The 20 July 2016 edition of Harvard Business School Working Knowledge had, as its lead article, “Airplane Design Brings Out the Class Warfare in Us All” by Dina Gerdeman.

It starts off with the assertion: “Air rage is often blamed on overcrowded flights and postage stamp-size seats, but researchers Michael Norton and Katherine A. DeCelles find another culprit: resentment toward passengers in first class.”

The new research shows that, besides the discomforts of flying economy class, what upsets people “is the demeaning march through the socioeconomic strata as we are herded through the pampered world of first and business class to our humble place in coach (i.e. economy class). It’s difficult to look past the wide and plush seats filled with passengers given privileged access to board early and sip complimentary champagne.”

One of the researchers, Professor Michael Norton of the Harvard Business School, states: “People are exquisitely sensitive to hierarchy, and research shows that feeling low status can make people feel stressed and angry.  The psychology is powerful. That feeling of being in first or last place affects our thoughts, emotions, and behavior.”

Norton and DeCelles conducted their research based on a private database of all air rage incidents from a large international airline collected over several years.  Air rage incidents refer to anger or misbehavior displayed by passengers on a flight, where cabin crew face passenger drunken outbursts, refusal to sit down and buckle up, smoking in the toilet, and abusive behaviour.

The research results were published in a paper “Physical and Situational Inequality on Airplanes Predicts Air Rage” in the 17 May 2016 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Interesting findings were:

• Passengers are 3.84 times more likely to be unruly when there is a first-class cabin as compared with planes without first class.
• Outburst are 2.16 times more likely in economy class when passengers boarded from the front and had to walk through first class, as compared to when they board from the middle and thus avoid being confronted with their “relatively disadvantaged status”.

But bad behaviour was not only found in economy but also in first class.  “Front boarding of planes predicted 11.86 greater odds of an air rage incident in first class than boarding from the middle. The findings align with previous research showing that inequality affects the psyche of both haves and have-nots.”

“For those with lower status, perceptions of their socioeconomic standing can have a strong impact. If they can see what others have, it becomes obvious that they are missing out, and it can make them feel worse. In fact, previous research shows health outcomes are poorer in impoverished neighborhoods that border wealthier areas.”

As to why first class passengers also misbehave, it was found that these people tend to be more selfish, entitled and scornful, and such a frame of mind causes them to behave badly.  Higher status can induce “negative feelings of entitlement.”

 Some other interesting findings about misbehaving passengers were:

• The majority of them, 72.49 percent, were men.
• Most of the incidents, 83.98 percent, took place in economy class.
• Of unruly behaviours, drunkenness was most common at 31.75 percent, followed by belligerent behaviour at 29 percent, and ignoring crew instructions at 18.67 percent.
• First-class passengers were more likely to involve belligerent behavior, such as expressing strong anger (36.3 percent of incidents in first class versus 27.8 percent in economy).
• Economy incidents were more likely to involve emotional outbursts (6.2 percent of incidents in economy versus 2.2 percent in first class).

In a sense, the findings should not surprise us.  In-your-face class distinctions should be minimized, and those of higher status should think less of privileges, and more about how others feel and what they can do for others. 

“Honour each other” is a good maxim.

As mentioned on page 417 of “Winning with Honour”, Honour, like love, is what comes from deep within us.  We may be expressing courtesies and behaviours out of habit in observing the norms of society.

But what makes it all a matter of Honour is we are driven to do these things out of a concern and regard for those who are affected or uplifted by our behaviour.

Establishing a culture of Honour requires us to:

• Do unto others what we would have them do unto us
• Not do anything which would be repugnant to ourselves
• Continually ask of others the question: “How can I be of help to you?”
• Instinctively ask ourselves what impact our actions and decisions will have on others
• Habitually ask ourselves how we can contribute good to the lives of others beyond ourselves

Maya Angelou was an American author, poet, dancer, actress and singer.  Of life, she said:

“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.

I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life.’

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

The last sentence bears particular significance: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

It is a commentary on honouring all who cross our path in life.