“Sir, we need to move you to seat 32B,” the flight attendant said. “There’s a family that needs to sit together, and yours is the only seat that works.”
The older man glanced at the aisle seat he’d paid extra for months ago—chosen specifically to accommodate a lingering injury from his time in the service.
“I booked this seat for medical reasons,” he replied softly.
But the attendant wouldn’t back down.
“If you don’t move, we can’t close the cabin doors.”
Nine tense minutes passed. Then, the cockpit door opened and the captain stepped out. What he did next changed the tone of the entire flight—and gave the moment a whole new meaning.