Their nerve left me stunned. They hadn’t even asked nicely—they just expected me to give in. I could feel other passengers watching, some curious, some feeling sorry for me.
I took a deep breath, thinking it over. I didn’t want a fight, especially not at the start of a six-hour flight.
“Okay,” I said, keeping my voice calm despite my annoyance. I handed over my boarding pass, hiding my frustration. “Enjoy the seat,” I said, not meaning it.
The woman, Selene, grabbed the ticket with a smug smile. She muttered something about people in premium seats being “so selfish.” Her partner, Malachy, added, “Someone like her doesn’t even need it.”
As I walked to the back of the plane to her assigned seat, I was fuming. But I wasn’t one for outbursts. I had a better idea. Just as I reached row 12, a flight attendant who’d seen it all stopped me.
“Ma’am, you know they tricked you, right?” she whispered. “They’re both supposed to be in row 12!”
I smiled, my anger turning into a calm plan. “I know. But I’m about to turn things around.”
“I’ve got a plan of my own,” I said with a wink.
The flight attendant raised an eyebrow but held back a laugh, getting the hint. She pointed me to my new seat. As I sat in the cramped middle seat in row 12, I started working out my next move.
My premium seat was booked with my frequent flyer miles, which came with perks most passengers wouldn’t know about. I knew just how to teach those two harassers a lesson they’d never forget…
My middle seat in row 12 was nowhere near as comfy as the premium one I’d given up, but I knew it’d be worth it. I let the pushy couple enjoy their stolen seat, thinking they’d won.
About an hour into the flight, when the cabin was calm with soft chatter and the clink of glasses, I waved to the flight attendant from before. I asked to speak with the chief purser.
She nodded with a knowing grin and came back with a woman who looked in charge.
Continue reading…