Published: October 01. 2009 2:00AM

By Sybil Davis
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Recently, I was trying to get back home from San Francisco. The flight was delayed in San Francisco and I had just enough time to get to my gate in Dallas for my return flight to Greenville. I arrived at my gate only to learn that the flight out of Dallas had been canceled due to the weather. I advised the attendant to book me on any other flight to Greenville or one headed in this direction. The attendant replied that all flights were canceled that would suit my needs. She said she could get me out the next morning.

Having been given the bad news, I thought surely the airlines had decided to cancel the flights just so I would not arrive home on schedule. I received further reinforcement of this idea when I looked out the big windows at the airport and there were no clouds or rain. Also, running through my mind was the thought that this just might be a test to see if I would lose my cool. For some reason when something like this happens, we tend to forget that hundreds of people are in the same predicament.

I had two choices: One, spend the night in the airport, or two, accept a voucher for a discounted room for the night at the airport hotel. I chose No. 2 and politely asked where I could retrieve my luggage. Here was another stress test as this would not be possible, and you know how we are as women when we have to survive without our “stuff.”

I took the sky link train to the hotel, checked in, wrapped up in the “one size fits all” terry robe and took a few deep breaths. You see, there was nothing I could do about the situation, so I made sure that I was respectful to the attendant at the airport who delivered the bad news and respectful to the gentleman who checked me in to the hotel where I did not want to be. Trust me, they were getting abuse from all directions, and they did not need to deal with one more crazy person.

Stressful times tend to bring out the worst in many people. Flight delays and cancellations often cause some people to throw “hissy fits.” That is what my mother calls them, and I saw a few the day my flight from Dallas was canceled. Thank goodness, I can truthfully say that I remembered to use good manners throughout the entire ordeal, and I encourage everyone to try to do this. If you travel and you have not encountered a similar situation – be prepared because at some point, you will be faced with the decision to throw a “hissy fit” or to use good manners. I am trusting that you will choose to use good manners. It will be better for your reputation and your blood pressure.