While finding out a passenger’s son was in a coma, Southwest Airlines did a pretty amazing thing.
Peggy Uhle who was ready to take-off out of Chicago, Illinois, heading to Columbus Ohio. But rather than take off, the plane suddenly turned around. It was now heading all the way back to the gate.
Arriving back at the gate, a flight attendant asked Peggy to exit the aircraft.
Peggy thought she must have somehow gotten on the wrong plane, as she explains here:
“I figured I was on the wrong plane. The gate agent told me to check in at the desk and when I did she told me to call my husband.”
Turns out her son, who lives in Denver, Colorado, had suffered a head injury and was in a coma.
Southwest had taken care of the situation as quickly as possible, turning the plane right around and allowing the woman to receive the news directly from her husband.
Not only that, they were actually a move ahead as they already had preparations made for the mother. Peggy explains:
“The gate attendant already knew the situation and had booked me on a direct flight to Denver that was leaving in the next two hours.”
No additional fees were charged, no service charges, just prompt and compassionate action by the airline. They tried to make things as easy as possible for the mother.
“They offered a private waiting area, rerouted my luggage, allowed me to board first, and packed a lunch for when I got off the plane in Denver. My luggage was delivered to where I was staying, and I even received a call from Southwest asking how my son was doing.”
It really is pretty amazing, not to mention spontaneous, service provided by Southwest. Peggy was naturally relieved and extremely pleased how they handled her predicament.
“The care that I was shown is second to none. We have always liked Southwest Airlines and now we can’t say enough good things about them.”
Meanwhile, Peggy’s son is still recovering. Peggy exlains her son’s condition:
“My son suffered a traumatic brain injury and continues to recover.”
What an amazing airline for doing what they did, so quickly, efficiently, and without fees and red tape to deal with, during this very traumatic experience that Peggy went through.
