I knew I didn’t look my best. Fever. Chills. That awful, dry cough. But canceling the trip wasn’t an option — flights were booked, hotels paid for, and important meetings lined up. So I pulled myself together and boarded the plane, hoping to just survive the flight quietly and respectfully.

I took a window seat, tucked into my jacket, set some tissues beside me, and sipped water in silence. I was doing everything I could to not bother anyone.

But about ten minutes after takeoff, I heard a sharp, irritated voice cut through the cabin:

“This is unbearable! He’s coughing nonstop! Why should I have to deal with this?!”

The woman across the aisle — probably in her 50s — turned and glared at me like I’d personally offended her.

“Are you contagious?! Why are you even on this plane?!”

I kept my voice calm, even though I felt miserable.

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to be quieter. I’ve taken medicine. If the noise bothers you, maybe headphones—”

“I’m not putting anything on! This is my vacation, and you’re ruining it!” she snapped, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Then she slammed the call button.

A young flight attendant appeared moments later, polite but clearly bracing herself.

“Good afternoon, is something wrong?”

The woman wasted no time.

“He’s coughing! He’s sick! Do something! I paid for my seat!”

The flight attendant nodded and walked off, probably to speak with the captain. When she came back, her expression had changed — professional, but firm.

And what she said next? I could see the woman instantly regretted complaining.

“To make things comfortable for everyone, we’d like to offer a solution. You can switch seats if you’d prefer.”

The woman’s jaw dropped.

“I’m not moving because of him! I paid for this seat!”

The flight attendant turned to me.

“Sir, we can move you if that’s alright. There’s a free seat available.”

The woman smirked.

“Yes! Move him! I don’t want to hear coughing the whole flight!”

I shrugged and nodded.

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

“Great,” the attendant said, with a small smile. “We’ll move you to business class. You can stretch out, relax, and we’ll serve you a hot meal and drinks shortly.”

Dead. Silence.

As I stood up and walked past the woman, I caught a glimpse of her face — frozen, then tight with frustration. She muttered something under her breath, but no one paid her any attention.

Minutes later, I was wrapped in a cozy blanket, sipping tea with honey in a reclining chair, watching the sky. Dinner was warm. The air was quiet. And for the first time that day, I smiled.

Sometimes, a little kindness pays off — and rudeness… well, that comes with its own price. ✈️💺🍵