On a more somber note. I got this in a e-mail today. I don't know how current it is so it may have been done before, I'm not sure.
Subject: Fwd: A must read MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:
He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an
H.R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked.
'Yes', she said.
'Is there an escort?' I asked.
'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.
'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early," I
said..
A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the
image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him
about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they
are still alive and still with us.
'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia,' he said. He proceeded to answer my
questions, but offered no words.
I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him
that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that
he does for the families of
our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his
hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.
We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful
departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight
attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are
carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father,
mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father
home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the
soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the
family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia.
The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below
him in the cargo compartment and
being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked
the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see
him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch
the soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the
flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do.. 'I'm
on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.
Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like
messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly
on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who
connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the
dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it
was the family
wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.
Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get
busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message
asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the
following is the text:
'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this
now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team
will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane
side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family.
The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal
where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family
only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the
family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being
loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are
veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.'
I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out
the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The
lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much
this will mean to them.'
Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing,
we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates
on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering
every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the
ramp
controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.
'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it
was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign
off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the
airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp
controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the
passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'
I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address
button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have
stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on
board who deserves our honor
and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life.
Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army
Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter.
Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to
allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'
We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown
procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two
forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that
after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats,
waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.
When the family got up and
gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments
later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words
of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were
uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the
airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved
one.
Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made.
They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but
nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.
I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that
millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these
United States of AMERICA ..