On a recent flight from Washington, D.C. to Madrid, passengers were treated to a more unusual and loving pre-flight announcement.
Pilot Cole Doss explained to the passengers a little bit about an extra special flight attendant who'd dedicated over 45 years of her career to serving United Airlines' customers: his mom.
"She's been one of my biggest supporters in my life and in my career becoming a pilot, ever since my very first flight lesson ... To my mom, I love you, and to everyone onboard, welcome aboard our family-friendly skies."
The flight was the first time the 31-year-old had flown his mom's flight, while she attended to the passengers. "In flight school, she was a little nervous about the small planes, so I was never able to fly with her there," explained Doss to Good Morning America.
While Doss' mom normally works on routes to Asia, she managed to switch her flights to be able to work alongside her son. However, the whole experience was made all the more special as the two shared their usual work routine together:
"We met in the employee parking lot. We took the bus together. We went to security together. We walked to the gate together. So, it was really neat being able to share all those moments with her."
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A "career highlight"
The devoted son described the trip as "a career highlight for me." And seeing how he held his mom's arm up in the air, you can see the obvious pride and love he has for her -- something that didn't go unnoticed by the passengers, who seemed to enjoy the moment.
Flying is certainly a passion among the Doss household, with Cole's father working in aviation, and his sister currently working for American Airlines. This joint enthusiasm has not only united the siblings and parents in their careers, it's also given Doss the opportunity to honor his mother in the most public but meaningful way.
