It was a 9-hour overnight flight, and the moment we hit cruising altitude, I did what I always do: pushed my seat all the way back. If they design them to recline, why not use the feature?
Almost instantly, I felt a push from behind. Then another. I turned and saw a very pregnant woman, hands gripping the armrests, leaning forward awkwardly.
“Could you maybe not recline so far?” she asked. “I don’t have much legroom.”
I kept my voice calm, but my patience was thin. “Look, if you want more space, buy business class. That’s what it’s there for.”
Her lips tightened. She muttered something under her breath and went quiet. I figured that was the end of it.
An hour later, I noticed something odd—the seat behind me was empty. I waved down a flight attendant and asked what happened.
“Oh,” she said, “we moved her to an empty business class seat to make her more comfortable and avoid further… issues.”
I raised my eyebrows but said nothing. Good for her, I thought. Still, I wasn’t about to feel guilty. I’d paid for my seat, same as everyone else.
The flight dragged on, and I eventually dozed off. When we landed, as people started gathering their belongings, a flight attendant approached me.
“Sir,” she said with a faint smile, “you might want to check your bag.”
Confused, I unzipped it—and froze. Sitting on top of my things was a sleek leather pouch: a business class amenity kit. Inside were earplugs, an eye mask, luxury toiletries, and a neatly folded note.
The handwriting was elegant, almost too perfect to be casual.
Next time, try a little kindness. It costs nothing and makes the journey smoother for everyone.
Thank you for inspiring the kindness of strangers to elevate me to a more comfortable seat.
Safe travels.
I read it twice, feeling… something. Not guilt, exactly. Maybe irritation. Maybe the faintest sting of being called out in such a polite, almost smug way.
But here’s the thing—I still stand by what I did. I paid for my seat, and I have the right to recline it. If airlines didn’t want people to use that feature, they wouldn’t design it in the first place.
The difference is, now I know that sometimes, even at 35,000 feet, karma can travel faster than the plane.