Life Pilot holds flight for man going to see dying grandson - Page 3

ZepSinger · 01-15-2011, 07:16 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/01/14...iref=allsearch

Heartwrenching story- really put a lump in my throat. I wish I could shake the pilot's hand and thank him for going above and beyond and doing the right thing...

(CNN) -- Time was running out, and Mark Dickinson wasn't sure whether he'd get to see his dying 2-year-old grandson one last time. A long line at Los Angeles International Airport's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time.

His grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver, Colorado, with or without his grandfather's presence, according to CNN affiliate KABC.

"I was kind of panicking because I was running late, and I really thought I wasn't going to make the flight," Dickinson told KABC.

That's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived. The pilot was standing by the jetway waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks, so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal.

"I told him, 'Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that.' And he said, 'No problem. They can't leave without me anyway,' " Dickinson told KABC.

Authorities say Dickinson's grandson, Caden Rodgers, suffered a head injury after his mother's boyfriend threw him across the room. The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana at the time. The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder, according to the Aurora Sentinel.

Dickinson's wife had called Southwest and asked them to hold the plane. After the flight, Dickinson said, he wanted to thank the pilot again for his serious display of empathy but didn't get the chance. Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson.

"I would just tell him that I can't tell him how grateful I am that he did that for me," he said.

Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight, according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who broke the story of the compassionate pilot on his blog. However, a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot's actions were exemplary.

"You can't hold a plane for every late customer, but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision," Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said. "I don't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers."

Though the airline has identified the pilot who held the plane for Dickinson, the pilot has asked that his name not be released to the public.

"As you're reading the story, you absolutely get tears in your eyes and just an overwhelming sense of pride that our pilot took such an action," McInnis said. "It really makes you proud to work for Southwest."

KCrockaholic · 01-17-2011, 10:30 PM

Kinda of off topic, and nobody died....

On my very first flight of my life I was a bit nervous and just sitting in the terminal waiting for the Frontier plane to arrive. I was wearing baggy shorts that day and my wallet apparently fell out of my shorts as I was sitting in the chair. I had at least $400 in my wallet, my I.D., SSN, everything in my life basically.

Anyways, I got on the plane, almost everyone was on the flight and ready to go, and I put my hands to my side and felt an empty pocket. I jumped up, looked all around my seat on the plane, and then let the pilot know my wallet had fallen out of my pocket. He quickly got on the walkie and told his team members about the problem, and about 1 minute before the plane was about to take off, a Frontier employee came running onto the plane with my wallet. Everything in tact. All my money, I.D., and everything else was still in there. I couldn't believe it.

Nobody was dying, but that's my only plane story.

-King- · 01-18-2011, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcrockaholic4life

Kinda of off topic, and nobody died....

On my very first flight of my life I was a bit nervous and just sitting in the terminal waiting for the Frontier plane to arrive. I was wearing baggy shorts that day and my wallet apparently fell out of my shorts as I was sitting in the chair. I had at least $400 in my wallet, my I.D., SSN, everything in my life basically.

Anyways, I got on the plane, almost everyone was on the flight and ready to go, and I put my hands to my side and felt an empty pocket. I jumped up, looked all around my seat on the plane, and then let the pilot know my wallet had fallen out of my pocket. He quickly got on the walkie and told his team members about the problem, and about 1 minute before the plane was about to take off, a Frontier employee came running onto the plane with my wallet. Everything in tact. All my money, I.D., and everything else was still in there. I couldn't believe it.

Nobody was dying, but that's my only plane story.

Um...sorry to tell you, but on the way back from the airplane, the frontier employee had a massive heart attack and died from running around to get your wallet.
Posted via Mobile Device

**loochy** · 01-18-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psyko Tek

southwest kicks ass

I've got to think that American Airlines would NOT have held the flight.

Yay for Southwest!

I met Southwest's founder Herb Kelleher a couple of months ago at an entrepreneurial gala. The man is brilliant, funny, and down to earth. He is totally NOT what you'd expect from a big time business man. He was making off color poop jokes in a speech in front of many stuffy, self important business men.

MOhillbilly · 01-18-2011, 09:05 AM

my mom used to bump people who were to 'fat' so i could get on stand by.

hahahaaa.

Ebolapox · 01-18-2011, 09:35 AM

great story.

(insert random kevin smith joke)

PhillyChiefFan · 01-18-2011, 10:08 AM

Great story. I love that the pilot chose to remain anonymous, shows that he was doing it out of empathy and kindness and not to make a story.

**Dartgod** · 01-18-2011, 10:17 AM

Reason #53614 I always fly Southwest whenever possible.
Posted via Mobile Device

ClevelandBronco · 01-18-2011, 10:30 AM

Meanwhile,* the guy whom the angels had scheduled to save a young woman who was choking on a piece of pita bread at the restaurant later that day didn't arrive on time and had to skip lunch. The woman he was scheduled to save died at the restaurant. She was a medical student who was to have invented a universal cure for cancer in 2034. God is pissed.

And now you know...the rest of the story.

*Beware the really, really poor theology that follows.

**Dartgod** · 01-18-2011, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

Meanwhile,* the guy whom the angels had scheduled to save a young woman who was choking on a piece of pita bread at the restaurant later that day didn't arrive on time and had to skip lunch. The woman he was scheduled to save died at the restaurant. She was a medical student who was to have invented a universal cure for cancer in 2034. God is pissed.

And now you know...the rest of the story.

*Beware the really, really poor theology that follows.

Awesome.

Posted via Mobile Device

tooge · 01-18-2011, 02:30 PM

For some reason, my brain read the thread title as PIOLI holds flight for man....

**loochy** · 01-18-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tooge

For some reason, my brain read the thread title as PIOLI holds flight for man....

That's what I thought at first too. I thought maybe he used his private jet to fly someone in need.

**Donger** · 01-18-2011, 03:19 PM

Meh, Southwest still sucks.

Pablo · 01-18-2011, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Reason #53614 I always fly Southwest whenever possible.
Posted via Mobile Device

List the other 53,613 reasons.

01-15-2011, 07:16 PM
ZepSinger Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $10004900	Pilot holds flight for man going to see dying grandson http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/01/14...iref=allsearch Heartwrenching story- really put a lump in my throat. I wish I could shake the pilot's hand and thank him for going above and beyond and doing the right thing... (CNN) -- Time was running out, and Mark Dickinson wasn't sure whether he'd get to see his dying 2-year-old grandson one last time. A long line at Los Angeles International Airport's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time. His grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver, Colorado, with or without his grandfather's presence, according to CNN affiliate KABC. "I was kind of panicking because I was running late, and I really thought I wasn't going to make the flight," Dickinson told KABC. That's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived. The pilot was standing by the jetway waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks, so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal. "I told him, 'Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that.' And he said, 'No problem. They can't leave without me anyway,' " Dickinson told KABC. Authorities say Dickinson's grandson, Caden Rodgers, suffered a head injury after his mother's boyfriend threw him across the room. The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana at the time. The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder, according to the Aurora Sentinel. Dickinson's wife had called Southwest and asked them to hold the plane. After the flight, Dickinson said, he wanted to thank the pilot again for his serious display of empathy but didn't get the chance. Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson. "I would just tell him that I can't tell him how grateful I am that he did that for me," he said. Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight, according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who broke the story of the compassionate pilot on his blog. However, a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot's actions were exemplary. "You can't hold a plane for every late customer, but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision," Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said. "I don't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers." Though the airline has identified the pilot who held the plane for Dickinson, the pilot has asked that his name not be released to the public. "As you're reading the story, you absolutely get tears in your eyes and just an overwhelming sense of pride that our pilot took such an action," McInnis said. "It really makes you proud to work for Southwest."
Posts: 2,740

01-17-2011, 10:30 PM	#31
KCrockaholic Sarcasm Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Olathe Casino cash: $4552900	Kinda of off topic, and nobody died.... On my very first flight of my life I was a bit nervous and just sitting in the terminal waiting for the Frontier plane to arrive. I was wearing baggy shorts that day and my wallet apparently fell out of my shorts as I was sitting in the chair. I had at least $400 in my wallet, my I.D., SSN, everything in my life basically. Anyways, I got on the plane, almost everyone was on the flight and ready to go, and I put my hands to my side and felt an empty pocket. I jumped up, looked all around my seat on the plane, and then let the pilot know my wallet had fallen out of my pocket. He quickly got on the walkie and told his team members about the problem, and about 1 minute before the plane was about to take off, a Frontier employee came running onto the plane with my wallet. Everything in tact. All my money, I.D., and everything else was still in there. I couldn't believe it. Nobody was dying, but that's my only plane story.
Posts: 21,146

01-18-2011, 09:05 AM	#34
MOhillbilly Mama Tried Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Casino cash: $9949903	my mom used to bump people who were to 'fat' so i could get on stand by. hahahaaa. __________________ True Son of Liberty
Posts: 23,371

01-18-2011, 09:35 AM	#35
Ebolapox remember, remember Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: como Casino cash: $1599903	great story. (insert random kevin smith joke)
Posts: 26,439

01-18-2011, 10:08 AM	#36
PhillyChiefFan Veteran Join Date: May 2007 Location: Harrisburg, PA Casino cash: $4381139	Great story. I love that the pilot chose to remain anonymous, shows that he was doing it out of empathy and kindness and not to make a story.
Posts: 3,404

01-18-2011, 10:17 AM	#37
Dartgod Wasted away again... Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: in Margaritaville Casino cash: $6930000	Reason #53614 I always fly Southwest whenever possible. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 51,222

01-18-2011, 10:30 AM	#38
ClevelandBronco I'm with the banned. Join Date: Sep 2006 Casino cash: $5658955	Meanwhile,* the guy whom the angels had scheduled to save a young woman who was choking on a piece of pita bread at the restaurant later that day didn't arrive on time and had to skip lunch. The woman he was scheduled to save died at the restaurant. She was a medical student who was to have invented a universal cure for cancer in 2034. God is pissed. And now you know...the rest of the story. *Beware the really, really poor theology that follows.
Posts: 28,113

01-18-2011, 02:30 PM	#40
tooge MVP Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Liberty, MO Casino cash: $3544112	For some reason, my brain read the thread title as PIOLI holds flight for man....
Posts: 15,257

01-18-2011, 03:19 PM	#42
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9879900 VARSITY	Meh, Southwest still sucks. __________________ I think the young people enjoy it when I "get down," verbally, don't you?
Posts: 182,263