Video Shows Delayed Air Traveler Get Whole Plane to Himself

Severe weather over the past weekend grounded over 1,500 flights and led to waves of delays and cancelations across the country. One American Airlines passenger chose to wait out an 18-hour delay instead of get out on another flight. His patience ended up being worth it when he got the whole plane to himself. 

TikTok user Phil Stringer recounted his experience flying from Oklahoma City to Charlotte. His flight was delayed seven times from its original departure, resulting in an 18-hour delay with takeoff scheduled after midnight. Rather than opt to be rebooked on another flight, Stringer stuck it out. “I figured they would just cancel the flight after it kept getting delayed over and over, but they didn’t cancel it,” he told The Daily Dot. “I asked if there were other options, but the only options would have me leaving the airport the next morning and I had to get home.”

@phil.stringer

18-hour delay turned this flight into a private party! ✈️???? Watch how the amazing crew and I made the most of it! #americanairlines #flightattendant #airplanetiktok #privateparty #FlightFun #delayedflight #fyp #viral

♬ Makeba – Jain

Stringer initially joked that he bought every ticket on the flight just so he wouldn’t have to deal with other passengers. When he revealed the truth, he chuckled that the crew didn’t want to work the flight. He spoke to one airport luggage handler who smiled as he told him he only had to load one bag onto the plane. 

“They pulled them from the hotel to come do this flight for just one person,” Stringer told viewers of the crew. While one would expect them to be grumpy, they appeared to be having fun with it. A male flight attendant looked directly at him and addressed him personally as he ran through pre-flight instructions. Another gave a safety demonstration for one while the other cabin crew members cheered and applauded for her. 

Stringer explained to The Daily Dot that he felt bad for the crew and apologized to them for having to leave the hotel and work the flight. Still, they were able to make the best of being called to the airport in the middle of the night. “They had such great attitudes. We laughed a lot and talked about all sorts of things during the flight,” he recounted. “I even asked if they had any games on board.” Flight attendants in the comments, meanwhile, were jealous that they’ve never gotten to work a flight with just one passenger.

Related: An American Airlines Flight Was Diverted Because a Guy Wouldn’t Stop Doing Pullups Onboard

Needless to say it was a long day for both Stringer and his cabin crew. And while his 6:20 a.m. departure turned into a 12:20 a.m. one, he admitted that keeping your head up in such a situation can ultimately pay off. “I believe that your attitude determines your destination,” he told Insider. “Yeah, it was a sucky day. No one wants to stay in the airport for 18 hours. But if you have a positive view, you can turn something into a lot of fun.”

Next time you’re dealing with unbearable delays, you might want to think about what could happen if you waited it out. You might just get your own private flight.