Fun and Flying

Eight days ago I experienced what many airline passengers have come to expect when “flying the friendly skies” – a not so pleasant experience. Well, actually there was some fun on the trip so let me briefly explain.

Having spent the weekend in western Pennsylvania visiting my son I was due to fly home on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately a series of major thunderstorms rolling through southeastern Pennsylvania created havoc with my flight schedule (and those of many other travelers). Our plane pushed off the gate early but we quickly discovered that it would be a long wait for clearance to take-off for Philadelphia. Three hours later we were back at the gate dealing with the aftermath of a cancelled flight. My customer service story was the only bright spot in this otherwise forgettable day.

It began when one of the male flight attendants spotted my Penn State cap and shirt. He flashed his Ohio State ring in my face and began to harass me (in a friendly way of course) about the recent football successes that his team has held over the Nittany Lions. Of course I defended my team’s efforts and reminded him about his own team’s failure to win a national championship.

A few minutes later I was startled to hear the Penn State fight song playing in my ear. The attendant was back, his cell phone playing a ringtone version of this famous sports anthem. As he explained how the song came to be on his phone, he proudly played the Ohio State fight song as well. The friendly batter about our football loyalties continued each time he made his way up and down the aisle.

I finally protested that all this Ohio State football chatter deserved a reward, like free water. He grinned and made his way to the front of the plane. A few minutes later he was back concealing a bottle that he stuffed under my arm. Needless to say, in spite of the flight delay, I had fun watching how he interacted with other passengers and the crew. With each new announcement from the cockpit that our take-off was delayed the cabin groaned with disappointment. Remaining upbeat, he and the crew handed out free beverages and snacks and did their best to make everyone comfortable.

In the end, I needed to spend an extra night in Pittsburgh. As I traveled home the next morning I thought about my experience with this special airline employee. His enthusiasm and attention to finding common ground with the passengers he served is an example of customer service at its best. While the disappointments of flight delays and cancellations made for a long day I was blessed to be served by someone who did his best to brighten my world, even if he is an Ohio State fan.