I ran across this story today and thought I would share it. It is a sad story but also one of compassion from a Southwest Airline's pilot. I've linked 2 stories so you might get the whole picture of the story.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1346716/Airline-pilot-holds-plane-family-murdered-toddler.html

http://www.elliott.org/blog/southwest-airlines-pilot-holds-plane-for-murder-victims-family/

As a person that has traveled often and missed connections by minutes and also as a grandfather I can appreciate this pilot's act of kindness and compassion.

What a sad story and a very kind act of compassion from the pilot. The story did bring me to tears.

This story very much "fits" into the general attitude of SW and their employees. Things like this do not and cannot happen each and every time but isn't this what used to be called a typical American attitude and I don't mean AA but the American people as a whole?

During most of my career, I am happy to say, the aviation industry generally has been very supportive and helpful to these and other kinds of "public service" responses. The general aviation community carries cancer patients on empty seats at no cost to the patient or family. We carry military folks to and from their families when no other means is available. Personally I have carried family members using St. Jude and, sorry to say, one little girl who inhaled kitchen chemicals and needed a double lung transplant, who I took to STL for evaluation but who afterwards did not survive. Very sad.

However, the increased emphasis on the "bottom line" has decreased the reasonable and humanistic efforts of most companies to "help". So negative and unfortunate.

I used to advise that anyone who is having difficulties around the world to go to the airport because at least they will speak English there and likely will try to help. Now, I don't know. You might only meet a TSA agent or the like and get nothing but grief.

Best regards,

RA1