Subscribe Now

travelers today

Home » News

Southwest Airlines Pilot Showered His One Millionth Passenger With Gifts

Travelers Today       By    Sheobi Anne Ramos

Updated: May 08, 2017 11:20 AM EDT

Text Size: A A A

The airline industry has taken quite some flak since the viral video of a United Airline passenger being dragged off mercilessly from a Chicago flight. Since then, several more videos have been circulating the internet -- mostly recorded negative experiences of several airline passengers.

This time though, things have taken a better turn when a viral video featuring Southwest Airlines moved the viewers in a good way. A pilot was shown showering a passenger with champagne and all kinds of gifts after revealing that he just flew his one millionth passenger.

According to Travel Pulse, Captain John Charles Ritchie has been keeping track of the number of passengers he's flown in the 22 years he has served Southwest Airlines. In his Denver to Pittsburgh flight last Saturday, he announced the name of his one millionth passenger.

"Today is a special day," he said in the video. "Ever since I started with Southwest, I've kept track of the passengers I've flown, and today I'm flying my one millionth passenger."

As the passenger cheered on her good luck, Captain Ritchie then proceeded to give her a bottle of champagne, an autographed copy of her boarding pass, and he even reimbursed the total amount of cost the passenger spent on the flight.

This heartwarming encounter was recorded by flight attendant Jennifer Todd and has been viewed more than a million times on Facebook, according to Huffington Post. Before working for Southwest Airlines, Captain Ritchie was an Air Force pilot.

The comments on the viral video were mostly compliments from Southwest Airline passengers. One passenger even said, "Southwest is a fantastic airline. I live in Canada and travel the extra hour to Buffalo instead of Toronto for all my flights to the south. All employees are extremely accommodating and friendly, flights arrive and depart as scheduled, and I never worry about my luggage."

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018

Tags
southwest airlines, captain surprised passenger, southwest airlines pilot surprises millionth passenger
© 2023 Traverlers Today, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join Our Conversation

Subscribe to our newsletter

Receive the latest travel news, reviews, and more..

Most Popular

6 Tips For Traveling With Young Children

6 Tips For Traveling With Young Children

Planning for a trip takes some time, even if it's just you g

How Traveling Can Make You Happy

How Traveling Can Make You Happy

If you have never traveled before but are thinking of doing so then

Scottish Islands: The Best Places to Reside!

Scottish Islands: The Best Places to Reside!

So there are a few islands that can be found off the Sco

How to Plan a Multi-Destination Honeymoon During COVID

How to Plan a Multi-Destination Honeymoon During COVID

You need to know how to plan appropriately and

7 Tips for Amazing Campus Visits

7 Tips for Amazing Campus Visits

A campus visit's significance could not be overstated. After all, fo

4 Tips For Curating The Perfect Gallery Wall

4 Tips For Curating The Perfect Gallery Wall

Having a gallery wall brings plenty of benefits to your

Water Travel Options That Don’t Involve a Cruise

Water Travel Options That Don’t Involve a Cruise

There is something equally relaxing and invigorati

Photo by Erik Odiin on Unsplash

Things That Will Help Cost-Conscious Vacationers Save Money

There are several ways you can significan

Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels

How to Make Vet Visits Affordable in 2022

If the situation is minor, you might be lucky and get away

Photo by Tim Samuel from Pexels

Know Your Florida Driving Rules

There is so much to do in the region, but we want to focus on some of

Photo by Ging Ang from Pexels

Holidaying in your own Country: Try these Fun Trips!

Many countries are opening their borders, but if

Photo by Jessica Lewis Creative from Pexels

The Best Tech Tools for Expats

Here’s a quick look at most versatile tech tools for expats on the m

Photo by Tobi from Pexels

How to Turn a Road Trip Into A Luxury Adventure

But a road trip doesn’t have to mean living on the

Australian Citizenship Test: Everything You Need to Know

Australian Citizenship Test: Everything You Need to Know

Do you want to become a citizen of Australia

Hair transplant Istanbul: Why is it so popular?

Hair Transplant Istanbul: Why is it so Popular?

Getting a hair transplant in Istanbul is affordable i

What’s Going on with Rental Cars Right Now?

What’s Going on with Rental Cars Right Now?

They are incredibly expensive, and they’re also in sh

Role of Professional companies in International Trade

Role of Professional companies in International Trade

International trade holds great importance in a

The 5 Best Wines from Germany

The 5 Best Wines from Germany

Riesling is Germany’s best-known wine, but the country makes other fi

Here's Why You Should Go Camping On Weekends

Here's Why You Should Go Camping On Weekends

There is nothing like the great outdoors –– natureâ€

The Best Tote Bags To Travel With in 2022

The Best Tote Bags To Travel With in 2022

Who knew you could pack your entire life away into one litt

7 Captivating Attractions for Kids in San Diego

7 Captivating Attractions for Kids in San Diego

San Diego is a magnificent place, and it would not be

travelers today

© 2023 TRAVELERS TODAY All rights reserved.

Subscribe to our newsletter
Real Time Analytics