Good things come to those who wait... and wait... and wait.
Phil Stringer became an overnight sensation when he revealed on TikTok that an 18-hour flight delay resulted in him being the sole passenger on his American Airlines journey from Oklahoma City to Charlotte, North Carolina.
In his one-minute video that has been viewed nearly 55 million times (!), Stringer documented his VIP treatment, complete with cameos from a very accommodating and delighted crew.
The patient passenger began his TikTok with a text overlay that read:
"When you buy every single ticket on the plane so you don't have to deal with people."
The video revealed a completely empty plane with the exception of flight attendants.
The text then said:
"(Just kidding, it was delayed 18 hours and everyone else gave up)"
Stringer said:
"I am the only person on the plane and they have an entire flight crew."
"They do not want to do this flight."
"They pulled them from the hotel."
The video continues, however, showing the flight attendants happily tending to their exclusive customers, complete with a one-on-one safety demonstration.
You can watch the TikTok below.
Viewers of the rapidly spreading video could not believe their eyes.
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And those in the industry all expressed Stringer's experience is a dream come true for the crew, as well.
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Stringer opened up about the odds-defying experience to Insider.
He explained:
"I went to the gate and nobody was there. I was like, 'Did you guys already board everyone?'" he said, adding that the flight attendant "was like, 'No, honey, you're the only passenger.'"
"I apologized like 400 times."
Stringer claimed he did try to find other flights, but the delayed flight was the only one that worked.
He added:
"They were kind of teasing me, like, 'Really, bro, you couldn't have left a few hours later?'"
Stringer's positive outlook definitely worked out in his favor.
"I believe that your attitude determines your destination."
"Yeah, it was a sucky day. No one wants to stay in the airport for 18 hours, but if you have a positive view, you can turn something into a lot of fun."
