18-hour flight delay leaves one passenger with the plane all to himself

Imagine being the lone ranger aboard a commercial airplane soaring through the skies. Well, that’s exactly what happened to Phil Stringer, a realtor with an adventurous spirit.

After enduring a mind-boggling 17-hour and 52-minute delay on his Oklahoma City to Charlotte flight, Stringer found himself in a uniquely exhilarating situation. While other passengers had given up or sought alternate flights, he decided to stick it out, meaning he had the plane all to himself as the only passenger aside from crew.

Stringer posted his experience in a TikTok on Monday, June 26 where he shared heartwarming moments of himself and the crew joking around and making light of the situation. 

Turns out the dedicated airline staff, initially preparing to retire to their cozy hotel beds, were called back into action to accommodate their one and only passenger — something Stringer admitted feeling a twinge of guilt for. Nevertheless, he turned the unfortunate circumstances into an unforgettable adventure, and landed at 3:21 a.m. on Monday, a mere 17 hours and 31 minutes behind schedule. 

But wait, there’s more! As if the 18-hour delay wasn’t enough, fate delivered another blow upon landing in Charlotte. Stringer’s bag decided to take an impromptu detour, delaying its reunion with its owner by a frustrating 45 minutes. Nonetheless, despite the twists and turns, Stringer cherishes this flight as an extraordinary memory.