The attendant forced a professional smile. “Yes, sir. His ticket is valid.”
The businessman frowned. “That doesn’t make sense.”
The woman across the aisle added, “Some airlines give away upgrades to people who complain loudly enough. Maybe that’s what happened.”
A few passengers chuckled.
Through all of it, the man said nothing. He simply sat quietly, hands resting on the armrests, as if he had heard comments like this many times before. The plane finally pushed back from the gate and began taxiing toward the runway. The whispers started to fade as people returned to their phones and drinks.
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