Get Me to Baghdad Quick!

Dubai International Airport. Terminal 2. I'm waiting with 100+ co-workers for the chartered aircraft that will take us into Baghdad. After a very weak screening checkpoint, the ticket counter, passport control, and yet another weak screening checkpoint, we are dispersed throughout the waiting area. Like many airports, there is a separate holding area that will open shortly before boarding time. I am sitting on the end of a bank of chairs. There is an aisle that separates me from a co-worker sitting on the end of the next bank of chairs. He is reading. I am listening to my iPod. Our attention is soon drawn to an Indian (or perhaps Sri Lankan) man who approaches the counter in front of our holding area. He has a boarding pass and small rolling suitcase in tow. Observing the airport staff members' hand gestures, it is evident they are telling the man no, that he missed the flight, and that he will have to take it up with someone else. He becomes furious. He is moving closer and closer to the counter, at one point standing practically behind the counter, so close to the employees that they become uncomfortable and again, more forcefully, they tell him to leave. He sets his suitcase down, steps back, pulls out his cell phone, and begins a very heated exchange over the phone. One of the airport staff members motions for the man to move his suitcase away from the counter. The man picks it up and moves it about 5 feet, then continues pacing during his phone conversation. The man sitting across the aisle from me glances over with one of those 'good grief' looks and we continue observing the angry man. He again approaches the counter, waving his ticket wildly about and throwing his hands up in the air. They finally convince the man that he is not boarding the aircraft and he'll have to speak to someone else. He picks up his suitcase, looks around the waiting area, and decides to set it down in the aisle between myself and my co-worker. And then he walks away! We watch him walk down the hall on his cell phone. He eventually disappears. We both glance down at the suitcase and at each other. "Are you as nervous as I am right now?" I ask. "I'm getting there," my co-worker responds. Approximately 5 minutes pass, and there's no sign of the man. My co-worker approaches the counter and tells them the man they were speaking to earlier left his suitcase unattended. Walking back, shrugging, he says, "They say he's coming right back for it." Hmmm... Another 15 minutes pass. Still no sign of the man. Now my co-worker and I are very nervous. I decide to approach the counter. I tell the uninterested man, "There was a gentleman here earlier who was very upset about missing his flight. He left his suitcase over here and walked away and we haven't seen him for some time now. Could you please track him down or have the bag removed?" He wiggles his head and says, "Madam, it is fine. He will come back." I said, "Sir, I can appreciate that you're busy with other things, but I'm very uncomfortable with this unattended suitcase near me. It is a major security issue and, all things considered, I would think you'd be at least slightly concerned. Should I track down security, or will you call them?" He rolls his eyes and picks up the phone. I assume he's calling security, thank him, and walk back to my seat. Still no sign of the man. No more than 2 minutes later, my group is called to enter the holding area. As I walk down the hall, I notice that the man is still missing and there's no sign of security either. At this point, my co-worker and I are absolutely stunned at the crass, careless behavior of the airport staff and the apparent lack of security elements. Once inside the holding area, we both rush to the boarding door and check our watches and tickets to see how much time is left. "Come on, come on," he mumbles. "Yeah," I say, understanding exactly what he means. "Just get me to Baghdad quick!"