Overbooked

Flying out to a meeting last night and was waiting to board my flight after printing my boarding pass at the airport. I didn't think much of it other than it being odd that I could not check in online. I went on the American website and paid for an exit row seat since one was available.

After hearing the announcements that the flight was oversold and they were looking for 'volunteers' to give up their seat I was happy to know I paid for an exit row. That was until I hear my name called by the gate agent. I walked up and he said I did not have a seat. Puzzled I looked down at my boarding pass and there in black and white was printed 'please see gate agent for boarding pass'. I mentioned that I had paid for an exit row to which he replied well it wasn't available, even though it charged my credit card. Welcome to air travel in 2018.

I was thinking about this concept of being 'overbooked'. We have this expectation that once you book something; plane ticket, special seats for a show or dinner, you expect to get the opportunity to sit in that seat. What if you walked up to the hostess and no seat was available. How would you feel?

How do others feel when they try and reach out to me and I'm 'overbooked'? Whether that is being mentally or physically unavailable to those who really need some of my time. I'll try and remember that feeling I had for a moment just before I got the last seat on the plane. You know the one, right in front of the aft bathroom. At least I made the flight.