The boarding area for Flight A921 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport looked like any other busy afternoon in spring. Carry-on bags rolled across polished floors. Overhead announcements blended into background noise. Travelers checked watches, scrolled through phones, and waited for their group number to be called. wp_under_first_paragraph – under_first_paragraph –> Nothing about that day hinted that it would soon become unforgettable. Among the passengers stood a man few people noticed at all. He wore a simple dark hoodie, faded jeans, and well-worn white sneakers. No designer labels. No visible signs of wealth. He held a plain cup of black coffee in one hand and a folded boarding pass in the other. The boarding pass listed Seat 1A. First class. Front row. A seat permanently reserved for him whenever he flew this airline. Not because of loyalty points or frequent flyer status, but because the airline itself was his. Daniel Cole was the founder, chief executive, and majority owner of the company, holding a controlling share that gave him final authority over every decision. Yet on this afternoon, he was not traveling as an executive surrounded by staff. He was traveling alone. And he was about to witness something he could never have learned from reports or spreadsheets. An Ordinary Appearance, an Unusual Purpose Next »