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No one likes pushy people. Then again, no one really likes it when someone has status and it affects their response to people. So when an entitled woman and a United 1K member have a little non-verbal tête-à-tête, is there really a winner?

First, some background definitions…

Apologies to anyone reading this who is actually named Karen; I’m sure you’ve been wincing a little for the past few years. But “Karen,” as per Urban Dictionary, is “a mocking slang term for an entitled, obnoxious, middle-aged white woman.” She’s the kind of person who’s not happy when little things don’t go her way, and she’ll be one of the first to say, “Can I speak to a manager?” I try not to use the term anymore, realizing it’s an insult to anyone named Karen. But that’s what the original poster called her, so for this post, I’ll follow through.

Also, “resting b*tch” face, as per Wikipedia, is, “is a facial expression that unintentionally appears as if a person is angry, annoyed, irritated, or contemptuous, particularly when the individual is relaxed, resting or not expressing any particular emotion.”

Anyway, a user on Reddit named u/BookwyrmsRN, a self-described United 1k member, wrote about an incident they had with someone they described as a “Karen.” Entitled, “Current petty revenge in profess. The airport edition,” the post goes from an unfortunate encounter at the gate and ends with what the author called “revenge” at the end.

Click here to read the original post

Note: the original post contains some adult language, especially in the comments, and may be considered NSFW. Here’s a SFW version:

I’m flying from Houston to Florida today for work. There is plenty of time before my flight starts boarding.

When suddenly a wild Karen appears. Heavy set. Brown hair. Resting b*tch face. Loaded down with giant carry on. Travel pillow. Oversized purse, blanket and headphones. (It’s a 3 hour flight max… not a trek through the wilderness)

I was walking over to the seating area and got between her and the boarding group 2 aisle. She bumps me as she pushes past me and runs me over with her carry on rolling bag.

I stumble and say “Jesus!”

She gives me a death glare like I’m the one that tackled her and heads to the front of boarding group 2.

Now I understand that on these smaller flights, that you want to make sure you get overhead space. But groups 1 and 2 are usually not a problem. And it’s 20 minutes before boarding begins.

The gate agent announces that only groups 1 and 2 should be in line and all other boarding groups should wait in the seating area until they are called

So I head to the seating area and when I sit down and look back up she is literally smirking at me. ….Ok b*tch. It’s a boarding group. Not a social class grouping. You ain’t better. You just paid for premier.

I’ll update as things go down but I’m waiting on three things.

1. I fly every week and have been United 1k for a few years now. So I’ll be preboarding and comfortable before she gets on the plane.

2. I’d been bumped up to first class and am going to enjoy watching her go past to economy.

3. I know these smaller planes have small overhead spaces and her carry on is expandable.. and it’s unzipped and EXPANDED. I know it won’t fit. Someone’s gonna be checking a bag.

I’ll update soon. It’s nearly my boarding time

Edit: Boarded. Asserted dominance by looking back and maintaining eye contact as I scan my boarding pass. Resting b*tch face seems to be sucking on a lemon. 🙂

Edit: Wild Karen just boarded. 🙂 She’s having to wait in the aisle behind the flight attendant while they take 1st classes preflight drink orders. She won’t make eye contact but I’m smiling at her and knows she has seen me. I can’t wait to wave.

Petty Revenge final Edit: Drinking white wine and watching Karen (clearly irritated and incensed) do the airline walk of shame because her bag can’t fit in the overhead. She is having to check it. She still hasn’t made eye contact. My seat mate who has now been informed of what’s happening because I had to explain my giggles. Is joining me in giving her a big grin.

We bumped our plastic wine glasses as she went by.

We finally got a glare and I’ve never seen lips so tightly pinched together.

Thank you all for joining me on my flight today 🙂

My thoughts

The author obviously felt slighted when the woman arrived and bumped into him/her. After that, I’m not sure what part was worse:

• The entitled woman’s responses (if they actually happened. I mean, we never did hear her side of the story. Heck, this is the internet, so I’ll also add, “If there even was a such a woman in this story”)
• The level of the author’s (I’ll give credit: self-admitted. I’ll also give judgment: unnecessary) pettiness

Frankly, I think both are pretty bad.

If you bump into a person, apologize.

If you’re the bumpee, let it go; things happen and the author had no idea what kind of day the woman had been having.

And if you have better status, I think a, “Oh yeah? Well, just you wait,” response to someone, even if they “done you wrong,” is equally inappropriate. I mean, you could almost see u/BookwyrmsRN’s self-satisfied smirk through all of this.

Being in an airport is stressful enough. If anything it should be THE place where you should try to remember your manners and be nice to people. It’ll make getting through a whole lot easier for everyone.

Who won the battle between the entitled woman and the United 1K  member? If you ask me, neither of them.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary