Diamonds
in the rough amongst rude business travelers
Has
anyone else noticed how rude travelers are nowadays? I feel as if I encounter so many people each
week who can barely crack a smile, please, or thank you. I have always felt that it is important to be
polite to airport and airline employees . . . a little please and thank you
each time goes a long way.
With
the terrible weather 2014 has brought, I have witnessed this group of people
taking a beating from upset travelers when many things are not their fault (the
gate agent in MKE has no bearing on the fact EWR just delayed us because they
have a winter storm warning and blizzard there).
I
have seen travelers board a plane, get in line, purchase some food . . .
without any sort of acknowledgement to anyone around them.
This
week, the fellow sitting next to me even gave me a not very nice remark about
the fact I wanted to sit in my assigned aisle seat (which he was sitting
in). Never mind the fact I am pretty
pregnant and would get up to use the restroom numerous times.
I
flew to Atlanta last week in the midst of the storm and disruption in the South
. . . and just when I felt I couldn’t take any more rude passengers . . . I had
a few silver linings which made me think there was light at the end of the
passenger tunnel. On a standing room
only hotel shuttle, I had a gentleman offer me his seat so I did not have to
stand. In an extremely crowded ATL
terminal, where seats and outlets are hard to find, I had another gentleman
offer me his seat so I could both sit and charge my phone while I was waiting
for my flight. I also had an individual
help me lift my carry-on out of the overhead compartment upon my arrival home.
It
inspired me to “pay it forward” . . . and make some extra efforts to be polite
and helpful during my travels to hopefully inspire others to do the same. We’re all in it together, let’s at least
enjoy it as much as we can.
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