A Routine Flight Turns Tense
The boarding process for Flight 482 from Dallas to New York had just begun.
Passengers shuffled down the narrow jet bridge, juggling bags and coffee cups.
Among them was Naomi Carter, a 32-year-old marketing manager with a small carry-on and a well-worn novel.
She had chosen seat 12A, a window seat near the front, because she had an important meeting immediately after landing. Every minute mattered.
Naomi settled in, opened her book, and finally exhaled.
For a moment, the day seemed to calm.
But peace never lasts long when entitlement boards the plane.

