Southwest Flight 1600 from Chicago Midway to Tucson was boarding; the happy A group passengers quickly found their favorite seats. The B group then entered the aircraft, making their way to the remaining prime seats. It was going to be a full flight; the Flight Attendant announced and if we wanted to get off the ground on time, folks needed to fill in the middle seats. As the C passengers stood, waiting in the aisles, while luggage was being stored in overhead bins, their expressions reflected the realization they would need to be split up from their traveling companions. As I sat, with my A group choice of a window seat in front of the wing, I noticed a couple in their fifties. The woman plainly displeased when her husband looked back and with exasperation in his voice, told her to just take a seat somewhere. She reluctantly took the middle seat next to mine. I introduced myself and she responded with her name and apologized that she might not be much company since she could not sit next to her husband on this flight. I tried to lighten her mood with a half hearted joke; "They say that space can be good for a relationship". With more sadness in her eyes, she said; "Not mine. I never get to see my husband because he is always working. This is our first vacation together in 9 years."
I winced at my own insensitivity and looked up at the blue, red and yellow Southwest Heart emblem on the foreward wall of the cabin; the Heart appeared to grow larger with every second. I noticed her husband had squeezed himself between 2 chatty female passengers in the row, across the aisle and behind ours. I turned to my seat mate and suggested when everyone was seated and prior to our departure, to ask her husband to trade seats with me. Her eyes became bright and with a smile, relayed my offer to her husband. We swiftly traded our seats and fastened our seat belts before we began to taxi away from the gate. As I stored my carry on bag under the seat, I retrieved 2 free drink tickets and passed them over to the now happy couple. They looked back at me to offer their sincere gratitude. "Have a wonderful vacation!", I replied.
Later, I noticed the loving couple, with their unexpected cocktails in hand, smiling at each other in light hearted conversation. A pleased grin crossed my face when I realized the positive outcome of my good deed for the day and that I was able to share in the Southwest Airline spirit of helping to connect the couple to what is most important in their lives; their choice of Airline for their long overdue vacation and each other.
Linda Diaz
Louisville, Kentucky
