Sitting in Douglass International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., one morning while waiting to go home, I reflected on my all-too-common travel experience the night before, and how it influenced my attitude and behavior. Let me explain.
Lightning storms had delayed flights coming into and out of Orlando, where I had been for a safety conference. Once my flight to Charlotte finally took off, I wondered if I’d make my connecting flight to Roanoke and get home that night. Passengers behind me were also sweating the minutes. Their flight to Nashville would depart at 10:45 p.m., and it was almost 10:40 when we arrived in Charlotte. I told them not to worry; surely their aircraft would wait a few minutes. Numerous times I had been on flights that waited at the gate for late arrivals.