After a man's flight was delayed for 18 hours, he was rewarded by being the only person on the plane

• A TikToker said his Sunday flight from Oklahoma City to Charlotte was delayed 18 hours.
• Phil Stringer ended up being the only one on his flight, so he got to sit wherever he wanted.
• Stringer captured the unique and hilarious experience in a viral TikTok post.

Phil Stringer was trying to return home from Oklahoma City to Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday morning, but his plane was delayed repeatedly. After waiting in the airport for 18 hours, he said, he was rewarded by being the only person on the flight when it finally took off. He got a free pass into first class and a private party with the crew. 

Stringer, who serves as the chief operating officer for a real-estate brokerage in North Carolina, captured highlights of his unusual experience in a TikTok post that has been viewed over 3 million times in less than a day.

Stringer told Insider his American Airlines flight was set to depart at 6:20 a.m. on Sunday but was perpetually delayed because of maintenance issues. He said his initial flight was full but that he didn't notice many other people rebooking the flight.

When the flight was finally able to leave at midnight, and Stringer arrived at the gate, no one was there.

"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.'"

Stringer said he felt bad the flight crew was called in to staff this flight just for him because it was so late. 

"I apologized like 400 times," he said, adding that he tried to change his flight several times but this was the only one that worked, as he needed to get home.

"They were kind of teasing me, like, 'Really, bro, you couldn't have left a few hours later?'" he added.

Despite all the unfortunate circumstances, when his flight finally flew at 12:20 a.m., the journey was a blast. As viewers can watch in his viral TikTok, the crew allowed Stringer to sit wherever he wanted and served him whatever drink or food he asked for.

Flight attendants could also be seen giggling and riffing with him as they performed the airplane safety routine and cheering for another attendant as she demonstrated putting on a life vest. He told Insider that whenever the crew would make a mandatory overhead announcement, they would add: "And, yeah, Phil, this message is just for you."

He said they laughed and joked the whole time and eventually exchanged numbers.

Commenters have been amused by Stringer's turn of events, and people who identified themselves as flight attendants said this was not an inconvenience but a "dream" work scenario.

"As a flight attendant, this is the DREAM! Welcome to your private charter," one top commenter wrote.

"I've always wanted to work a flight with one passenger," another added.

Stringer said that what could have gone down as a nightmare travel tale ended up being a wholesome, once-in-a-lifetime experience for him.

"I believe that your attitude determines your destination," Stringer said. "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." 

Videos about airplane travel are a fixture on TikTok — and they usually go viral for unsavory reasons, like a man being trapped in an airport hallway for two hours or people arguing over which row seat gets to use which armrest. Stringer's video is a positive exception where people are celebrating airline travel.

American Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Partner offer: Get a quote for insurance coverage on your next trip with World Nomad. Learn more about travel insurance here. Disclosure: World Nomad is a partner of Insider, Inc.'s business development team, which is separate from its editorial department. We will receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

Partner offer: Get a quote for insurance coverage on your next trip with World Nomad. Learn more about travel insurance here. Disclosure: World Nomad is a partner of Insider, Inc.'s business development team, which is separate from its editorial department. We will receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

Watch:

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufony1tcqtpqRlkaKys7XCmqVmmZmnuaq6xKxkppmjqLa3sYydnKWZqah6p7jIoJ%2BtZZGhvK%2BxjJ%2Bgq6ukYrCtrdKsZGtoYmh6dw%3D%3D