When a Flight Kicks You Off - You Take It with … Spirit. Pun intended.
Let me set the scene: I’m at the tail end of my Grammy Civil Writes Media Tour, heading to Fort Lauderdale for my final performance gig of 2024. I’m exhausted from 14 days on the road, but still energized by the mission. I board my Spirit Airlines flight, ready to settle in for a short trip and power through one last performance of the year.
Then, things took a turn.
I won't go into the nitty-gritty details, but let’s just say it involved a flight attendant who must’ve woken up on the wrong side of turbulence. She was bossy, condescending, and—according to the gate agents—already having a rough day. After what I can only describe as a completely unnecessary power play on her part, I found myself being asked to deplane. Yep. Kicked off the flight.
Now, I’ve been on plenty of flights, and let me tell you, I know the rules. My ex worked for Delta for 14 years, so I’ve been schooled in airline etiquette. I wasn’t rude. I wasn’t loud. But somehow, here I was, standing at the gate, watching the plane door close behind me.
The gate agents were surprisingly cool about the whole thing. They rebooked me immediately, apologized profusely, and even shared a little too much tea about their colleague’s “shitty attitude.” Apparently, this wasn’t her first write-up today. (Yikes.) It was almost like the universe was telling me, “Chill, Sheba. This is not the hill to die on.”
Location:
Private Residence:
1547 Melrose Dr. SW
ATL 30310
So, what did I do? I laughed. I breathed. And I pivoted.
Turns out, the layover was in Atlanta—my other home. Instead of crying over missed gigs, I shrugged and thought, “Guess I’ll just go back to my Atlanta house and take a nap.” I had been looking forward to performing, sure, but as the saying goes, it’s better to get to your destination safely than not at all. Plus, I had plans to meet my partner for a lovely dinner in Atlanta the next night. Silver lining? I just got an early start on my homecoming.
But before heading home, I wandered over to the American Express lounge. I indulged in a little cheese, some fruit, and a ridiculously rich double chocolate cake. I called my partner, recounted the drama, and we laughed about it. Honestly, the whole situation reminded me of something my mom always says: When one door closes, a window opens.
The universe, God, karma—whatever you want to call it—has a way of redirecting us, doesn’t it? Sometimes, life throws obstacles in our path not to stop us, but to slow us down, make us pause, and remind us to trust the process. Maybe that flight attendant was a lesson in patience. Maybe being rerouted was a reminder to breathe. Or maybe Spirit Airlines just needs better HR protocols. Either way, I’m here for the lessons.
As I write this, I’m waiting for my new flight to Miami. Tonight, I’ll perform my last show of the year and then head back to Atlanta to recharge before the holidays. In just a few days, I’ll be home in Raleigh for a quick reset before returning to Atlanta for the clothing swap on Sunday.
This whole ordeal might seem like a mess, but honestly, it just feels like part of the story. February 2nd—Grammy night—is around the corner. And if I’ve learned anything from this journey, it’s that big obstacles often mean something amazing is on the horizon.
So here’s the takeaway: Be kind. To yourself, to others, and even to the flight attendants with bad attitudes. Because God, the universe, or whatever higher power you believe in? They’re watching. And they have a plan—even if it starts with getting kicked off a plane.
Write on,
Queen Sheba