Surviving the Polar Vortex: One Night, 75 Rooms, and a Busload of Business Class Karens
It was a night so cold it could freeze the attitude off even the most seasoned traveler. The polar vortex had Canada in its icy grip, airports were a chaos of delays, and into this blizzard-strewn darkness rolled a bus brimming with business class passengers—each seemingly on a mission to pack as much entitlement into their luggage as possible.
Welcome to “Polar Vortex night and a horde of Business class Karens”—not a new John Carpenter film, but a real-life hospitality horror story as told on Reddit’s r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk. If you’ve ever wondered how hotel staff keep their sanity when the world (and the weather) goes off the rails, buckle up: this is one wild, wintry ride.
When the Weather Outside Is Frightful, the Lobby’s Less Than Delightful
Our story begins with u/MrFahrenheitttttt, the intrepid night auditor who braved knee-deep snow just to clock in for his shift. “Every man must do what’s best for himself,” he reminds us, and that applies to guests and staff alike when a storm hits.
Just as the snow started piling up, so did the bookings: 75 rooms reserved by Etihad for their stranded passengers. The first wave trickled in—each person dragging enough luggage to launch a small expedition. As u/SkwrlTail wryly notes in the comments, “some folks need choices when getting dressed,” but hauling an entire wardrobe through a blizzard? That’s a choice, all right.
But the real fun began when a bus arrived at 2AM, offloading 25 business class passengers who sauntered in, sans luggage, expecting the red carpet treatment. As u/CaptainYaoiHands put it, “I had to stop there. I would rather be slowly run over by a tank.”
The Entitlement Avalanche
Things escalated quickly. One particularly demanding guest insisted staff fetch his bags—right in the middle of a snowstorm. “What kind of fcking hotel is this?” he barked. Our hero’s reply? “LOOK! There is a storm right now. U re here for shelter, not a vacation. I am but 1 man, and I am trying to help u all. You do what I say. Keep wasting my and everybody’s time, I am not taking u in, back to the airport u go.”
This moment earned a standing ovation in the comments. “Good for you!!” cheered u/Itavan, while u/VermilionKoala dubbed the woman who physically pulled back the rude man “the hero we need!”
The rest of the check-in? Remarkably silent. The crowd, cowed by the display of backbone, waited their turn. It’s a reminder, as u/GirlStiletto shares from her own management experience, that sometimes you have to “make an example of the troublesome customer.”
Bags, Baggage, and Boundaries
With the crowd somewhat tamed, the real work began: retrieving the mountain of luggage. u/MrFahrenheitttttt’s coworker, shivering in the cold, hauled bag after bag while guests yelled “That’s my bag!” from the doorway, offering no help. “He must have done 50, 60 bags,” the OP recalls—not exactly the business class experience these travelers expected.
Commenters were nearly unanimous: carrying bags is not a given. “Unless unloading baggage was part of your hotel’s amenities, I wouldn’t have put a finger on any bag,” said u/cottonmercer666. Liability, exhaustion, and basic decency were all hot topics. Even some travelers chimed in: “I have never once asked hotel staff to carry my bags,” said u/ovoid709, adding, “It just feels gross having somebody do such a small chore I can very easily do myself.”
Others, like u/SkwrlTail, took the moment to share pro travel tips: roll your clothes, pack light, and “you don’t need to change pants as often as you think.” Words to live (and pack) by.
Business Class, but Make It Blustery
In the end, only 35 out of 75 rooms were occupied, but—per contract—the hotel charged the airline for all 75. “It was in the contract already,” the OP clarified, and a few seasoned commenters like u/Tenzipper explained that airlines expect this: “When the airline prints out the voucher, the money is already gone, as far as they're concerned.”
But behind the scenes, it’s not just about the money—it’s about boundaries, dignity, and the unique camaraderie of surviving a hospitality disaster. “You’re the kind of employee every smart business owner should treasure,” u/kevnmartin praised.
And as u/RoyallyOakie succinctly put it, “I wouldn’t be unloading anyone’s bags. Get your stuff and go to your room.” Preach.
The Final Thaw
So, what do we take away from this blizzardy, business-class bonanza? Sometimes, “traveling in style” means carrying your own bags, respecting the folks who keep the lights on, and remembering that, during a polar vortex, everyone is just trying to make it through the night.
To all the hospitality heroes working the front desk while the world goes sideways—this one’s for you. And to the rest of us: maybe pack lighter next time.
Have you survived your own hotel horror story, or witnessed a guest meltdown worth sharing? Drop your tales (and your best packing tips) in the comments!
Original Reddit Post: Polar Vortex night and a horde of Business class Karens