Wonderful Profile of a GA in the WSJ

One of the most interesting things about this article is that its genesis was a letter from a passenger to the WSJ...

Amid the Kiosks, Elite Treatment From a Gate Agent

As American Airlines Flight 825 to Miami boarded, Rocco Angelo calmly waited for a first-class upgrade even though everything appeared full.

"Ellen always takes care of me," he insisted.

Sure enough, a first-class customer in seat 5B had changed plans but hadn't yet canceled his ticket on Flight 825. American gate agent Ellen Heberer called the passenger, heard about his change of plans, and then handed a boarding pass for 5B to Mr. Angelo. "Here you go, my dear," Ms. Heberer said to the university dean from Florida, confessing later that when Mr. Angelo said he'd known her for years, she had to pretend to remember him.

In the kiosk era of self-service travel, when travelers often think customer service flew away with airline meals and free checked bags, Ms. Heberer is a rarity...
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