Oh, baby: These Southwest passengers went above and beyond for two lucky new parents
If it takes a village to raise a child, a Boeing 737 full of Southwest passengers is a great start.
Dustin and Caren Moore recently shared a heartwarming story about how more than 60 strangers on a flight from Denver to Long Beach made their newborn daughter's first journey an unforgettable homecoming.
"I'd like to share with you the kindness strangers offered us the day we brought our daughter home," Dustin recently shared on Twitter. "I hope our story uplifts you, and reminds you there is goodness to be had in this world."
The Moores had been waiting for a baby for nine years by the time they met their first child in Denver in November 2019. "Being able to adopt meant healing," Dustin told TPG. "The day we met our daughter was the day that emotional wounds we had held for so long finally started to heal."
Despite their intense happiness, parenting still upended everything Dustin and Caren knew about life. Step one: Getting through mountains of paperwork to become their daughter's legal parents. Just to get her on the plane home, the Moores had to provide medical clearance showing that the baby could travel home; legal adoption documents at the airport; and speak with Southwest customer relations to verify information from two sources.
The Moores chose Southwest because the airline had the best availability for their travel schedule, and also for the great cancellation policy, Dustin said. "It was serendipity! Obviously, we would recommend Southwest [to other parents in our situation]."
Read more: 10 lessons from 10 years of traveling with kids
After successfully navigating the extensive red tape, the Moores were on their way home. "My wife carried our precious bundle, while I offered numerous apologies to passengers while maneuvering the aisle with four bags," Dustin described on Twitter.
Halfway through the flight, the baby needed a diaper change, so a Southwest flight attendant named Jenny thoughtfully made space for the new parents toward the back of the plane. Jenny and another passenger later came by to coo over the new baby, while Dustin shared a brief summary of their adoption story and accepted their congratulations and kind words. After a few minutes, another flight attendant named Bobby came by to ask about the baby as well.
"My wife and I exchanged curious looks, but thought nothing more about it," Dustin said. "Then we heard the intercom. Bobby came on and announced a special guest on the flight: Our daughter. 'She's just been adopted by her parents Caren and Dustin, and is making her way home.' The entire cabin erupted in cheers and applause."
Bobby then announced that the crew would distribute pens and napkins to each passenger, and anyone who wanted to share a word of advice or encouragement for the Moore family was welcome to do so.
"We sat in speechless gratitude as people kept peeking over their chairs to congratulate us," Dustin said. After the napkins had been collected, the crew read a few of their favorites over the intercom:
"Rub each other's feet, and rub the baby's feet."
"Make time for date night."
"Always tell her you love her."
"Enjoy every minute. It goes by sooo very fast."
"Drink lots of wine!"
"One more round of cheers came through," Dustin said, before Bobby and Jenny presented the new parents with approximately 60 napkins, along with a set of pilot wings for their new daughter. "We learned [that Bobby and Jenny] were married, and that someone had done a similar act for them on their honeymoon flight. When I [spoke with] Jenny, she thought it was a perfect opportunity to pay forward the kind act they had been shown on their honeymoon."
Read more: Love is in the air: Airline employees on what it's like working with their partners
"Even as we disembarked, people kept approaching us and wishing us well, and complimenting our beautiful daughter," Dustin said. "Our hearts were full."
After the Moores got home, a family member helped create a keepsake album displaying all of the well-wishes. But the real impact of Bobby and Jenny's kind gesture went far beyond a handful of napkins, Dustin said.
"What all of those perfect strangers and attendants did not know was the emotionally tender state of two brand-new parents who, after nine years of trying, had been blessed with their first child," Dustin said on Twitter. "The outpouring of love from that flight, brought on by the actions of two thoughtfully observant flight attendants... it exceeds my ability to describe what it meant to us."
Dustin ended his Twitter post by addressing his fellow passengers from the flight, saying, "Thank you all for the love you've shown us. We only wish we could sit down with each of you, tell you the rest of the story, and hear yours."
Their fellow passengers made the new parents feel "like we won the lottery," Dustin told TPG. "There were a lot of concerns and worries that we carried with us, principle for my wife being whether or not people would treat her daughter differently because she was adopted. That plane ride, those flight attendants, those perfectly wonderful strangers, permanently shut the door on that train of thought for us. The selfless love they showed us made it feel as though all of them were there just to see our daughter get home, and we love them for it."
"Our crew often looks for opportunities to provide exceptional hospitality," a Southwest spokesperson told The Points Guy. "Our people are our best assets, and it is evident in the kindness and heart that our crew showed to these customers during a special time in their lives. We join in the new parents' joy and wish them a lifetime of love and baby snuggles."
All photos courtesy of Dustin and Caren Moore.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.