I’m a flight attendant, currently doing inflight service. 

Me: “Ma’am, would you like cookies or goldfish crackers?”

Passenger: “Yes.”

Me: “Cookie? Or crackers?”

Passenger: “Yes.”

I pick one at random and hand it to her.

Me: “And what can I get you to drink?”

Passenger: “Coffee.”

Me: “Sure. Do you take any cream or sugar with that?”

Passenger: “Yes.”

Me: “Cream? Or sugar?”

Passenger: “One and three.”

Me: “Okaaay… one cream or one sugar?”

Passenger: “One cream. Also, could I have the other snack, instead? I don’t want this one.”

I’m a passenger on a tiny shuttle flight from New York. One guy who boarded right after me is some sort of fancy frequent flyer and is being an a** to everyone on the plane.

A small woman boards the plane with a small backpack. As she is going through the aisle, the backpack grazes his arm for a second, and he gives her a clearly strong shove; she stumbles straight into a row of seats. She doesn’t seem hurt or frazzled; she just ignores him and goes to her seat, while he exclaims loudly:

Jerk Passenger: “Well, you touched my arm with your backpack!” 

Later, the pilot makes the announcement that we’ve reached cruising altitude and people can go to the bathroom. The guy right behind the jerk stands up to go to the bathroom, and this guy immediately yells:

Jerk Passenger: “What are you doing?! You’re a danger to everyone on this plane. Sit down!”

For a shuttle flight, the seat belt sign never turns off, which was why the pilot made the announcement to begin with. The whole plane was baffled because we could all hear him shouting from the front of the plane. The flight attendant had to make another announcement that passengers could use the bathroom for him to settle down.

The jerk then stood up and went to the bathroom himself! As he passed, the guy he’d yelled at asked if he still felt like a danger to everyone on the plane now, and he just glared at him and stomped off. I saw him talking and gesticulating at the flight attendant for ten minutes later, while standing around in the aisle!

I feel bad for the poor attendant, but boy, was I glad to get out of there when the plane landed.

On a plane, the old lady next to me calls the flight attendant.

Old Lady: “Where are the oxygen masks?”

Flight Attendant: “They come down automatically when they are necessary.”

A few moments after the flight attendant leaves, the old lady pulls out a package from under the seat, opens it, and pulls out a life jacket. The flight attendant freaks out.

Flight Attendant: “Ma’am, what are you doing with the life jacket?”

Old Lady: “I wanted to practice using it.”

Two young boys are sitting behind me on a flight to San Francisco. As we land, [Boy #1] says: 

Boy #1: “Hey, I recognize this place!”

Boy #2: “[Boy #1], you live here.”

When I am fourteen, I have to go to Australia with my parents for my uncle’s wedding. To a fourteen-year-old me, that sounds pretty good. Little do I know that I will be encountering an entitled jerk on the plane.

Our seats are a bit far from each other, but I am okay with it. I sit next to a woman and her toddler, who is asleep. I offer one of those fake salutation smiles, but she just stares blankly at me. I think nothing of it. I just sit down and open my laptop and play some games. After a while of playing, I decide to do my summer homework, basically translating some English paragraphs into Hindi — I’m Indian.

I have not been thinking about the woman next to me, but suddenly:

Woman: “What do you think you are doing?!”

Me: “My assignment? I am a student.”

Woman: “Uh, no! You are a terrorist! That’s what you are!”

I just give her a confused look.

Woman: *To the air hostess* “Excuse me, miss! This is a very dangerous man; he is writing something in Afghanistan!”

Hostess: *Visibly sorry for me* “Ma’am, he is a child.”

Woman: “But he’s Pakistani!”

Me: “I’m Indian, and I’m just doing my homework—”

Woman: “SHUT UP, YOU TERRORIST”

At this point, a gentleman stepped in and started full-on verbally attacking the woman. He called her out on her racism and called her a stupid b**** and an Islamophobe.

My angry parents came up, wanting to kill the woman.

The sleeping toddler woke up crying.

IT WAS TOTAL CHAOS.

The airhostess reprimanded the woman, and most people of colour on the plane were trying to strangle her with their eyes. To my shock, the woman decided to shut up. She did not, however, apologise to me.

The air staff apologised profusely for the woman’s behaviour, and ultimately, they decided to give me an upgrade so that I didn’t have to sit with her. I was not scared, but I was really disappointed in the woman.

My family and I thanked the gentleman who interceded, and the rest of the trip went well.

People, be like that gentleman. Sir, if you’re reading this, thank you again!