FileTitle: Prose239.html
Category: Humor
Type: Prose
Description: Dealing With Angry Airline Customers
Fly the Friendly Skies
     
     An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in Denver 
     for being smart and funny, and making her point, when confronted a 
     passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. 
     
     During the final days at Denver's old Stapleton airport, a 
     crowded United fligh was canceled.
     
     A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced 
     travelers. Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. 
     He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on 
     this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS." 
     
     The agent replied, "I'm sorry sir.  I'll be happy to try to help 
     you, but I've got to help these folks first, and I'm sure we'll be 
     able to work something out."
     
     The passenger was unimpressed.  He asked loudly, so that the 
     passengers behind him could hear, "Do you have any idea who I am?"
     
     Without hesitating, the gate agent smiled and grabbed her public 
     address microphone.
     
     "May I have your attention please?" she began, her voice 
     bellowing throughout the terminal.  "We have a passenger here at 
     the gate WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS.  If anyone can help him find 
     his identity, please come to the gate."
     
     With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, the man 
     glared at the United agent, gritted his teeth and swore "(Expletive)
     you." 
     
     Without flinching, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but 
     you'll have to stand in line for that, too."
     The man retreated as the people in the terminal applauded loudly. 
     Although the flight was canceled and people were late, they were no 
     longer angry at United.