Woman on flight to North California allegedly overhears bosses planning to fire Alexa, Crystal and Josh. So, she helps the only way she can

Eavesdropping is often considered bad manners, but in this particular case, it could potentially help someone. A self-described eavesdropper claims she was on a flight to North Carolina when she thought she heard executives having a conversation. She now warns their employees—Alexa, Crystal, and Josh—that they might be at risk of being laid off.

TikTok creator Kaitlyn Schultz (@kaitlyn.a.schultz) shared the overheard conversation in a TikTok video, captioning it: “If your bosses are headed to Charlotte, North Carolina rn [right now] I heard them say well we could fire Alexa, Crystal and Josh.” The open overhead bins in the video suggest she was recording and sharing the information in real time. She later panned her phone camera to show the alleged backs of the executives’ heads, hoping the additional imagery would help it reach the intended Alexa, Crystal, and Josh.

Despite the gravity of what the creator allegedly heard from the executives on the flight, commenters found humor in her post. “Jokes on you, I mentally quit months ago,” joked a user named Josh. “Boots in the air journalism,” another quipped. “You can’t find Josh because he’s too busy joshin’ around,” a third said.

The job market is unstable

However, the post hit too close to home for those who had actually been laid off. “As someone who was BLINDSIDED by a layoff last week I hope this finds them,” said one commenter. “Also got blindsided by a layoff last week. I’m 19 weeks pregnant and have no insurance going into November,” another chimed in. “File for unemployment and reset your life,” one TikToker suggested.

In the current era of mass layoffs, countless workers are feeling the impact. Companies are restructuring, moving away from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives, and downsizing. These factors are shaping the current job market and economy.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between May and August of this year, 6.89 million people were laid off across all industries and sectors, bringing the total number of layoffs since January 2026 to 13.8 million. While layoffs are still occurring, they are down roughly 40% year over year. Specifically, in September, layoffs fell 20% compared to the same time last year.

The job market is currently characterized by low hiring and low firing, meaning companies are retaining existing employees but not creating many new positions. Adding to the challenge for job seekers, an estimated 33% of job postings are so-called ‘ghost positions’ that may not represent actual vacancies.

This eavesdropper may have changed someone’s life by giving them the opportunity to look for another job. “Not them just casually changing lives on their flight,” said a commenter. With the expectation of mass layoffs still looming, it is unsettling to think an employee’s fate could be decided haphazardly, minutes before takeoff on a random Tuesday. This will be really hard on Alexa, Crystal, and Josh if Schultz’s post couldn’t reach to them.