TL/DR: I went to Dubai to visit my husband who has been working there. I made a new friend on the flight back.
I’d just left my husband after he dropped me off and was approaching the security line. That’s when I saw him. Tall with a medium build and salt and pepper hair. He kind of stood out among a bunch of Indians and Middle Eastern people who were short and dark haired.
When we were preparing to board the flight he wound up right behind me. He saw a bag tag on my carry on with my husband’s company name and said “do you work at XYZ”. He had been there meeting with the company but didn’t know my husband.We chatted for a while and then they called for first and business class and he boarded. I was in the back.
A couple of hours into the 13 hour flight I look up and see him. The flight is only about half full and he takes an empty seat across the aisle. We chat a bit and he says the business class seat beside him is empty. He suggested I sit up there. I resisted not wanting to cause any trouble and he promised it would be ok, he has status with the airline and they’ll leave him alone. The lights in the cabin had just been turned down and i was so sleepy, the seats in coach sucked, so I accepted.