If you have ever been scheduled to fly only to have your flight canceled, it can, particularly when you are stressed and tired, lead to conflict with airline staff. It may not be easy dealing with feelings of frustration but the airline staff is doing their job the best they can to get you where you want to go. On a particular flight that was canceled I recall observing the tactics of the person ahead of me to find a new flight; watching the scene unfold before me, I believe I discovered a better way of heading off a potential conflict.

As a people-watcher, I observed that some of the over one hundred people around me were angry, others were frustrated, and some grateful to finally know the status of things to be able to move on with their plans.

After some time, the person...