The American Airlines flight attendant who decided I, the captain, and all the passengers had no rights but she did.

I was on the first leg of a business class flight to Rio, which involved a commuter hop to LAX. I was first in line and at the door, with her legs and arms spread , was a flight attendant barrring entrance. She insisted that my carry on luggage, already approved, would have to be checked. She insisted they would not fit in either the luggage compartment or under the seat.

I gave my carry-on to the captain, standing behind her, and suggested he demonstrate to the flight attendant that it did in fact fit. He tried it, it fit. She would not budge. She told the captain that if the carry on was allowed, she would quit. Captain replied that it was not her call. She still did not budge.

At this point I became aware of a long line of people behind me and suggested a compromise where one of the carry-ons could be stowed in front. Turns out the flight attendant had her stuff there. Next I agreed to have part of the carry on placed in the luggage compartment. At this point the captain told the still belligerant flight attendant to get away from the door and sit down.

I almost forgot that from the first sentence the flight attendant used the expression “my plane!” as in “You are not boarding my plane with that carry-on!”