To the ordinary air traveler, jostled about and sweating around a crowded airline counter, there is nothing more infuriating than to see another passenger get treatment that includes special decorative tags for his luggage and the right to while away his waiting time in one of the luxurious private lounges that many airlines maintain as part of their VIP "clubs." This becomes even more annoying as the plebeian passenger thinks it all over and realizes that he has paid every penny as much for the flight as the type who is getting VIP favors.
Intending to change the situation, the...