‘It’s not about getting somewhere. It’s about getting to someone.’
“Are you Mark? We held the plane for you and we’re so sorry about the loss of your grandson,” the pilot reportedly said. “They can’t go anywhere without me and I wasn’t going anywhere without you. Now relax. We’ll get you there. And again, I’m so sorry.”
This is what an unnamed Southwest Airlines pilot told a grieving grandpa whose grandson had just been murdered by his daughter’s live-in boyfriend. The grandpa was flying to see the child one last time before the boy was taken off life support and his organs donated.
The pilot knew of the grandpa’s plight and decided to hold an entire plane full of angry customers so the grandfather would make the flight. If it were one of those charter flights, when people are more relaxed going on vacation, maybe they would care less about the delay. The grandpa was delayed at the airport due to security and baggage checks, despite arriving two hours before his flight.
It’s easy in this age of scanners, security pat-downs and monolithic, uncaring airline companies to forget that sometimes, the employees get frustrated too. They’re human, doing a job just like the rest of us.
The pilot who decided to hold his plane for the grandpa did so on his own volition, against company policy, knowing full well Southwest would receive complaint calls about what he did.
He didn’t care.
Sometimes doing the right thing isn’t the prescription in the policy handbook. Sometimes the right thing is, well…the right thing.
In our business, we deal a lot with folks traveling all over the world to and from clients, and we certainly have our share of frustrating travel stories. We also have stories of people stepping above and beyond to help ease someone’s particular situation.
As a company, we pride ourselves on always ‘doing the right thing’, even if it means we leave money on the table or having to have the difficult conversation. It’s been part of our management culture since we started it back in 2005.
It’s only January, but already this Southwest Pilot is a frontrunner for the most inspiring hero of 2011.
I just wanted to get the word out about him, because he did what a good human would do, not what his guidelines told him.
Oh, and the kicker to it all? When Southwest Airlines was approached about the pilot’s decision, they said they are ‘proud’ of their pilot.
Imagine that. A company with a backbone who respects someone doing the right thing.
Kudos, Southwest.
(Thx Larry)
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