment, then pulled it back up, needing the dim light to read. He sighed loudly, reached out and slammed it shut again.
Finally, his mother spoke up. ‘He’s trying to sleep, can’t you see? Just let it down.’
I replied, trying to remain calm, ‘I want to read my book, so I need to raise it.’
Every time I lifted it to enjoy the morning light, the teenager lowered it without saying a word. This tug-of-war went on for quite a while. His mum watched from the sidelines, frowning more and more as I reached for the shade.
Finally, she snapped. “Enough! He needs to sleep!” Her voice was sharp, cutting through the silence of the cabin. I looked around: the other passengers were peeking out from behind their seats, curious about the commotion.
‘I need to read,’ I explained, keeping my voice calm. ‘And I prefer the window open.’ .
Her lips pressed into a tight line. ‘You’re being incredibly selfish!’ she hissed.
The tension mounted, and she pressed the call button hard. A moment later, a flight attendant appeared, her expression unreadable.
‘What seems to be the problem?’ she asked in an even tone.
My mother hastened to complain. ‘This woman won’t let my son sleep. She’s deliberately opening the window shade!’
I explained my position, showing her my book. ‘I just want to read, and I need a little light.’
The stewardess listened, nodding slightly. Then, with a thoughtful look, she turned to me and winked slyly. ‘Perhaps I have a solution for both of you.’
She leaned closer, her voice sounding like a low rumble. ‘We have a vacant seat in business class. It’s at your disposal, if you want — more peace and quiet and a different window.’
The offer surprised me, but the expressions on the faces of the mother and son were priceless — their mouths agape, their eyes wide. It was as if she had offered to transport me to another planet, not just to the front of the plane.
I gratefully accepted, gathering my books. When I moved to my new luxurious seat, the flight attendant didn’t stop there. ‘And for you,’ she turned to the teenager and his mother, ‘since there is now a free seat here, we need to fill it.’
She soon returned with a new passenger — a very large man who immediately assessed the cramped conditions. ‘Would it be all right if I took the aisle seat?’ he asked politely.
His voice was soft, but there was a note of necessity in it due to his size. The mother, squeezed between her son and what could be an uncomfortable flight, reluctantly nodded.
As I settled into my spacious business class seat, I couldn’t help but look around. A man sitting comfortably in the aisle had begun to doze off, his snoring growing louder by the minute. A teenager and his mother seemed to be pressed closer together than ever, their faces reflecting shock and discomfort.
Thanks to the flight attendant’s quick reaction, my journey turned into a peaceful escape.
During the flight, I enjoyed the luxurious comfort of business class. The flight attendant stopped by with a glass of champagne, which I accepted with a smile.
Leafing through the pages of my book, I glanced from time to time at the large transparent window next to me, enjoying the view and the serene atmosphere. The rest of the flight passed in delightful relaxation, complemented by the attentive service of the crew.
When we landed, my gaze briefly met that of the teenager’s mother. I couldn’t help but smile politely, but with a hint of mischief. Her reaction was instantaneous — she looked away, grabbed her son’s hand and hurried after him along the line, as if escape was her only option.
The couple on the plane demanded that I cover my face because my scars frightened them — the flight attendant and captain put them in their place.
It was colder than usual at the airport, or maybe it was the way people looked at me. I kept my head down, clutching my boarding pass as if it were the only thing holding me together.
The scar on my face was still healing, but it already seemed to have become part of my identity. People no longer saw me. First and foremost, they saw the scar.
The injury happened a month ago in a car accident. I was a passenger, and when the airbag deployed, a piece of glass dug deep into my face. The doctors acted quickly and gave me neat stitches, but they couldn’t prevent an uneven line from forming.
My dermatologist called it ‘early scar tissue,’ raw, shiny, and red. It stretched an inch above my hairline, down my eyebrow, across my cheek, and ended at my jawline. Part of my eyebrow will never grow back, and there is a dent in my cheek where the cut was deepest.
For several weeks, my face was covered in bandages. At first, I couldn’t look in the mirror. But when the wounds closed and the bandages came off, I had no choice but to look in the mirror.
My friends tried to cheer me up, calling it cool and even sexy in a mysterious way. I tried to believe them, but it was difficult when strangers stared or turned away too quickly.
The healing process was slow and uncomfortable. Every morning, I applied the creams and ointments recommended by my dermatologist and made sure my skin stayed clean and moisturised.
But no amount of effort could change the shiny, matte appearance or the sharp red lines that seemed to scream for attention. I knew they would fade over time, but the thought that they would never disappear completely weighed heavily on my chest.
Now, as I walked to my seat on the plane, I felt all eyes on me. I sank into the window seat, my heart pounding.
At least I had sat down early to avoid the crowd. I put on my headphones, letting the music drown out my emotions. Closing my eyes, I prayed for a peaceful and quiet flight.
I woke up to voices. Loud ones.
‘You must be joking,’ the man grumbled. ‘Are these our seats?’ His tone was sharp. He seemed angry at the whole world.
‘Rows 5B and 5C,’ replied a woman’s voice, curt and impatient. ‘Everything’s fine. Just sit down.’
The couple settled into the seats next to me with great difficulty and whispering. I kept my eyes closed, hoping they would leave me alone. The man had a rough, gravelly voice. ‘I don’t believe this. We pay for this flight, and this is what we get? Last-minute seats next to…’ He stopped.
‘Near what?’ the woman asked, her voice rising. ‘Oh.’ I felt her gaze on me. My skin prickled. ‘You must be joking.’
I didn’t move, my heart pounding. Please, just stop talking.
‘Hey, lady!’ the man barked. I slowly opened my eyes and turned to him. He flinched, then frowned. ‘Can’t you cover that up or something?’
I blinked, too stunned to speak.
‘Tom,’ hissed the woman, covering her nose with her sweater sleeve. ‘That’s disgusting. How did they even let her board like that?’
‘Exactly!’ Tom leaned forward, pointing his finger at me. ‘This is a public place, you know? People shouldn’t have to see that.’
I felt my face flush. Words stuck in my throat. I wanted to explain, to tell them that I couldn’t help it, but nothing came out.
‘Are you just going to sit there?’ the woman said, her voice sharp and nasal. ‘Unbelievable.’
Tom leaned over the aisle and waved to the flight attendant. ‘Hey! Can you do something? My girlfriend is going crazy.’
The flight attendant approached, her expression calm but serious. ‘Is there a problem, sir?’
‘Yes, there is a problem,’ said Tom. ‘Look at her!’ He pointed his thumb in my direction. ‘She’s upsetting my girlfriend. Could you move her to the back seat or somewhere else?’
The attendant’s gaze shifted to me. Her face softened for a moment before she turned back to the man. ‘Sir, all passengers are entitled to their seats. Is there anything I can do to help you?’
‘I just told you!’ Tom snapped. ‘She’s sitting there like that. It’s disgusting. She should cover it up or move.’
The woman added, ‘I can’t even look at her. It makes me sick.’
The stewardess straightened up, her tone cold and firm. ‘Sir, ma’am, I must ask you to lower your voices. This behaviour is unacceptable.’
Tom snorted derisively. ‘Behaviour? What about her behaviour? It’s reckless! She’s scaring people!’
The attendant ignored him and leaned slightly towards me. ‘Miss, are you all right?’
I nodded, barely holding back my tears.
The attendant stood up straight again. ‘I’ll be right back,’ she said, her voice steady. ‘Excuse me for a moment.’
As she walked towards the cockpit, Tom leaned back in his seat and muttered something. The woman next to him folded her arms and stared down the aisle. I stared out the window, wishing I could disappear.
The cabin was quiet except for the low hum of the engines. I kept my eyes fixed on the back of the seat, trying not to cry. A few rows behind me, someone was whispering. I thought they were talking about me.
The intercom crackled. The captain’s voice came on, calm but firm.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have become aware of behaviour that is not in keeping with the respectful atmosphere we strive to maintain on this flight. Let me remind everyone that harassment or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. Please treat your fellow passengers with dignity.”
The announcement reverberated through the cabin. Passengers turned their heads, stirred in their seats, and looked towards row five. I noticed someone across the aisle shaking their head disapprovingly, and my stomach churned.
The flight attendant returned, tall and composed. She leaned towards our row and addressed the couple directly. ‘Sir and madam, please move to seats 22B and 22C at the back of the plane.’
The man looked stunned. ‘What?’ he barked. ‘We’re not moving!’
‘Sir,’ the flight attendant said firmly, “this is not up for discussion. Your behaviour has disrupted the flight, and we must ensure a comfortable environment for all passengers.”
‘This is ridiculous,’ the woman snapped, pulling her sweater tighter around herself. ‘Why are we being punished? She’s the one who caused the problem!’
The flight attendant did not flinch. ‘Ma’am, your new seats are ready. Please gather your belongings.’
The man frowned, his face red with anger. ‘This is crazy,’ he muttered, pulling his bag from under the seat. The woman followed him, grumbling loudly as she grabbed her handbag. Passengers nearby watched silently, expressing everything from disapproval to quiet satisfaction.
As the couple walked down the aisle, someone clapped. Then another. The sound grew louder, spreading applause throughout the cabin. I bit my lip, trying to hold back tears. This time not from embarrassment, but from the strange, unexpected comfort of the gesture.
The flight attendant turned to me, her expression soft. ‘Miss, I want to apologise for what happened. No one should have to experience that.’
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
‘We have a free seat in business class,’ she continued. ‘We would like to move you there as a gesture of goodwill. Would you mind?’
I hesitated. ‘I don’t want to cause any trouble.’
‘You’re not causing any trouble,’ she said, her voice kind. ‘Please. Let us take care of you.’
I nodded, muttering, ‘Thank you.’
Once I was settled in my new seat, she brought me a cup of coffee and a small packet of biscuits, then left me to rest. I looked out of the window at the clouds — soft white blobs against the endless blue. My breathing slowed, the knot in my chest loosened.
For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to cry. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks. I thought about my friends’ words, how they told me that I was still me, with all my scars and everything else. ‘You’re still beautiful,’ one of them said. ‘Only now you’re fierce too.’
I looked out the window again. The clouds seemed endless, stretching far into the horizon. My tears stopped. I took a deep breath, and the air filled my lungs like a promise.
As the plane glided forward, I felt something I hadn’t felt in weeks: hope.
A woman ruined an 8-hour flight for other passengers — after the trip, the captain decided to put her in her place
I was ready for the flight. I knew it would be a long one. Eight hours from London to New York is no easy feat, but I had earplugs, sleeping pills and a few snacks with me.
I had just finished an exhausting swimming competition, and every muscle in my body was crying out for some much-needed rest. I was sitting in the middle seat, which wasn’t ideal for my height, but I was too tired to worry about it. The woman sitting next to me by the window looked as exhausted as I did, and I saw her eyes droop before we took off.
We exchanged weary smiles before settling into our seats.
It’s okay, James, I thought to myself. You’ll sleep through it all.
But then a woman appeared who would cause absolute chaos and discomfort for the next eight hours.
From the moment she sat down next to me, I sensed there would be trouble. She huffed and puffed and shifted from foot to foot as if she had been assigned a seat in the luggage compartment rather than in economy class.
‘Oh, dear,’ sighed the woman sitting by the window.
The woman in the aisle seat, let’s call her Karen, continued to stare at me from head to toe, her mouth pursed.
Listen, I’m a tall guy, 180 cm. I’m used to awkward stares on planes, but this wasn’t my fault.
The first sign of trouble came when the plane took off. Karen pressed the call button, not once, like any sane person would, but three times in a row, as if she had set off an alarm.
I almost expected the alarm to go off on the plane.
‘Ma’am,’ the flight attendant asked when we reached cruising altitude, ‘how can I help you?’
‘This seat is unacceptable!’ Karen snapped. Her voice was loud enough to attract the attention of those sitting in the neighbouring rows.
‘I’m cramped, and look at these two… people! They’re practically wedging themselves into my space.’
She glanced at me, then at the woman by the window, who was staring straight ahead, pretending not to notice anything.
‘I’m sorry, but we’re fully booked today,’ replied the flight attendant. ‘There’s nowhere else for you to sit.’
‘You mean there’s not a single seat available on this flight? What about business class? Nothing?’ she demanded.
‘No, ma’am,’ said the flight attendant. ‘There are no seats available.’
‘Then I want them moved,’ Karen said, louder this time. ‘I paid for this seat, just like everyone else, and it’s not fair that I have to squeeze in next to them. I can’t even open a packet of crisps without bumping into this guy.’
To emphasise her point, she nudged me in the arm with her elbow.
I glanced at the woman in the window seat, who looked like she was on the verge of tears. My patience was wearing thin too, and I couldn’t deal with this woman when my energy reserves were depleted.
‘Ma’am,’ I said, keeping my voice calm, ‘we’re all just trying to get through this flight and get to our destination. There’s nothing wrong with the seating arrangement.’
‘Nothing terrible?’ Karen barked. ‘Are you kidding me? Are you blind?’
She continued her tirade for what seemed like hours. And it was clear that she wasn’t going to stop. I tried to ignore her, but she kept moving around in her seat, kicking me with her feet and constantly poking my arm with her elbow.
By the fourth hour, I was more irritated and exhausted than I had ever been in my life. I was fed up.
” Listen,‘ I said, turning to her as the flight attendant rolled the trolley down the aisle, ’we can continue this until the end of the flight, or we can try to make the best of a bad situation. Why don’t you watch something on the screen? There are some good films here.”
But she wasn’t interested.
‘Why don’t you advise her to go on a diet? And why don’t you learn to book seats where there’s room for your giant feet? Why are you both determined to make my life hell?’ Karen hissed.
And all the while we were talking, Karen was busy pressing the call button.
I felt my blood boiling and watched as the woman sitting by the window tried to make herself as small as possible.
I saw the flight attendants muttering among themselves, giving Karen dirty looks. To be honest, I just hoped that one of them would slip her a sedative or something. Finally, a flight attendant approached, looking as upset as I was.
‘Ma’am, if you don’t calm down, we will ask you to remain in your seat and refrain from pressing the call button unless it is a genuine emergency.’
‘Oh, it is an emergency!’ she cried. ‘This is a human rights violation! My rights are being violated, and everyone is just ignoring it!’
This continued throughout the flight: Karen sighed sharply, muttered under her breath, and generally made everyone around us miserable.
I just lowered my head and tried to focus on the tiny screen in front of me, tracking our progress home.
When we finally landed, I couldn’t have been happier if I’d tried. This nightmare was almost over.
But as soon as the wheels touched the ground, Karen got up from her seat and rushed down the aisle as if she were going to miss her connecting flight to Mars. The ‘Fasten Seat Belts’ sign was still lit, and everyone sat patiently waiting for it to go out.
But not Karen. No, she ignored all the flight attendants’ calls and didn’t even look back. Soon she was standing right by the curtain separating business class from economy.
The others just watched what was happening, too exhausted and upset to react.
Then the captain’s voice came over the intercom:
‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New York! We have a special guest on board today.’
A collective groan went up. What now? Were we going to be stuck here for much longer?
‘We ask everyone to remain in their seats while I walk through the cabin to greet this special passenger.’
Karen suddenly perked up, her shoulders straightening as if she had just been crowned Miss Universe. She looked around with a smug smile, as if expecting everyone to applaud her.
When the captain emerged from the cockpit, we saw a middle-aged man with a calm demeanour and a weary smile. When he saw Karen, he paused.
‘Excuse me, ma’am,’ he said. ‘I need to pass you to greet our special guest.’
‘Oh,’ she said, looking surprised. ‘Of course.’
He continued to make her retreat toward the altar until they were almost at our row. It was priceless because, although she obeyed him, her face clearly showed her confusion.
‘Perhaps you should take your seat,’ he said.
The others watched in stunned silence, realising what he was doing. I felt a smile playing on my lips. The woman next to me was grinning too.
Finally, the captain stopped at our row, forcing Karen to move over and stand in her place.
The captain looked at the seat numbers and smiled before speaking.
‘Here we are,’ he said, his voice carrying throughout the cabin. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, our special guest is sitting right here in seat 42C. Can we all give her a round of applause?’
For a moment, there was silence. Then someone began to clap, followed by another, and another. Soon the entire plane erupted in laughter and applause.
The woman’s face turned bright red. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She just stood there, awkward and humiliated, while the captain bowed slightly and returned to the cabin.
‘That,’ I said, leaning back in my seat with a satisfied grin, ‘was worth all eight hours of this torture.’
The others finally gathered their things and left, leaving her to wallow in her own embarrassment.
‘God,’ said the woman next to me. ‘I’m so glad it’s over. I never want to see that woman again. Maybe we’ll end up next to each other on another flight. This time without Karen.’
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalised for creative purposes. Names, characters and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
