Note: we are republishing this story, which originally made the news in May 2015.
Southwest Airlines did something pretty amazing for one of its passengers after learning her son was in a coma.
Passenger Peggy Uhle was on a flight ready for take-off from Chicago, Illinois, to Columbus, Ohio, when the plane turned back to the gate unexpectedly. The flight attendant approached Uhle and asked her to get off the plane.
“I figured I was on the wrong plane,” Uhle said. “The gate agent told me to check in at the desk and when I did she told me to call my husband.”
Uhle learned from her husband that her son, who lives in Denver, Colorado, was in a coma after suffering a head injury, reports My Fox Philly.
Before Uhle had even disembarked her scheduled flight or spoken to customer service, Southwest had handled her situation.
“The gate attendant already knew the situation and had booked me on a direct flight to Denver that was leaving in the next two hours,” Uhle told Boarding Area.
The airline did not charge Uhle any additional fees or service charges for the flight.
“They offered a private waiting area, rerouted my luggage, allowed me to board first, and packed a lunch for when I got off the plane in Denver,” Uhle said. “My luggage was delivered to where I was staying, and I even received a call from Southwest asking how my son was doing.”
Uhle is extremely happy with the service she received from Southwest.
“The care that I was shown is second to none,” Uhle said. “We have always liked Southwest Airlines and now we can’t say enough good things about them.”
As for Uhle’s son, he is still recovering.
“My son suffered a traumatic brain injury and continues to recover,” Uhle said.
Sources: My Fox Philly, Boarding Area