Years ago my husband and I were travelling to Paris from Dulles Airport on an all business class airline called Open Skies. A subsidiary of British Airways, Open Skies only flew 757 aircraft directly from Dulles to Paris at a reduced rate. However, they only flew several flights per week.
We arrived at Dulles five hours ahead of time. Our check-in was to be at the British Airways counter. From time to time we would check the flight departure board.
“Oh no, our flight’s been cancelled,” I told Wally. He checked the board to confirm. We knew there wasn’t another Open Skies flight for two nights and the British Airways ticket counter wasn’t open yet to check in.
We said a quick prayer and stood first in line at the ticket counter.
About twenty minutes later a middle-aged man with glasses and thinning hair went up to the counter in preparation for checking people in. I patiently waited for him to call us up.
“I see our Open Skies flight has been cancelled,” I told him calmly.
“We’re rebooking everyone on our British Airways flights,” he responded. “You’ll have to fly to London first, and then on to Paris.”
I prayed silently that the next British Airways flight wasn’t full as he busily worked away on his computer.
“Here you go,” the ticket agent said. “Your flight leaves in three hours.”
“Thank you so much,” I replied with a sigh of relief. Wally and I thanked God for helping us.
We discovered we were on a 747 seated upstairs in the ‘bubble’ in first class. We were treated like royalty with all the special amenities.
When we returned to Dulles weeks later, we searched for the ticket agent that had helped us.
“There he is,” I pointed out to Wally.
“I don’t know if you remember us, but our Open Skies flight was cancelled several weeks ago, and you put us in First Class. Why did you do that?”
“Because you were so calm,” he replied.
He went on to tell me how some people yell and carry on as if the flight cancellation was his fault. I have seen situations like that myself and felt bad that he had to endure such abuse at times.
“Well, we really appreciated it. The flight was great, and my husband always wanted to fly in the ‘bubble.’”
“These are for you,” I said as I handed him a package of cookies from France. His face lit up as if I had given him a valuable gift. I think the fact that we remembered him, and appreciated him, was what touched him.
We chatted for a few more minutes before leaving for home.
Luke 6:31 tells us, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
I believe God rewarded us with those first-class seats because we treated that agent with kindness. Would that all men would do so, Christians or not. If only.
Mary Therese Hutchinson 