He thought longingly of the wide, cushioned business class seat he’d booked and the attentive flight crew ready to cater to every passenger’s need. Hoping a calmer, more reasonable approach might change things, he tried a different tactic. “Is there any possible way you could move someone else to economy instead?” he asked, his tone edged with quiet desperation. “I really need that business class seat today more than anything.”
The agent shook her head regretfully. “I’m so sorry, sir, but there’s genuinely no extra space left in business class. I wish there was something more I could do for you.”
Carl grabbed his carry-on bag tightly, anger simmering inside him. His perfectly planned, relaxing flight home was falling apart right in front of his eyes. “This is completely unacceptable,” he said sharply. “I expected far better service from your airline.”
With a tired, defeated sigh, he turned and trudged slowly toward the long economy boarding line. All his hopes for a relaxing end to his work trip were totally shattered. Now he faced five stressful hours squeezed into a cramped seat, with no chance to rest or unwind at all.
