Usually, when an airline employee is captured on video by a passenger it is not because they are being nice. But a Southwest Airlines gate agent was captured on video for her display of kindness and it is truly a heartwarming exchange.
Southwest Airlines Gate Agent Recognized For Kindness
We turn to Phoenix, where a passenger observed a gate agent named Krista being kind despite the very early hour of the day. This passenger then walked up to her at the podium, filming with her mobile phone. After first asking permission to film, she lauded Krista for her “smiling face and happy heart” and also for giving candy to some youngsters. The passenger began crying…Krista began crying too.
Krista also took a moment to reflect how blessed she was to work for Southwest Airlines…and the whole impromptu exchange struck me as highly genuine…and beautiful.
@angiebatis When I notice people going the extra mile in life, I like to acknowledge them because in today’s world we need to remember that there ARE good people. GREAT people like Krista @Southwest Airlines at PHX. THANK YOU!! #krista #southwest #goodpeople #excellentemployee #earlymorningsmiles #goingtheextramile #spreadsunshine #moreofthis
She captioned her video with this note:
When I notice people going the extra mile in life, I like to acknowledge them because in today’s world we need to remember that there ARE good people. GREAT people like Krista @Southwest Airlines at PHX.
And I wholeheartedly concur. We love bad news…we are transfixed by it. But how refreshing it is to recognize those who work hard, those who do right, and those who make this world a better place?
As we end this week, I am thankful for Krista and for her the many airline employees who love their jobs and love to be hospitable to their passengers. There is no better ad for Southwest Airlines than this.
image: @angiebatis / TikTok
I wish I could have captured on video how kind and attentive you were to each individual who talked to you during our meeting. It’s difficult to find people who show curiosity to understand others.
Great for her but isn’t this what we should expect from anyone? “passenger observed a gate agent named Krista being kind despite the very early hour of the day. ” You are basically saying that is something we should celebrate while I see that the minimum expected.
@Santastico … It is indeed a pleasure to engage with a kind person . But having been through boot camp , kindness towards me is not a requirement for me to have a happy life . Actually , I do not expect anything more than professional indifference and an upgrade .
Yes – the bar should be set here and we should expect it. And the way to set the bar there is to highlight what good looks like and make a point of recognizing it.
Pretending that the world is this way is silly. Just look at the comment threads on this forum!
Sometimes I really don’t understand you, and this is one of those times. I’m not saying any of this to try to be mean– I enjoy a lot of what you bring to these comments, but it seems incongruent to me that you, as a person whose stated goal when moving through an airport is to not speak to another person, would think that an effusively energetic and emotional agent is the minimum of what should be expected of airline employees.
I don’t get it– you want people to not speak to you– be professional, fulfill their role, but you also think the minimum is that the gate agents are crying with emotion?
The idea of the overly friendly, heavily invested, and overly emotional service worker isn’t what I require as a minimum from airline employees. I actually don’t want someone to give me candy and cry with me. What I am looking for is a confident and competent professional who can complete the tasks required to help me and other passengers move efficiently through the airport. This person has an effusive personality and I’m fine with that, but I’m also fine with the person who calmly and professionally helps me on my way without the candy and crying.
“we love bad news”.
No, we don’t. Do a pole of your readers…..95% will say they don’t want the stories of people at their worst. And I get it…you have to pay your mortgage. But the fact people click on these stories doesn’t mean they want to read them. They click on them because they click on your site. So do better because people will read either way.
Yes, you (collectively) do. That’s why bad news posts get 10-100X the times the traffic of a trip report that takes me hours to write.
I prefer bad news
@Chi Hsuan … funny .
*poll
@Shaun … *pole .
Thanks for taking the time to acknowledge this employee. She went beyond the expected and that is what makes her special. Nice news for a change. Nice article Matthew!
I’d bet that gate agents frequently see a cesspool of rude and self-entitled people, so to have someone take the time to recognize an agent with a great attitude is really a class act. Thank you, kind fellow traveller.
What’s it with you liberals and feelings ?
@D3kingg … funny .
I always try to acknowledge anyone doing a great job when flying (and write to the corporate about it).