ILUVMYBRIT
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2006
Working at an airport for an airline means I get to meet and see so many different people. Many times I have angry, frustrated people whose travel plans are all messed up due to late flights. Often I get happy families leaving on vacation. Every once in awhile the honeymooners who have no idea where they even are...just happy they are together. Today I experienced what many of my coworkers have mentioned but I had not had yet had to do.
As I was boarding my flight to New York at the gate I was working, our Philly flight came into the gate right next to me. I look over and see a group of Marines standing along side a hearse. I knew what was about to happen. I finished up my flight and went back upstairs to help the agent who was actually going to be boarding up that Philly flight as soon as the inbound passengers were off. It was going to run a bit late because of the young man who was flying home for the very last time.
The crew for the outbound flight showed up and we explained what was happening. We had to make an anouncement to the passengers waiting to board to let them know that we would be a bit delayed. Suddenly there are cars on the tarmac. This young mans family are there to greet him. The entire boarding area was silent other than the occasional sniff from passengers, crew, and agents standing at the windows witnessing this tragic homecoming. The flight attendant standing next to me was quietly humming Amazing Grace and our ramp agents who are normally loud and obnoxious are standing at attention with their hats off outside the plane. Not a word was spoken til that young man was placed in his ride and taken away. Its the first time I have ever boarded a flight that the passengers were so subdued. It was such a sad moment for us all.
As I was boarding my flight to New York at the gate I was working, our Philly flight came into the gate right next to me. I look over and see a group of Marines standing along side a hearse. I knew what was about to happen. I finished up my flight and went back upstairs to help the agent who was actually going to be boarding up that Philly flight as soon as the inbound passengers were off. It was going to run a bit late because of the young man who was flying home for the very last time.
The crew for the outbound flight showed up and we explained what was happening. We had to make an anouncement to the passengers waiting to board to let them know that we would be a bit delayed. Suddenly there are cars on the tarmac. This young mans family are there to greet him. The entire boarding area was silent other than the occasional sniff from passengers, crew, and agents standing at the windows witnessing this tragic homecoming. The flight attendant standing next to me was quietly humming Amazing Grace and our ramp agents who are normally loud and obnoxious are standing at attention with their hats off outside the plane. Not a word was spoken til that young man was placed in his ride and taken away. Its the first time I have ever boarded a flight that the passengers were so subdued. It was such a sad moment for us all.
