Flying first-class is a perk not many of those who enjoy it would give up, so the gesture of a premium flier with American Airlines is going viral for the simple reason that he did.
Kelsey Zwick is a mother of two from Florida, who, the other day, had to catch a flight from Orlando to Philadelphia. She wasn’t making the journey for pleasure, though: she had one of her 11-month twins with her, Lucy. Lucy suffers from severe chronic lung disease as a result of a complication during pregnancy, so she has to travel with an oxygen machine at all times.
Kelsey and Lucy were scheduled for an appointment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and they boarded the plane in second class, as the mother explains in a now-viral Facebook post. It wasn’t long after they were seated that a flight attendant informed her that a gentleman in first class wanted to switch seats with her so she would be more comfortable.
The gesture was so kind and so unexpected that it made Kelsey burst into tears right then and there. She then took to social media to tell the story, in the hope that others would share it and her heartfelt thanks would eventually get back to the man. She didn’t have the chance to properly thank him on the plane, she says.
Well, mission accomplished. The Daily Mail identifies the man as 46-year-old Jason Kunselman from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He flies out with American Airlines about 4 times a week, and he tells the tab that he saw the mother and child while boarding and was moved to tears.
“She had an oxygen machine for her daughter. It couldn't be put over her head and, she had to have it with her the whole time. It was so touching seeing the little girl with her oxygen. I was tearing up as I saw her,” he says.
“She was so tiny,” he adds of the child. So, knowing they would be more comfortable and have more room for the oxygen machine in first class, he called a flight attendant over and asked her to make the switch. He says seeing Kelsey cry tears of gratitude got him all choked up as well.
In a statement to the same media outlet, American Airlines confirms Kunselman’s gesture and, on behalf of the entire company, thanks him for it.
Kelsey and Lucy were scheduled for an appointment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and they boarded the plane in second class, as the mother explains in a now-viral Facebook post. It wasn’t long after they were seated that a flight attendant informed her that a gentleman in first class wanted to switch seats with her so she would be more comfortable.
The gesture was so kind and so unexpected that it made Kelsey burst into tears right then and there. She then took to social media to tell the story, in the hope that others would share it and her heartfelt thanks would eventually get back to the man. She didn’t have the chance to properly thank him on the plane, she says.
Well, mission accomplished. The Daily Mail identifies the man as 46-year-old Jason Kunselman from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He flies out with American Airlines about 4 times a week, and he tells the tab that he saw the mother and child while boarding and was moved to tears.
“She had an oxygen machine for her daughter. It couldn't be put over her head and, she had to have it with her the whole time. It was so touching seeing the little girl with her oxygen. I was tearing up as I saw her,” he says.
“She was so tiny,” he adds of the child. So, knowing they would be more comfortable and have more room for the oxygen machine in first class, he called a flight attendant over and asked her to make the switch. He says seeing Kelsey cry tears of gratitude got him all choked up as well.
In a statement to the same media outlet, American Airlines confirms Kunselman’s gesture and, on behalf of the entire company, thanks him for it.