Stewardess Bans Arab Man from Boarding Plane Unaware He’s New Airline Owner – Story of the Day

When a vibrant young stewardess refuses to let an Arabian man board a flight to New York, her career hangs in jeopardy. However, she soon learns his true identity, and the two form a strong bond towards bolstering airline security.

Rebecca, a dedicated and conscientious stewardess with an unwavering commitment to safety, boarded the flight from Dubai to New York with a heavy heart.

She had been informed of a potential security risk involving a passenger with an Arab description, and she couldn't shake the feeling of dread.

As she scanned the line of people snaking towards the boarding gate, her eyes landed on Omar, an elegantly dressed man who looked like a high-profile passenger.

But something about him didn't sit right. His gaze was too intense, and his body language was guarded.

When he reached Rebecca and handed her his passport with a warm smile, she hesitated momentarily, disarmed. "Excuse me, sir," she said after flipping through his passport and noting that he was a US citizen. "But may I see your boarding pass?"

Omar frowned. "I don't have one," he said.

Rebecca's heart sank. "Sir, you need a boarding pass to board the plane," she explained.

"I'm aware," Omar said. "I'm entitled to fly on any flight without a ticket and at a moment's notice. I'm the—"

Rebecca was stunned. She had never encountered such smugness. But she knew she couldn't let Omar board the plane without a boarding pass. It was a security violation.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said. "But I can't allow you to board the plane without a boarding pass."

Omar's expression darkened. "You're making a mistake," he said out loud, alarming travelers around him.

"Sir, you are scaring passengers. Please lower your voice. I have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all my passengers by following set protocols. I can't let you board the plane without a boarding pass."

Omar sighed. "Very well," he said. "But you'll regret this. Because I'm the owner of these airlines."

He turned and walked away, leaving Rebecca to deal with the repercussions in the departure lounge.

A murmur of disbelief rippled through the crowd of passengers. Some approached Rebecca, demanding why she had barred a passenger from boarding the plane. Others expressed their support, praising her for putting safety first.

"He was a scary-looking character," one passenger said as she boarded. "I'm glad you chased him off."

Rebecca remained calm and collected. She knew she had made the right decision, even if it meant inconveniencing some passengers.

Rebecca's strict adherence to protocol stemmed from a traumatic experience in her past.

When she was a child, her family was on a flight that was hijacked. Her father was killed in the chaos, and Rebecca deeply feared flying.

After the hijacking, Rebecca vowed to dedicate her life to ensuring the safety of others. She became a stewardess, determined to overcome her fears and make a difference to others.

As the last passengers passed through the boarding gate and took their seats, a fellow stewardess approached Rebecca and whispered, "Becs, the captain wants to see you in the cockpit right away."

This was another surprising departure from the norm, and Rebecca was taken aback. "Did he say why?" she asked her coworker.

"No," she replied, "but he did look pale and quite worried."

"Okay," Rebecca said, and finishing up the boarding procedure, she made her way down the chute and was let into the cockpit.

"You wanted to see me, Captain?" she enquired nervously.

"Rebecca," Captain Clark said, "what's this I hear about you denying a certain passenger permission to board?"

"He didn't have a boarding pass, Captain," Rebecca replied in her defense. "You know as well as I that no one is allowed to board without one. He said he was the owner of the airline; come on! I've never heard that one before."

"Rebecca, I guess you should have been told, but he is, in fact, the owner! A UAE-based company has acquired our airline; he's the big boss."

"Oh, my word!" Rebecca exclaimed. "What have I done? But how was I supposed to know that?"

"Yes, there has been a big miscommunication, and we'll have to delay the flight while we sort this out. The man wants to talk to you in the executive lounge," Captain Clark said.

"Oh dear," Rebecca said. "Okay, I'm going now."

As she re-entered the boarding lounge, she nearly bumped into a fast-moving contingent of airline security personnel approaching the plane.

"What's going on?" Rebecca asked, alarmed at their presence.

"We just received a security report from the baggage area. It looks like they missed something on the passenger scans—they reviewed the images, and there's a suspicious item in one of the passenger's carry-on baggage."

"All right," Rebecca was quick and alert. "What's his name?"

"Last name Badawi," one of the security guards replied. "Cameras show he's wearing a black tracksuit and beige peak cap."

Rebecca nodded. She didn't even need to consult the computer terminal. "Seat 22C," she said, remembering instantly. "I'll check in with you shortly; the captain has delayed the flight anyway, so take your time; be certain. I have to go and see the airline's new owner in the executive lounge."

She had no idea the man she had barred from boarding the plane was so powerful. Rebecca now faced a moral dilemma: stick to her principles or acknowledge her mistake, potentially compromising her career.

Rebecca sought out Omar in the executive lounge. She needed to explain her decision and apologize for the misunderstanding.

She found him sitting at a table, sipping on a cup of coffee. He looked up as she neared the table.

"Rebecca," he said. "I'm glad you're here."

Rebecca took a seat across from him. "I need to apologize, sir," she said. "I didn't realize you really were the airline's new owner."

Omar nodded. "I understand," he said. "I should have been more upfront with you from the start."

"I also need to explain why I barred you from boarding the plane," Rebecca said. "I was informed of a potential security risk involving a passenger with an Arab description. You matched the description, and I didn't have time to verify your identity."

Omar listened patiently; he nodded again. "I understand," he said. "You were doing your job."

Rebecca looked at Omar with surprise. She had expected him to be angry or resentful. But he seemed to be understanding and even sympathetic.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience," Omar said. "I appreciate your commitment to safety. It's a priority for me as well."

Omar's words touched Rebecca. She realized that she had misjudged him. He was not the arrogant and entitled man she had assumed he would be. He was a man who was passionate about his business and committed to the safety of his customers.

"Thank you," Rebecca said. "I'm glad we could clear the air. Literally!" she added as a joke.

Omar laughed, appreciating Rebecca's sense of humor. He showed her his boarding pass with a smile. "All clear to board, ma'am? I had my team whip this up for me, as per protocol," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"All clear, Sir!" Rebecca said with a laugh. "I hope you'll have a pleasant flight, and thank you for flying Persian Air today."

Rebecca and Omar stood up and shook hands. The two made their way toward the plane, and Rebecca briefed Omar concerning the security alert.

"Okay, this could be serious; I'd like to handle it myself," Omar said confidently.

As they boarded the plane, the security team was disembarking. They stopped to talk to Rebecca and Omar.

"It was a false alarm," the officer in charge said. "Turns out the offending item was a too-large bottle of shampoo," he said, holding the bottle up for them to see.

"Okay," Omar said. "I'd like a full report on how that was missed. Well done on taking action, however. Keep up the good work."

The passengers were restless because of the delay; some were visibly angry, staring up at Rebecca, Omar, and the security team as they finished their discussion.

Rebecca kept an eye on Omar. He proceeded to make his way down the aisle, greeting passengers here and there with a smile, a handshake, an apology, and introducing himself as the airline's new owner.

He assured them that their safety was his top priority and that he would do everything he could to make their flight comfortable and enjoyable.

Rebecca was impressed by Omar's personal touch. She could see that he was genuinely interested in connecting with his customers.

Rebecca was about to begin the pre-flight safety demonstration when Omar appeared at her side, "Allow me?" he asked.

"By all means," Rebecca said, handing over the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?" Omar said. "I'm the new owner of this airline; you can just call me by my first name, Omar. I wanted to take a moment to welcome you aboard personally and thank you for choosing to fly with us. I also apologize for the delay necessitated by an additional security check. Your safety is our top priority."

Omar then gave a brief overview of the airline's safety procedures. He spoke clearly and concisely and concluded by saying he would be happy to answer any questions in person.

Rebecca was impressed by Omar's professionalism and dedication to his customers. She realized that she had been wrong to doubt him. He was a good man, and he was going to be a great owner for the airline.

After landing, once all her cabin duties were dispensed with, Rebecca was surprised to see Omar waiting for her at the gate.

"I wanted to thank you again for your excellent work and understanding," Omar said. "And I also wanted to offer you a job."

Rebecca was taken aback. "A job?" she echoed.

"Yes," Omar said. "I'm impressed with your dedication to safety and customer service. I think you would be a valuable addition to my executive team."

Rebecca was flattered by the offer, but she was also hesitant. She loved her job as a stewardess and was proud of her accomplishments.

"I appreciate the offer," she said. "But I need to think about it."

"Of course," Omar said. "Take your time. But I hope you'll say yes."

Rebecca smiled. "I'll let you know."

Omar nodded and walked away. He turned around and returned to her, saying, "By the way, I said I'd take care of that onboard security incident. I didn't want to alarm you or any of the other passengers, but we took that passenger into custody at the baggage carousel."

Rebecca was astonished. "But I thought it was a false alarm?" she asked.

"I had my suspicions and asked our intelligence team on the ground to run a detailed check and profile," Omar explained.

"He was the man you were warned about—not me, as we now know. He's been boarding many flights under various fake passports. We think he was planning some sort of attack. He normally dresses as a smart-looking executive. It's a pity his disguise threw us off his scent, but it won't happen again. We'll be tightening our security checks from now on."

Rebecca took a deep breath and headed towards the exit. She knew she had made the right decision when she barred Omar from boarding the plane. But she had learned a valuable lesson: never judge a book by its cover.

Omar's experience, alertness, and careful thinking had neutralized the threat and prevented that suspect from committing who knows what despicable acts of terror.

She watched Omar go, feeling conflicted. She knew that Omar was offering her a good opportunity, but she wasn't sure she was ready to make such a radical career move.

Rebecca felt a wave of gratitude towards Omar. He had not only saved the day, but she immediately knew that this was a leader she would learn a considerable amount from and that the opportunity standing in front of her was precious.

Rebecca knew exactly what she had to do; she picked up her pace to a trot so that she would catch up to Omar. She had a job offer to accept.

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