May 12 2011: Southwest Air seems to make the flying experience more fun. Aside from their policies and fares, there is frequent acknowledgement through cabin announcements that they know we are people. On a recent flight, while we were mindlessly shuffling to our seats, a flight attendant made the following announcement.
"Those of you still trying to find an available space in the overhead bin for that armoire you packed in your carry-on should proceed to the back of the plane where we'll be happy to throw it out the rear door."
The tone and delivery of this message was in perfect obsequious airline-speak but produced an amazing reaction of levity into a mindless activity. Needless to say more people paid attention to the rest of the flight's announcements.
On another flight, the captain came on just as we were making our approach to land and said, "My house is right ... THERE!" and he gave the wing a slight dip to punctuate, as if to point at his house. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen a commercial pilot do.
Forget low fares. Forget no baggage fees. Southwest knows I'm a human. Simple gestures. Simple humanity. I now love Southwest.
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"Those of you still trying to find an available space in the overhead bin for that armoire you packed in your carry-on should proceed to the back of the plane where we'll be happy to throw it out the rear door."
The tone and delivery of this message was in perfect obsequious airline-speak but produced an amazing reaction of levity into a mindless activity. Needless to say more people paid attention to the rest of the flight's announcements.
On another flight, the captain came on just as we were making our approach to land and said, "My house is right ... THERE!" and he gave the wing a slight dip to punctuate, as if to point at his house. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen a commercial pilot do.
Forget low fares. Forget no baggage fees. Southwest knows I'm a human. Simple gestures. Simple humanity. I now love Southwest.
PB