Peggy Uhle was traveling from Illinois to Ohio on Southwest Airlines when her flight unexpectedly returned to the gate at O’Hare Airport. After a few puzzling minutes, a flight attendant walked up to Uhle and requested that she leave the aircraft. Uhle thought she had boarded the wrong flight and complied.
When she returned to the terminal, Uhle was instructed to talk to the gate agent. The agent told her that her husband had called, and her son was in a coma in Denver. Before Uhle could completely absorb the news, the agent said Southwest had already booked her onto a Denver flight that was leaving within two hours.
She was not charged for the flight change, and the airline handled her bags and prepared a meal for her. they also allowed her to wait in a quiet, private lounge where she could could gather her thoughts.
After Uhle’s arrival in Denver, Southwest had her bags sent directly to her hotel and followed up with a phone call to inquire about her son’s condition. Uhle said she was impressed and touched by the wonderful and compassionate service she received from the airline. Currently, her son continues to recover from a brain injury.