Originally, I found your story a bit difficult to understand but you’ve since explained clearly what happened. I think any reasonable person would have been upset by what the airline did to you. Sometimes when I get upset I raise my voice a bit even though I know I shouldn’t, so I understand. And there are quite a few of us here who aren’t blaming YOU for what happened.

Same behaviour on here as meted out to the airline - i.e. trying to browbeat whoever or whatever into submission.

We who are ourselves old farts have the right to use the term simply by having lived to the age we are. There are other pejorative terms that minorities have claimed as a badge of honor, used by others to denigrate, now claimed by the people to whom they refer. I object to someone not an old fart using the term to belittle but proudly claim the right to use it myself.

Bingo!

True, I am getting on in age. But I have never been called an Old Fart.

To put things into proper perspective:

I'm in the gym three times a week.

Four days after returning from the trip we've been discussing I left to go on a week long hiking trip to North Carolina with my daughter. In previous years we've hiked in Yosemite NP in California, Glacier NP in Montana, Banff & Jasper NP in Alberta and Yellowstone & Grand Teton NP in Wyoming.

Twice a week I volunteer and coach a hockey clinic for kids. I'm on the ice with them.

Last summer I played hockey with about thirty others (about a half dozen were female). None of the group were within 25 years of me. And I kept up with most.

Near the start of this year I volunteered and took over the position of treasurer for a non-profit after the treasurer passed away. I did this until a new treasurer took over the position.

For the past several years I have been photographing dress rehearsals for a theater / dance company, free of charge, so the cast could have photos of their performances.

I don't mind if you call me an Old Fart. But first prove that you can keep up with me.

@ Myer
All of the above info is helpful to someone looking for travel info how ?

Bring this to the Lounge.

I don't recall ever reading a post anywhere online written by an OP as enthralled with themselves or the sound of their own voice as this one. Rather than the in the lounge this thread might be better just disappeared.

Agreed.
As I say (aloud) when people break in line in front of me, "Some people are just more special than others".

While I find it amazing that one can actually make use of what you find in fortune cookies, I am still wondering if this approach is really that much more successful than simply telling the wrong-doer to move his or her butt to the proper end of the line?

Some minor changes could make it more force-ful, though:
"Some people more special than others just are"
Though it should work best if you're just 3ft tall with big ears and 900 years old.
Well, more or less dead, actually. Anyway, it's worth a try.

No fortune cookie.
Nah, not worth the effort. When people are so intent on others knowing how special they are, it's just easier to let them announce, break in line, whatever. Hopefully, in a few seconds, you'll never see them again. They will carry their cloud of self-importance to the next person they encounter.

This is ridiculously off-topic but I remember a show on TV where they proved that literally ANY reason you give for breaking in line at supermarket check out lines or similar will be most likely accepted as a valid reason. It's this silent sneaking in that drives people up the wall.
The funniest "reason" the actor gave to the "victim" she squeezed in front of was that "she needed to pay" - which is obviously the one and only reason why everyone is standing in line at check out. Nevertheless, all "victims" said that this person offered a good explanation for her behavior when interviewed later. Only when the TV presenter replayed the scene, they noticed the nonsense of that reason.