It was probably not a good idea to offend the Beelzebub of Business Class, but the AirTran gate agent apparently was willing to tempt fate.

The flight was only minutes away from departing from its Tampa International Airport gate for its brief trip to Atlanta when two very wadded passengers were escorted back into the terminal by one of the airline’s gate agents.

It was a young couple, who had become plenty steamed when they discovered they had not been seated in the business class section of the plane.

Now to be sure sitting in business class has its advantages. Somewhat roomier seats and of course so-called “free drinks,” which have really been pre-paid for with a higher ticket price.

To the best of our eavesdropping ability - hey what else is there to do in an airport? - the Bombshell of the Balkans and I casually sidled over to listen in on the dispute.

The couple, in their early 20s, would obviously never be confused with J. Crew models. The young man was wearing a well-worn t-shirt with a large image of Lucifer on his back. The ensemble seemed to compliment the Satanic tattoo on his leg. His Bride/Girlfriend/Significant Satanic Consort looked she had just been exorcised.

You know, there’s nothing like the understated elegance one finds when traveling.

The Honeymooners from Hades had seats on the Atlanta flight back in the coach section. But obviously some clerical boo-boo or perhaps sinful glitch had occurred leaving them high and for their cross purposes, dry when it came to getting into business class. Ergo the hissy fit from - hell.

By now a gaggle of AirTran gate personnel had surrounded the couple gently trying to reason with them to calm down and board the flight. One might assume they had been offered a refund of sorts on their tickets. It wasn’t to be.

Eventually the couple agreed to take a later flight leaving for Atlanta two hours later - this time they would be accommodated in business class.

Now there’s a reason why people wind up in the throes of perdition and being dumber than a sack of pitchforks is certainly one of them.

The flight from Tampa to Atlanta lasts one hour. The rednecks form the infernal regions were now willing to wait for two hours for another flight simply to sit in marginally better seats. And they obviously thought this was a great deal.

To pass the time the Prince and Princess of Darkness announced they were going to set off to find the airport bar, suggesting that by the time their plane would leave they might well be in no condition to fly.

“I don’t think they’re going to get on the 11 o’clock flight,” one of the beleaguered AirTran gate agents sighed, who looked like he could used a stiff pop himself.