He pictured the crowded economy cabin in his mind—loud noise, crying babies, passengers bumping elbows as they squeezed down the narrow aisles. After his exhausting work trip, it was his worst nightmare come true.
As Carl slowly shuffled through the crowded boarding line, his frustration only grew stronger. Passengers all around him were pushing and shoving for space, kids running around wildly while their tired parents struggled to control them, their voices rising in frustration. The chaotic scene only added to Carl’s bad mood, making him annoyed with everyone and everything around him. He already dreaded surviving five hours in such a chaotic, stressful environment.
After what felt like an eternity waiting in line, the gate agent finally called his boarding zone. Gripping his new economy ticket tightly, Carl walked down the jet bridge and stepped onto the plane. To his great disappointment, the economy cabin was even more cramped and crowded than he’d imagined. Passengers were packed shoulder to shoulder in the tiny seats, and flight attendants could only shrug helplessly at the tight, overcrowded conditions.
Carl made his way down the narrow aisle, scanning the rows for his assigned seat. When he found his row, he tried lifting his carry-on bag into the already stuffed overhead compartment, crammed full of other passengers’ luggage. After several struggling attempts, he finally shoved the bag inside, scraping his fingers against the sharp metal edges of the bin in the process.
