This Guy Got $100 for Being Kind to an Old Woman on an Airplane

Here’s some positive plane news.

After learning about the assault on the recent Alaska Airlines plane and the bomb “joke” delaying an American Airlines flight, it’s nice to hear about a positive flying experience in the news. Or, should I say, on Reddit?

One traveler posted to Delta’s subreddit about their recent flight from Boston to Atlanta on February 6. According to OP (original poster), he flew first class in a plane that had a 75S configuration with lay-flat seats. 

“As I approached my seat, an elderly lady was having a hard time getting her bag in the overhead so I offered to help,” he explained. “She ended up being in 1D and I was 1C. She immediately said she’d pay me $100 to swap seats because she feels claustrophobic in the window seats in this particular seat configuration.”

“Even though I prefer an aisle I told her that I’d gladly switch for free as long as she wouldn’t complain about letting me out if need be,” he continued.

From there, the woman continued to express her gratitude for the man’s kindness. She insisted she repay him in some way, to which the man said there was no need.

“She kept insisting she needed to do something nice for me, but I really didn’t care and just told her to pay it forward to someone else,” he said. 

He assumed, at that point, it was settled. The two continued to chat for a bit about work and family, but there was no more talk of money.

However, “Upon landing in Atlanta, she again insisted that I take money from her and tried to hand me $100,” he said. “I tried to refuse again, but she told me to take it and give it to my kids but to explain to them how being nice to others can lead to something nice in return.”

I’m not crying; you are.

OP said he eventually accepted the money, “but I probably won’t tell my kids that because then they’ll expect me to pay them anytime they do something nice.”

Being kind really does pay sometimes.