I was astounded, the principle of contrast could not have been more profound if we'd been doing stealth market research. This was our final flight of the week. She didn't need to be so nice, about now I was used the the lack-luster bustle. Yet she was. Her name is Jill.
As an older women traveling with my husband, you feel your importance waning. No long svelt and sparkling, your goal is be efficient and stay under the radar of neediness.
Due to the overhead space and seating choices he and I were separated from the start of a almost five hour flight, the 2nd week in December. Oh well, not uncommon for us.
It was truly her smile and pleasant kindness on the fourth Southwest flight and my experience that so caught my attention. She promised that after the aircraft stabilized she'd bring me my oversized purse from rows back behind me, where she politely had stored it. And she remembered! So I asked her name.
Please know I'm an average traveler, pleasant enough, but prefer not to be overly communicative. If my seat mate wants to, I'll talk, but I typically let it be their choice, I love the quiet and rest.
Here was Jill again, the countenance delight, repeatedly honoring my requests. My seat mate never spoke more than a few words to her or I, having a spare seat between us. So I took notice of her working from my seat, greeting passengers as if we were all important persons, and I found myself reflecting on the previous 3 experiences this week.
I'm old enough to remember when being a "steward/stewardess" meant something special. Sweet Jill seemed to get that old style service. It was nice, with warmth, and sincere. Her beverage service and 'snack' passing, was more in the "old tradition", and not just a job, and I reminisced on my initial flight over 50 years ago.
Jill even brought that on, calling me "young lady" once, and causing me to reflect on kinder days when people looked you in the eyes and cared.
Thank you Jill! GREAT JOB! And have a Merry Christmas Southwest!
Christmas 2016
9 years ago
