OK dumb comments...was travelling home from Grandma Rimmer's funeral a few years back the route was a short hop fron one side of Houston to the t'other EFD-IAH then onwards back to blighty. The first leg was being operated using an ATR42 (not that important).
The weather was interesting we are talking uber Texas size summer super cell - I mean this system was 'kin HUGE. Had looked at the weather report before setting off and the weather radar was painting red over the entire area...
Anyway the 'terminal' at Ellington is (was) basically a portacabin and staffed on the this particular day by a lone and very young lady - no joke it being a Saturday this kid was probably still at high school or a most just started college....
Along comes this woman pax...New Yorker with a "I'm very busy and extremly important" attitude (you've seen the type) who on hearing about the wx related delay (now to get the full flavour of the situation you have to remember that at this point the sound of rain/hail on the roof is making normal conversation difficult and the wind gusts are making the whole terminal/porta cabin affair wobble and creak) just absolutely rips into this poor check in kid...mean really rips within minutes the kid is in tears...
Well standing nearby (everywhere is nearby in this building) I think 'well this is a bit unfair'
Up I step... "May I be of some assistance?" kid looks up, eyes wet with tears
I turn the the gorgon pax and enquire mildy "Do you know much about aviation?"
I then explain that given the current weather (which she may have noticed) it would be folly to attempt any kind of aviation and furthermore given the size of the storm I suspected that nothing much would be moving up at Bush either so she most likey wouldn't miss the connection and in anycase there are loads of flights between Bush an Newark so why worry etc...
Well the gorgon isn't having that and starts to wind up again....(at this point my sense of humour begins to fail...just been to a funeral etc etc)
So I fix her with my hardest stare...one I learnt from Grandma Rimmer actually (Aunty Rimmer who was there reckoned it was exactly like G'ma's)
"Madam two things I was taught as spotty sprog pilot ...1) it is better to be 30 minutes late in this world than 30 years early in the next and 2) Do not fly your aeroplane into a thunderstorm....it Łucks your plane and then YOU DIE!!!" Now you may have a death wish but I'm sure those people don't (indicating other pax) and what is more if those two (indicating flight crew sitting on a/c even comteplated flying right now they would be in danger of losing their medicals - for being clincally insane. Finally none of this (indicating check-in agent) is her fault...I suggest you sit down and shut up"
Dragon defeated and ripple of applause from other pax...
Just can't abide bullies...stupid bullies are worse...