Window Seat (Oct 11, 2010)

on my return flight back to sydney, a 15+ hrs flight, despite repeated requests, i was being put in the middle seat.

 

i tried to arr at the airport 3 hrs earlier hoping to change my seat, but  the staff who checked me in was very very hostile, she said: someone has got to sit in the middle! i know you people, i have been working for many airlines for over 47 yrs and my parents are also working for airlines........., and she went on and on.

 

she then said: well we are so full that we cannot even move ONE single seat but u can check again one hour before departure at the gate.

 

i then asked: will there be anyone at the gate one hour before departure? and she started again: of course, there are a lot of people like u requesting change of seats ........, and on and on.

 

 it would be perfectly ok for me if she could have said: the flight is very full, but i will try to put in a request for u but i cannot promise.   instead she gave me lectures using abusive language.

 

after checking in and while i was sitting down  i could not help getting angry,i did not understand why i came across such a nasty person because i always meet nice and supportive people all the time! 

 

finally i got up and decided to speak my mind.  i went back to the counters and asked to speak to the supervisor, who after hearing what happened, was shocked and apologetic, she said: yes the flight is very full but i will try my best to help u.

 

and u know what: i got a very nice window seat and had a very nice flight back home.

 

at first i did not understand why i met the nasty person, but nowi do.  if i had not met this nasty one, i could have just accepted the polite answer and will not talk to the supervisor and be given my window seat, so the adversity was to help me achieve what i wanted.

 

this is exactly what is said in our buddhist practice: that we have the power to turn poison into medicine, we have the power to change any problems into benefits, and the 'seemingly' difficulties are just to help us do better and gain more benefits.

 

i apologize for such a long email, however i know quite a lot of my friends are facing difficulties, and i do want to share with them this experience.

 

cheers

 

lydia