Yes. Reports are already updated that they're not seeking the cancellation fees after all.

Update

Thank the gods that cooler PR heads prevailed.

I think the idiot that called had no idea what that flight # was - just that they didn't use the other ticket and was just following protocol.

That's right. Heroes do more than their job, over and above the line of duty. They are the one's that get medals(sometimes) for extraordinary deeds.

Not sure I agree. I like the everyday kinda heroes much better than those that get the hooraw and fanfare - I find them easier to identify with on one level, and harder to emulate on the other.

A one-off act of bravery can be achieved through instinct alone. A person can in fact be a real shit day-to-day and then redeem themselves by one act of heroism. On the other hand, those that plug away day in and day out in difficult circumstances, don't complain, don't whine about their lot, try to help other people - they are the amazing ones. People that foster troubled children, that hold down three menial jobs to bring up a family, who care for parents who no longer even know who they are, who sit and listen to horrific stories because no-one else will...

The pilot in this story fulfills neither of those criteria I guess. But he did a damned good job in difficult circumstances. He is certainly a credit to his training and his profession. And I'd be very surprised if he didn't receive and award from the relevant body of representatives for that.

I thought his job was to fly the plane from point A to point B. Unless point B was the Hudson river, I think this guy deserves all the accolades he is getting.

But he didn't get to point B.

A hero is defined as someone having done something heroic, but doesn't mean they are not assholes.

On the other hand, those that plug away day in and day out in difficult circumstances, don't complain, don't whine about their lot, try to help other people - they are the amazing ones. [/quote] The amazing ones are called role models and usually means they are not assholes.

Actually, being a role model is harder than being a hero.

Very good point, thanks.

Though it partakes of much the same essence. So much so that the one is pretty much the other too.

Or should be.

In a similar event, a family traveling on AirTrans was making comments such as surprise how close the airplane was to terminal windows. Since they looked Arabic, some lady reported them as suspicious terrorists. They were removed from the plane and questioned. Obviously they discovered to be innocent tourists (I believe headed to Disney World). But they looked Arabic.

They missed their flight. AirTrans refused to put them on any other AirTrans flights. They had to fly US Air AND had to pay full fare. AirTrans refused to reimburse these victims of fear. Thank god we have Fatherland security.

If we had only tortured them. Then maybe we would have found bin Laden.

At least one of them was an American citizen.

We should have waterboarded them. Since that's not torture, it would have been okay.

Good point. Maybe we should waterboard Obama just to see what he knows?