Airline Travel – some people love it, and some can’t stand it. Me? I’m mostly closer to the love it side, especially when everything goes perfectly. I recently flew from Santa Fe through Denver to Oklahoma City. Both flights were on time, and I even arrived 15 minutes early in OK City, as flight attendants love to say, even though no one that actually lives there calls it that. Both flights were uneventful, including the people I sat by who didn’t engage in any conversation. I was preparing to facilitate two board retreats and I welcomed the opportunity and silence so I could finalize my presentations.

Sunday morning, it was time to head back to the Oklahoma City airport for my return flights through Denver. I made it through the enhanced TSA pre-check area at Will Rogers and even had time for coffee before boarding. And then it happened. A mechanical issue with the plane. The captain was going to delay our departure until the team had a chance to check some things. As they say, better safe than sorry. And the airline brought out a cart of snacks for passengers to enjoy while waiting. Healthy Cheetos???? I said no thank you.

I got in a few steps and then was standing near the gate when a younger woman, dressed professionally and with impeccable taste, asked me if I knew what was happening with the plane. Obviously, I look like I always know what’s going on. (haha) As we were chatting, we learned a bit about each other. She was flying to California for a job interview. I was flying home after doing some consulting work in the metro area. She told me she and her partner are visiting Santa Fe for the first time in a month. I then had to share some favorites and she started taking notes on her phone. We immediately bonded. Turns out her name was Deanna and she lived in Italy for two years. We gushed about our favorite travels. She gave me some tips on visiting Spain, which Tim and I hope to do in 2024. I only wished we could have sat together on the flight. (United, not Southwest.) After over an hour delay, it was time to board, and we said our goodbyes and how lovely it was to meet each other.

For my flight to Denver, my seat, changed by the airline, was the very back row of the plane. A woman about 10 to 15 years older than me was my seat mate. We were both becoming stressed about not making our connecting flights. She was heading to Great Falls, Montana then driving to her home in Helena. There was also condensation and it started pouring water on me from the space above my seat. She helped me with napkins and getting dried off.

She is an artist and started showing me photos on her phone of the paintings she had done. Incredible! She had just been in London and Amsterdam with her niece and was anxious to get home and “start life again.” Her husband passed away from Covid two years ago. Her husband of over 50 years. Her husband who had a kidney transplant ten years before his death because of Polycystic Kidney Disease. We found so many things we had in common and talked throughout the entire flight. We both missed our connections and had to book other flights. Her name was also Deanna.

Now I’m sitting in the Denver airport for four hours before my flight. I just enjoyed a single dip of coffee chip ice cream that cost $6.79. Don’t quarts cost less than that at the grocery store? Quite the splurge and a nice way to celebrate the two new friends named Deanna that God placed in my path today. It was a reminder that we are called to live in community and if we just take the time to get to know others, our world, and airline travel, can be a lot better. So here’s to the friendly skies!