A Big Corporation That Cares About Its Customers

[sweensdv]

http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/01/13/pilot-holds-plane-for-grandfather-of-murdered-toddler/?icid=maing|main5|dl2|sec1_lnk5|36372

Huge kudos to SWA.

[RAFlorida]

Thanks Dave for sharing this with us.

SWA pilot did a remarkable thing in holding that takeoff for the grandfather. Thanks again. And a thank you to the pilot and SWA and others.

[radhak]

Nice read - thanks for the post.

The individual comes through when the process/procedure fails : that grandfather did not need to be that level of anxiety.

I can appreciate that there'd be some who'd 'manufacture' some similar situation to get ahead in the line; but if it were me in that queue or in the security checkpost, I would allow a 100 liars to go ahead just so that one truly suffering was not held back. Just saying.

[vaking]

I agree with kudos to the pilot but I may add boo to TSA. Mark was at the airport and booked the flight two hours before the flight but then it took an hour to check in luggage and another hour for security screening even though airport workers were notified of circumstances. That is unacceptable. Pilot's generosity was only needed to compensate for the arrogance of TSA.

[herb fellows]

There are both financial and delay ramifications to delaying a take off. If you miss your time slot, that 12 minutes could turn into hours. Apparently, this pilot said 'screw that', which is certainly admirable.
I don't mean to take anything away from the airline, but I'm fairly sure they had no part in this as it was unfolding.
Maybe the culture there 'allowed' him to make that decision, but I'm pretty sure the suits, if given this information beforehand, would not have sacrificed an on time flight. They certainly wouldn't have time to verify the story, and the amount of bs people come up with is staggering.
As for TSA, while I'm sure there are some good people who work there like everywhere else, there is an overwhelming amount of overpaid, under trained, discourteous people on their staff. I truly feel sorry for the good ones that get painted with this mostly deserved broad brush.

[sweensdv]

Alex, you're finding fault entirely in the wrong place. It's TSA job to ensure a safe flying experience for everyone. To do that it takes time which most travelers understand. If they were to make it easier for someone claiming special circumstances to breeze through security then they wouldn't be doing their jobs correctly. To paraphrase your words, SWA's and the pilots generosity was only needed to compensate for the child abuse inflicted on this youngster by his mothers boyfriend. Any fault to be found in this tragic story lies squarely at that mans feet!

[Cubsfan]

Alex, you're finding fault entirely in the wrong place. It's TSA job to ensure a safe flying experience for everyone. To do that it takes time which most travelers understand. If they were to make it easier for someone claiming special circumstances to breeze through security then they wouldn't be doing their jobs correctly. To paraphrase your words, SWA's and the pilots generosity was only needed to compensate for the child abuse inflicted on this youngster by his mothers boyfriend. Any fault to be found in this tragic story lies squarely at that mans feet!

I won't get into why I don't think the TSA is actually doing their job, but I think all that would have been required was to move this guy to the front of the line, not to just allow him through unchecked.

[RAFlorida]

I don't know, it must be me; but I see the main

point being overlooked just for the sake of putting down a corporation. A kid lost his life due to a murderer, and here we are just blasting the 'l' out of some airline corp. Get a life you all!!!

[sailor55330]

The real tragedy here is the loss of the young boy's life. Everyone hopefully understands that.

With regards to the pilot, I give kudos to him as he made a gutsy call. As for SWA, I wonder if they would have made the public showing if the story hadn't gotten press. Corporations have been known to "piggyback" and turn an unexpected or unauthorized action into a PR winfall. I hope not.

With regards to TSA, I'm sure there are some excellent people working there, but I have to say, there are many more that leave me uninspired, at times frustrated and even angry at times. I honestly don't get the impression that they truly make flying safer. Most often, I see more of a "power-trip" attitude than one of helpfulness. While I realize this is a judgment call, I do hold elite status on 3 airlines at the moment, so I might see a bit more of TSA than the average travelor.

Oh, an incidently, the new full body scanners that seem to have been so controversial? I've yet to see anyone actually using one, but they did take a standard x-ray scanner in most of the airports I've been in. That certainly hasn't helped the whole security-speed-time in waiting aspect.

Again, gratz the pilot, condolences to the grandfather.

[shoottx]

It is a tragedy the boy lost his life, made worse by the manner of the loss.

Don't even get started on TSA!

On an entirely different note, Southwest Airlines has a wonderful corporate culture that is fun as well as compassionate. Living in Dallas, As a elite flier and a million mile flier on one airline I have lots of choices in air travel. Southwest is still my first choice of airlines if I can make their schedules work. SWA does not provide the amenities of some of the other carriers, but they are just a great airline with whom to do business.

[Richard in Smithville]

With out laying blame or getting into finger pointing, kudo's to those who helped this gentleman make it in time to say goodbye.



( And I'm sure the prison population will welcome the other guy!)

[sangus]

Saw that. A gentle considerate touch by one in authority and under time constraints.
Was a beautiful thing, so to speak.

Art.