Basketball at the International Terminal
I thought I was losing my mind. But I wasn't. I was in the International Terminal of SFO, waiting for a Virgin America flight to LAX. The flight was delayed from Las Vegas. As my past experience informs me, I was waiting to hear the litany of excuses from jaded employees who have had their souls pressed so far down, that no one, not even Sherlock Holmes would be able to find it.
As I turned around, I saw passengers waiting for a flight to Tokyo on another airline. They had lots of extra space. I didn't know why they were in our waiting area. Then I turned around and saw what they all were standing, mouth agape, at. The Virgin America gate agents, three of them, had taken a table, turned it on its side, hooked a basketball hoop to its edge and hosted an impromptu free-throw tournament between this adorable 5 year old and this grown man. We were cheering everyone on. Claps abounded. Throngs of people gathered from all over the terminal and were looking on from the landing above us. By the time the tournament was over, the 5 year old was declared the winner, the grown man declared embarrassed and cheers erupted. We no longer cared that our flight was delayed.
I thought I losing my mind. But I wasn’t. It is amazing how being human can truly affect other humans. Virgin America made out time pass a little faster. They made us all breathe a little easier. They made our day. This airline is truly special. May you thrive for a 1,000 years. Many thanks from a truly loyal passenger. Virgin America simply is the standard that sets the standard.
