July 17, 2021
Over the last several years I have read many stories about helpful Southwest agents; and today I have my own story to share.
My brother-in-law died and he named me as his executor. Being an executor is not a fun task, nor a trivial one. Coupled with the grief of the loss of a loved one, the hassle of traveling back and forth 1,100 miles each way to handle the estate affairs and the disposition of a house can be stressful. I arrived at the STL airport at 1:30 pm for my 3:30 pm flight, and patiently waited for the 3:00 pm boarding time. Boarding began on time; but then was halted; and then reversed! The weather in Baltimore, my connecting city on the trip to Connecticut, included severe thunderstorms. Our flight was postponed to 4:10 pm. As we approached 4:00 pm, an announcement was made that the flight was cancelled entirely. Obviously, this was a disappointment; but I certainly understand that Southwest does not control the weather; and their decision to cancel the flight was in the interest of safety for passengers and crew.
I thought about what to do next and looked up to see that a line had just formed at our gate with over 100 people wanting to change to another flight. This seemed daunting, so I decided to walk down along the concourse while considering my options regarding meeting my friends and relatives in Connecticut, the rental car implications of the change, etc.
Several gates later, I saw a Southwest associate behind a counter, alone. She smiled and asked me if she could help me. Her name was Tish Marsh. Tish listened patiently as I relayed my dilemma and then she said “Let me help you”. She booked another flight for me early the next morning, made sure that the connection from Baltimore (again) to Hartford-Springfield (BDL) was in place, printed out boarding passes for me, and asked me what my luggage looked like (to make it easier for the baggage associates to locate it and switch it to the new flight). Tish turned a potentially emotionally difficult experience into one that was probably the best alternative for me.
Many thanks to Tish! She said she could help me; and she did.
Sincerely,
Dave Snell
(confirmation number 4C9HLS)
