The cycle of airport rudeness; another way of saying what comes around goes around!
Recently, two of my family members had to take multiple flights across the country to visit a sick relative and investigate a prospective university for attending graduate school. Due to the locations of the destinations, multiple flights were involved. Some of the flights were routed through large airport hubs and some through little regional towns serviced by prop planes. This provided ample opportunity to people watch in a variety of places. Of course, stories ensued. Rudeness towards the airline gate staff by the travelers, fueled by a large dose of me-first-ness, impatience, and lack of tolerance for waiting ones’ turn and other such offensive behaviors were noted.
The airline gate staff (I don’t know what else to call them) was also witnessed to be rude without probable cause to travelers patiently waiting to be noticed so they could address their question clearly and politely when it was their turn to have some attention. When the attention came, it was in the form of being yelled at to “stay in place” or “wait your turn.” (Confusing, because it was, in fact, their turn.)
Luckily, none of the experiences were directly related to my travelers, who experienced some very kind airline gate staff and easy airport communications.
However, hearing these tales gave way to the following conundrum: which comes first, the rudeness of the traveler or the rudeness of the airline staff? One is fed seamlessly by the other, it appears, no matter where you go.
The Apples in My Orchard 
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