US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - WAS Post: Hooray for an Airline That Deserves to Live

Hooray for an Airline That Deserves to Live (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39013-2003Apr6.html)

By Bob Levey
Thursday, April 10, 2003; Page C12

She was prim and proper, and she was 85 if she was a day. She was also a reason to fall in love with US Airways.

It was a weekday morning in Charlotte about 15 years ago. Levey was right behind the 85-year-old woman in line at the gate. A voice announced that it was time to board the 8:30 departure to Washington National Airport.

Suddenly, the woman got very agitated.

"Isn't this the flight to Philadelphia?" she asked the gate agent, in a quavering voice.

The agent could have told the woman to wait. She could have told her to jump in the lake. She could have said, "Lady, if I leave my post to escort you to the correct gate, I may be unemployed tomorrow morning."

But without hesitating, this agent took the elderly woman by the arm and walked her to the gate for the Philly flight. Even though she left 50 hard-charging Type A's cooling their heels.

At that very moment, I swore that US Airways would be my airline of choice forever... (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39013-2003Apr6.html)

A very touching story. Like we've been saying, it is the front line people who make the difference - and this airline has some of the best despite all they have been through. That's why we keep coming back.

This is the primary and just about the only reason I continue to be loyal to US Airways. Their people are the best!

Keep up the great work!!!!

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US-CP; UA PE; AA Plat; Hilton Gold VIP; Six Continents Gold

Where was that person when the US res system (despite linked reservations) decided to split me & my 3 yo up, and the agent told me to go on the plane and barter with someone to move? Without ever looking at her computer for other seats?

Or when we were upgraded, and the FA announced to the entire F cabin that my child could not have a meal bc she was not a preferred flyer?

Or when I overheard an agent tell an elderly and disabled woman who was going to miss her connection - the last flt. of the day to her desitnation: "you can sleep in the airport, and if you don't get on this flight you'll be sleeping in this airport for 3 days". (My TA took care of getting her a hotel which I offered to pay for...)

Sadly, I see fewer and fewer examples like Bob Levey's.

Sorry for the pessimism today. It's gloomy here at MHT and I fear it will never be Spring.

MHTFlyer,

His example of kindness is admittedly fifteen years old. And the facts in the rest of his column aren't very accurate. Nonetheless, it is a good representation of the attachment one builds with an airline over the years.