A Thousand Times No

I hesitated to give up my airplane seat last night, because I was looking forward to getting off the plane to see my family.  But my visit is scheduled to last for more than a week, while it was immediately evident from the tired, anxious, worried faces around me at the gate that most other travelers did not have such a luxury.

Several people had already flown to Philadelphia, a hub city, from elsewhere earlier in the day.  Others had been rerouted by different airlines onto my flight without being assured of anything other than standby status.  Would-be passengers around me were deeply unhappy.  A number of them verbally laid into the airline staff working at the gate.  A few travelers broke down crying from the stress.

When I called my parents to ask whether they would mind if I came home a day later, my father said, “Sure, why not?”  Shortly, he started laughing over my apparent turn of good fortune.  “That’s the second free ticket you got this year, right?  Your sister wants to know why it never happens to her.”  Later this week, we’re going to start planning a family trip for next summer — a trip made more affordable, and thus more enjoyable, by a free airline ticket.

The key to getting voluntarily bumped from flights, particularly during the holiday season, is this: be of good cheer.  You have the ability to make the day better for several people, at least one of whom (the person who gets your seat) is going to be exceedingly relieved and happy.  Once in a rare while, you may even put an end to someone’s tears.

If that’s not a superpower, I don’t know what is.