On a recent Delta Airlines flight, a senior citizen who suffers from claustrophobia offered a passenger in the aisle seat $100 to switch seats. Despite the passenger’s repeated refusals and willingness to swap seats for free, the woman persisted in her offer. She explained that she felt claustrophobic in the window seat due to the specific seat configuration. The passenger, who preferred the aisle seat, agreed to switch without compensation, provided she wouldn’t mind him getting up occasionally.
As the flight progressed, the two engaged in conversation about their families and careers, leading the passenger to believe the matter of payment had been resolved. However, upon landing in Atlanta, the woman again insisted that he take the money, suggesting he give it to his children as a lesson in the rewards of kindness. Eventually, the passenger accepted the money, though he questioned the wisdom of teaching his children to expect rewards for good deeds.
The story was shared on Reddit, where it sparked discussions about how to appropriately reward kindness in similar situations. One commenter noted that in a similar scenario, they had alerted a flight attendant, who added points to the passenger’s frequent flyer account as a gesture of appreciation.