Cant count the number of times Captains and I have pushed wheelchairs, helped find lost items and escorted passengers. It isn't part of the job, but it is appreciated. Usually the wheel chairs are the generation of people who still remember the "romance" of flying and who are generous in their praise when they have "a Captain" to help them out. They believe we are the best and it is a pleasure to make that little corner of Disney World a reality.

Doing nice things for folks is more reward than work.

Besides, Flight Attendants are stuck until the passengers are off the airplane. If a W/C passenger is not getting picked up it can make their day difficult.

Very typical from my experiences. Seen many also run clear across an airport to give someone something they left on an airplane. Many do this here at DAL.

Once flew with a Captain who was chided by a ramp steward for the union in CLT because he carried a stroller from the base of the stairs up to the top of the jetbridge. Then again I guess the ramper in question thought it was okay for the customer travelling solo with three kids to have to wait another 10 minutes. Point is, he tried to help and got scolded. Never again would I be inclined to help out after seeing that experience. Such experiences - which really aren't a huge deal as it was made out to be, are the reasons why perhaps more pilots don't take such initiative. It's not that we wouldn't want to, it's just sometimes not worth the hassles. Either way kudos to him.

No worries about that anymore, no more union shop for the rampers!

Nowhere in my FOM does it say I can't help passengers if I want to.

Many Delta pilots would, and for the most part, that's exactly why we got hired.

Of course, there was a contract that went beyond our CBA, where the company would take care of the employee, and the employee taking care of a customer was just an extension of taking care of the company.

Now that the contract has been broken, our culture doesn't ridicule this kind of behavior, but it doesn't punish those who don't go the extra mile either. It's an individual choice. In my opinion, we still tend to be the kind that will push the wheelchair.

We just do it for ourselves, our sense of self-respect, our simply for the humanity in it.

I DARE them to say anything to me.

Me too...

Denny

Well stated.

Agreed!He is just a decent man. but i'd rather be happier if there are more

Most excellent...of course the object of the "Oh Captain, my Captain..." reference was dead (Lincoln), but I certainly agree with the sentiment! Hats off to a good man (although I bet he had his hat ON)