A passenger on Southwest Airlines flight 239 from Denver to Des Moines was reportedly seen texting a woman named Samantha – who wasn’t his wife – by another passenger. Earlier in the text streams they exchanged goodbyes and I love you’s. And then there was this:
I’m on my way to see you. My dumb wife doesn’t know about us. Soon I’m gonna leave her to be with you.
When we fly we tend to think of ourselves as anonymous, and living in a zone of privacy, even as we’re surrounded by people. But the close proximity of the cabin means everything that we do is on display, at least to a seatmate.
The angle of the video makes it appear as though it’s being shot from above, suggesting to me that the passenger in the row behind otherwise it would be too noticeable from the next seat over. That seems like a reason to question the veracity of the video. However we’ve seen plenty like it that are definitely real, so I cannot discount that either. It is clearly onboard a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737, and they do fly the 1 hour 40 minute route from Denver to Des Moines.
Earlier this year we saw a philandering man sending the same flirty text messages to more than one woman while another passenger was seen sending racist text messages – and the black woman beside him called him out for it.
With laptops, consultants and other professionals frequently use privacy screens. Those help. But almost nobody takes steps to protect their text communications – and your screen is usually visible to the person sitting next to you.
Choice A: Tastelessly hovering over someone else’s private correspondence.
Choice B: Fake BS.
The poster didn’t seem to think much about how they would come across in this.
Choice A: Don’t post things you’re not even sure are real.
Choice B: But the clicks!
Maybe you should change “Thought Leader in Travel” to “Gossip Leader in Travel” ?
It’s fake. Nobody can prove that person wrong as there are no seat assignments. And no wife would know if her husband was in seat 3. It’s BS.
Gary I love reading your blogs but between this and the incessant video fights on the planes or at the gate you sometimes go into Jerry Springer territory.
@ Gary — Fake.
What an embarrassing article from your website?
You support passengers broadcasting what a passenger does on a flight?
Next week you will write an article from his perspective, shaming publications for sharing his business.
Whatever happened to minding your own business?
Really, Gary? Posting this staged BS? People make all this stuff up for clicks… about as real as reality tv.
Or he is texting his cult leader.
Who has a mistress in Des Moines? FAKE!
I agree with: MIND YOUR OWN DANG BUSINESS…peeking in/on/over someone else’s texting is an egregious invasion of privacy; tasteless and juvenile. I am going on the possibility of such a REAL opportunity happening on a plane in which I might be able to observe another passenger’s communications. Repeat: it is NONE of my business! Only in a truly exceptional situation would I ever bother to call some attention to another passenger’s texting, e.g., seeing a text describing imminent violence or danger to other passengers or to the plane (a bomb threat…etc.).
Fake, but if not, the person filming is such a POS. Mind your own biz.
Even lower class than the guy in 3C is the media who puts this out. Why is this a topic?
If he’s married, then he has no business texting another female.
Why?
Gary please please stop posting this crap. It probably isn’t even true. Also if true the gossipy snooper needs a schoolyard beat down! I don’t condone extra marital affairs but it certainly isn’t this a .. holes Business. I don’t cheat on my beautiful wife but certainly would have words or fists for anyone posting online about my private affairs as we sometimes have conversations which are no one else’s damm business!
Mind your own business!
This isn’t the National Enquirer!
Slow news day, eh Gary? I mean seriously who cares about this???