An award
should go to the United Airlines gate agent in Denver for being smart and funny, and
making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo.
A crowded United flight was
canceled. A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly
an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter
and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS."
The agent replied,
"I'm sorry sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks
first, and I'm sure we'll be able to work something out." The passenger was
unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "Do you
have any idea who I am?"
Without hesitating, the
gate agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone. "May I have your
attention please?" she began, her voice bellowing throughout the terminal. "We
have a passenger here at the gate WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find
his identity, please come to the gate."
With the folks behind him
in line laughing hysterically, the man glared at the United agent, gritted his teeth and
swore, F*** you!"
Without flinching, she smiled and said,
"I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to stand in line for that too! | 
