Flying Through Chicago O’Hare: A delayed flight and the power of kindness

By Mimi Moore, CEO & Executive Coaching, Pourquoi Pas Coaching International

Some of you may recall that I was recently in Italy on an amazing culinary journey with Lonny Balbi , Shelley Hounsell KC , Cyndi Ruff , Phil Kormann and others learning how to make homemade pasta and more!?

What you would not necessarily know is the spirit of generosity and kindness that got me there.

I was passing through Chicago last month on my way to Rome.?In fact, my itinerary had me fly from O’Hare to Newark with a short, one-hour connection.?It was going to be tight, but according to United Airlines , completely doable until the expected unexpected happened: my flight to New York City was delayed. Congestion at Newark.

Bottom line: I was going to miss my connecting flight to Rome!?

The gate agent called all passengers with a connecting flight to come forward. By the time I texted my husband Ryan Moore , gathered my things, and made my way to the line there was already a crowd ahead of me. I knew from experience and by the looks of things that this was going to take a long time and that it had the makings of a traveling nightmare.?

Things can so quickly go sideways until they don’t.

That’s when she tapped my shoulder.?Meet Julie Strain who generously and randomly invited me to the United Airlines lounge.?

?– “Hi. I’m a frequent flyer and member of MileagePlus.” she said, “You’ll be able to get service without waiting for hours in this melee of people.?Come with me!”?

Incredulous, I accepted and asked “Wow, yes of course, and thank you but why are you inviting me? Why me?”?

In that moment, I don’t recall Julie’s exact words but suffice it to say that it was something like, “I am entitled to 2 free guest passes. I thought you'd be there for hours and could really use the help. I thought it could make a big difference regardless of where you are going.”

I followed Julie into the United Polaris Lounge. She walked right up to the agent and said:

?– “Hi there. My friend here…”, she paused, turned to me and whispered, “what’s your name?” And without skipping a beat, Julie continued:

– “My friend Mimi Moore was on a flight to Rome connecting via New York. Her flight got delayed and she will miss her connection. I happen to know that flight UA970 is boarding now.?Can we help her get on that flight?”

As the agent was working her keyboard, I asked Julie how she knew about the direct flight (UA970).? “I just met another woman,” she said, “who told me she was on that direct flight.” ?What were the odds I wondered…

The agent calmly and politely asked for my boarding passes.?And just like that – without fuss or fanfare but with kindess and care, she issued a new one on the direct flight from Chicago to the Leonardo da Vinci di Roma-Fiumicino International airport.?Boarding had commenced and she asked me to go quickly to the gate.

Within 15 minutes of being notified of my original flight delay and the upheaval it represented, I was sitting on a direct flight headed for Rome! I arrived at my destination 4-hours ahead, it bears rewriting, AHEAD of my original ETA (estimated time of arrival).

I couldn’t believe my good fortune and was struck by the power of kindness in a world that needs it more today than ever before.?

More to the point, I was struck by Julie’s ability to read a situation with little information other than her keen observation. She was bold, fearless and took initiative. She was authentically generous, benevolent, helpful and kind without expecting anything in return.?

I was equally impressed by the United Airlines agent who was fully entrusted and empowered by her employer. Without hesitation, she (and Julie!) took it upon herself to resolve a single traveler's dilemma.?Before sending me on my way, I asked her, “what is your name? I want to tell your airline and your CEO Scott Kirby how amazing you were to me.”

She smiled and modestly said, “you can take a picture of my name tag.”?And I couldn’t believe it when I saw her name: Providencia C.? ??

Providencia / Providence [noun] to mean, divine guidance and care; the power that sustains and guides human destiny.

Honestly, I can’t even make this up if I tried.

Be that as it may and whether it is providence or not, random acts of kindness have a positive, lasting ripple effect on others.?

As Gandhi would say, “be the change you want to see in the world”.?Adapted here, be the kindness you want to see and experience in the world.

In short, all of this happened so quickly, I didn't really get the chance to thank either Julie or Providencia C the way I would have liked to. May this short story be a testiment of my gratitude towards them both and perhaps inspire us all to be kinder.

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