The masses are beginning to reach their threshold when it comes to digesting the complete and utter disregard our political class has for their convenience and well-being. A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight became the scene of a tipping point in the public’s patience when more than 200 passengers on board were made to wait as much as two and a half hours in the plane because of the delay caused by a ‘VIP’. While being made to wait, as the hours passed by, the frustration of the passengers, understandably, began to increase with them demanding that the cabin crew and pilot fly the plane without the ‘distinguished’ flyers who had not yet arrived. After all that waiting and mounting anger, PPP Senator Rehman Malik and PML-N MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar arrived to a planeload of shouting passengers. Mr Malik fled before embarking on the plane and Mr Kumar was made to get up from his seat and leave. The entire episode was caught on video and has now become a social media sensation. First and foremost, PIA is becoming a ‘shining’ example of what not to do with a national carrier. From routine delays, mismanagement and technical faults that would put any other airline out of business, PIA has established itself as a name not to be trusted. Now, when people have no other choice than to fly PIA and are subjected to such horrid treatment in the name of VIP culture, it is little wonder that the two politicians were booted off. While such vigilantism does not set a good precedent, the sentiments felt by the common citizen can be understood. The official statement coming out of PIA’s camp after the episode says that a technical fault caused the delay and that the passengers were sent text messages to inform them. Why then were they allowed to be seated on the plane for so long? It is unlikely that the 200 plus passengers would have arrived at their scheduled time if they had been sent such a text. Two crew members have been suspended for telling passengers about the actual reason behind the delay. Shame on PIA for not siding with the people who actually enable its business to run: the public. As for the ruling elite, when will it wake up to the alienation, anger and disillusionment being felt by many millions of people? What happened on that flight was a manifestation of this sentiment. Do these VIPs not understand that if the public’s feelings are taken lightly, they will keep indulging in such vigilante actions, and who knows what may happen then? It is time to abolish this culture of privilege and entitlement. *