First class kid
Atlanta, Georgia
I AM ESCORTING a young boy to his seat. He boards first, before the other passengers, because he is an unaccompanied minor, traveling by himself, no parent with him on this flight. He is bright, talkative, outgoing, obviously unafraid, has probably flown alone many, many times.
We walk through first class with its wide comfortable seats and spacious aisles, a cocktail napkin, a small bottle of water and a headset placed neatly on each tray, waiting for its first class occupant. My young passenger takes his assigned seat in the back, listens to my briefing about the bathroom, the flight attendant call light, the seatbelt sign. I admonish him to remain seated once we reach our destination. I will come get him and walk off the plane with him. Nine-year-old boys are notorious for ignoring instructions.
He takes a $20 bill out of his backpack and hands it to me. He would like to buy a seat in first class. I smile and tell him those seats are already taken, the first class cabin is full. He presses the bill into my hand. He really wants to sit there, would like to tell his friends and his father that he flew first class. I gently explain that first class is very expensive, most passengers are wealthy people or business travelers whose companies pay for their seats. I give him his $20 back, smiling.
I tell my fellow flight attendants. We laugh and smile at his childish naïveté. We’d all like to fly first class for $20! After boarding is finished, there is one empty seat in first class, no upgrades, no standbys, close the door, let’s go.
Another flight attendant and I have an idea. Before we begin our lunch service we tell our first class passengers about this young boy. Would it be okay with them if we let him sit in the empty seat? We know how territorial first class passengers are about their upgrades, the perks they get for flying millions of miles on Delta. Everyone laughs and consents, “Yes, let him sit there, let him fly first class.”
We move him up to seat 4A, serve him ginger ale in a glass, no plastic cups here. We offer the elaborate snack basket, cookies, cashews, chips, chocolate. We take his order for lunch. He thoroughly enjoys the experience, chats animatedly with his seatmate, has us take photos to show his family and his fourth grade friends. He is hilarious. We love him.
He charms all the first class passengers, jaded business travelers just trying to get from one meeting to the next, thankful to have gotten their upgrade, glad to have an aisle seat with no screaming baby next to them. They have seen it all on airplanes. I call them honorary crewmembers, they fly so much.
One passenger tells me, “I wish he’d come work for me! I’d like to offer that kid a job!”