When Jack Littlejohn found out that his mom had upgraded their plane tickets to first class, he joked that he was going to give his seat away to a stranger.
What started out as a joke, however, turned into a concept that Jack couldn’t stop thinking about. That’s why, when they got on their flight, he took a walk through Economy in search of someone who he thought would enjoy having his seat.
As soon as Jack laid eyes on 88-year-old Violet, he could tell she was “really sweet.” When he found out she was traveling alone, he asked if she was interested in swapping places with him. He explained that in first class she’d get a leather seat that doubles as a bed and all the free food and drinks she could want.
After some convincing, she took his offer! Leah Amy, one of their flight attendants, took notice and shared Violet’s incredible experience on Facebook.
Jack’s act of kindness quickly went viral, earning him tons of praise. But to this 29-year-old, the result of what he did far outweighed what it cost him. Plus, this decision was influenced by his overall view of first class.
“I’ve never liked the idea of first class because I don’t like the inequality side-by-side,” Jack said. “I don’t think it’s healthy for people who have to walk past all the nice seats to the normal seats. It’s also a metaphor for how society is going, with the inequality just rising and rising.”
Still, he couldn’t be happier that such a simple act of kindness was able to bring so much joy into someone’s life.
“It was quite nice,” he said. “She was very appreciative.”
Don’t forget to share Violet’s first-class unexpected experience with a friend.
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