The original plan for Elaine's airplane misery in Seinfeld season 4 was rejected by NBC. The network deemed the storyline of a man dying on a transatlantic flight too dark and disturbing for the series. Instead, Elaine's experience in "The Airport" saw her stuck in coach between rude passengers and inconveniences that are typical for airplane flyers. While Seinfeld had already settled into its comedic structure, Larry Charles wanted to experiment more with specific situations beyond its "nothing" formula. NBC's rejection helped "The Airport" maintain the show's relatable core formula.
