While headed to NYC for a work conference yesterday, I sat in the business class cabin of an Amtrak train (#ExpenseLife I’d be regular shmegular in coach otherwise lol…jk….I’d probably be on MegaBus).
Two business men sat in front of me, seemingly working on a deal. They fit the classic Wall Street stereotype of tall, white men in pristinely tailored suits.
When the ticket agent came around to check our tickets, she realized that one of the men had a ticket for coach. She said, “Excuse me sir, you don’t have a business class ticket. You’ll need to move up to a different cabin.”
Looking at his colleague who DID have a business class ticket, the man with the coach ticket said “I’m with him. Can’t I just stay here? This cabin isn’t even full.”
His logic? The cabin was pretty empty after all and he needed to get work done. Because of his association with the other gentleman, he should be allowed to stay.
At this moment…I looked up looking pretty much like this…
At this moment…I looked up looking pretty much like this… pic.twitter.com/sjOED00xIx
— Atasha Jordan (@AtashaJordan) July 28, 2018
The ticket agent seemed to share my dismay. Again, she told him “Sir, you’ll need to move, or upgrade to business class.”
Seemingly embarrassed in front of his colleague, the man without the business class ticket made a big scene about the fact that he wasn’t allowed to stay in business class without the upgrade. In the end, he and his colleague ended up moving to coach.
Imagine! Would you ever get on a plane and just sit in first class because there was an empty seat?? I know I wouldn’t!
The train is a slightly different situation, but this still made me think about the factors that made this tall, white businessman assume he could sit in business class with his coach ticket. The gentleman assumed that he could take up space in a place that he technically didn’t belong.
Yes, he probably had the funds to purchase the upgrade, but my question is, why didn’t he do that from the beginning, instead of trying to finagle his way into a free business class seat??
I’m not sure that women or people of color would be so bold to assume that they could ride in business class without having purchased the ticket. My final thoughts? His societal privilege as a white man gave him the belief that he could just stay in business class because he wanted to….
What are your thoughts on this white man deciding to sit in business class despite the fact that he bought a coach ticket?
Was it a display of white privilege? Is it not that big a deal? Let me know your thoughts below!
Peace and blessings,
Atasha Jordan, MD (to be)
