Delta Airlines is receiving plaudits from social media users after a woman posted a video chronicling how the airline company and its staffers helped her say goodbye to her dying mother by giving them an extra 24 hours together. In a video posted on Thursday (Dec 9), Hannah White explained that her mother, Kathleen Nelson, had been in critical condition because of undiagnosed pneumonia that rapidly progressed into septic shock.
After doctors notified that Ms Nelson had little time left, Ms White booked a flight to North Dakota from Dallas, Texas via a connection in Minneapolis, Minnesota. However, owing to some mechanical problems, her plane remained parked at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport for over an hour, meaning there was a high chance of her missing the connecting flight, according to a CNN report.
An emotional Ms White narrated her predicament to one of the flight attendants who informed her she wouldn't be able to make it to Minneapolis in time. Instead, she was booked for a new flight the next day by Delta's automatic rebooking system.
"As she [flight attendant] explained this, I immediately started welling up with tears. She apologised and cried with me. I bawled in my seat, knowing there was a possibility I wouldn't be able to see my mom one last time," Ms White wrote.
'Good samaritans'
Just when it looked like Ms White would not get to see her mother, Captain Keith Napolitano, the pilot on the Delta Flight called the pilot on the Minneapolis connecting flight with the latter agreeing to hold the aircraft till she could get there.
"The stars don't always align where I have the immediate ability to affect the outcome, but this was one of those cases where I felt it was possible," Mr Napolitano said.
The crew and passengers on both flights went above and beyond to help Ms White. Her seat was upgraded to the front of the place so that she could deboard it faster with the crew making a separate announcement over loudspeaker to ensure she was the first person out when the flight landed. Moreover, one of the passengers pulled out a map of the Minneapolis airport so she knew actually where to board her connecting flight.
"My mom passed away the next day. Delta's kindness gave me 24 extra hours with her. I was able to say 'I love you' one last time and provide the comfort for her in her final moments, that she provided for me my whole life," she wrote, adding that the Minneapolis flight waited for her for almost 30 minutes.
Internet reacts
As the video went viral, thousands applauded the good samaritans associated with Delta to give Ms White her happy ending.
"We mostly hear weird news related to airline companies but glad Delta stepped up on the day," said one user, while another added: "Such incidents make you believe that humanity is still very much alive."
A third commented: "The man mapping the airport for you, all the people who made time stop so you could have 24 hours makes me believe in humanity."
