If you do any amount of traveling, you know that there are delays to be expected. That is especially true when you are flying. When you consider the fact that some 87,000 flights take place in the United States on a daily basis, it’s not really any surprise that delays do occur. It doesn’t mean, however, that they aren’t frustrating and if you have ever been delayed for a lengthy amount of time, it can really get under your skin.
Sometimes it is bad weather that causes the flight to be delayed and it other times, it could be a rush on the part of the airport. They may just miss the designated takeoff time slot, and when you have an unruly passenger as part of the mix, it can make for some real drama. We often see this posted online because people are carrying smartphones and they catch all of the craziness and upload it to social media. For Kristin Wiley, however, a picture was posted for a much different reason.
Kristin was stuck inside of a jumbo jet at the Seattle-Tacoma airport. She decided to take a picture and to post it on Facebook. Her Alaska airlines flight 748 had not moved but it was delayed for an interesting reason.
She wrote:
“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.”
Kristin realized that it must’ve been quite frightening for the woman when a yellow vested security guard boarded the plane and approached her. The passengers nearby were able to witness what took place when the guard crouched down and made his move.
The elderly woman was cuddling her emotional support dog and was obviously out of sorts. It can’t be easy for someone with dementia to go from one moment to the next and then suddenly, find themselves inside of such a small space.
“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.”
We’re happy to say that the solution did not involve dragging her from the flight. When she saw what the crewmembers were up to, Kristin was not upset about the delay. In fact, she was quite happy because you don’t often get to see something so heartwarming.
The flight attendant showed an incredible amount of compassion and they let the other passengers know why the elderly woman and her husband had to leave the plane with an escort. She just needed a little extra time to be alone with her husband and puppies so she was less stressed.
“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.”
Airlines are often spoken of negatively on social media when any type of drama occurs. It is rare that we get to see the good side but even good stories are only one picture away. Kristin spread some uplifting news and all of us appreciate it.
“This is how I would want my mother, my sister, my aunt, my daughter, my niece, my friend cared for.”
Even though we may be sitting in coach, we all need first-class treatment when we are moving through life. Some airlines make it happen in a wonderful way and when we see it, we have it within our power to help others realize that good things happen in this world.
Kristin’s story has gone viral with over 15,000 shares.