Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1512467
74 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2023 tacle, so she moved to another seat. e plug stayed in this time but there was no electric- ity. She tried a third plug to no avail. Finally, a fellow passenger saw her plight and offered to share the only receptacle that appeared to be working. Patty was starved, so she checked on the airline's website and saw they had tasty sand- wiches she could purchase on the plane. With that in mind, she continued working and before she knew it, it was time to board. e plane had internet, power plugs, and a good meal. She would be set. Patty was one of the first to board. Aer set- tling into her seat, she plugged her laptop in, and knew she would have about 15 minutes to work on a paper she was writing before the plane tax- ied to the runway. However, her battery was still low and there was no power com- ing from the airplane's power plug. She mentioned it to the person seated next to her, who commented that the power plugs might not have power until aer takeoff. So, she got out her phone and sent some texts to Rob and their twin sons. Soon the plane took off, and aer a few moments, the pilot announced that it was okay to use laptops. "See, as soon as we get the 'okay' sign to use our laptops, the power plug came on," her seatmate said, who then introduced himself as John Archer. "Patty Coleman," Patty responded, and shook his hand slightly awkwardly as the seats are so close together. She then turned back to her laptop and real- ized that despite having her cord plugged in, the machine was still getting no power. She pushed the call button, and when the flight attendant came over, Patty expressed that her power plug wasn't working. "Mercy, they haven't fixed that yet," the cheerful flight attendant said in a warm, sym- pathetic way. Despite her kind response, Patty grimaced at the words. John then said in his own sympathetic way, "I'm sorry, but I am out of power too, and I have to get this report finished soon and send over the plane's internet or I'm toast. So, I can't let you use my power plug." Patty felt the frustration rise again in her face. So, she decided to put the paper aside and continue reading Walter Isaacson's Elon Musk on her smartphone until they brought the food out. "Oh, no," John shouted. " The internet doesn't work." Discussions again with the sympathetic flight attendant confirmed that the internet would not be working for the entire flight. "Well, at least the food is coming out," Patty thought to herself as she saw the flight attendants moving the food carts into the aisle. Patty thought she might faint if she didn't eat soon. "I'll take the ham salad s a n d w i c h , s o m e p o t a t o chips, and an oatmeal raisin cookie," Patty told the same flight attendant. "at will be $14," the flight attendant replied as Patty handed her a credit card. Can you believe what the flight attendant said next? "I'm sorry honey, we only take payment through our app," she told Patty, who at that point was just about to burst into tears. She didn't have the app and she knew she couldn't load it on her phone because there was no internet. John, who had been sitting in the middle of this exchange, spoke up. "I'll have the same thing she's having and charge both of ours to my app," he remarked to the flight attendant, Discussions again with the sympathetic flight attendant confirmed that the internet would not be working for the entire flight.