A disrespectful businessman was one of the passengers on the flight Reese took in an attempt to leave his colleagues.
He is first seen on the phone, and putting a bag in the overhead compartment ahead of an elderly lady. Reese, trying to help her place her baggage is chastised by him. "Hey, that's my Tumi that your'e sliding over. Try not to smash it." And Reese's response to the man was to slam the bag he was holding against that bag, breaking the item inside. The businessman was talking on his phone during the plane's takeoff and was requested by Holly, the hostess, to turn it off. He rudely refused and when Carlos, another flight attendant, refused to help, Reese knocked out the businessman and took his phone.
The Machine used the phone to text Reese "4C", the seating number Owen Matthews, a person of interest that Reese would eventually have to save.