Being stuck at the airport because of a flight delay can be nerve-racking, and while the reason is usually a bad weather, or the recent increased number of flights but not enough runways, it’s not that unusual for it to be a single passenger.
A woman named Kristen Wiley shares an interesting story about a delayed flight with us and we are so happy she did that. The plane she was in at the Seattle-Tacoma airport was about to take off, but there was something going on, so they were around 45 minutes late.
The cabin crew and the flight attendants gathered around one of the passengers, and that’s When Kristen decided to take her phone out, take some pictures, and post them on Facebook along with a description of what was happening. There was an interesting reason why her Alaska Airlines Flight 748 hadn’t budged an inch.
The post said:
“We are currently sitting on a plane, with a 45 minute delay. Why? Because there is an elderly woman suffering from dementia, who is very upset and confused.”
The poor woman was confused and had no idea where she was, or why she was on the plane. She was completely scared, and only a few passengers could witness the whole thing because the guard crouched down the aisle and did something amazing.
The woman found support in her dog who she started cuddling as she was trying to figure out the situation she found herself in. These people don’t have it easy because they never know when their condition will worsen, so they live their life from moment to moment.
“The incredible staff of #alaskaairlines is being extremely patient and compassionate, in what can only be a very scary situation for her. Explaining every step, cuddling her dog, working with her husband/caregiver to find the best solution.”
When Kristen saw how nicely the woman was treated by the airplane company’s employees not only she wasn’t mad for the flight delay, but she was happy there were still good and compassionate people out there. The crew members were patient and came up with a solution. In this cruel world, it’s not everyday that we witness emotional scenes like this unfold right in front of our eyes.
The woman, along with her dog and her husband were escorted off the plain by the crew who explained the passengers why they did what they did. The woman simply needed to take her time to come to terms with herself. She felt too stressed and pressured because of the trip, so the company made a generous offer.
“Alaska Airlines calmly assisted the woman, her husband/caregiver and sweet pup off the plane, providing hotel and transportation with plans to rest up and try again the following day. Again, incredible compassion given to the both of them while quietly explaining the situation to other passengers.”
Whereas it’s not unusual for some drama to be happening on board every once in a while, the way the company and its employees deal with it is what speaks of them as humans. We are happy Kristen shared this story with us, because it’s everything we need to hear in a world in which people are forgetting what it means to be empathetic.
“This is how I would want my mother, my sister, my aunt, my daughter, my niece, my friend cared for. “
This story is a nice reminder that we should always offer a helping hand to a person in need, because we never know who is witnessing our good deeds and who do we inspire to become a better person. Our kindness can go a long way and restore someone’s faith in humanity, and that’s how the World becomes a better place.