On our way back from London a woman had a baby and a 2 year old and what looked like her entire life shoved in heavy carry-ons and diaper bags with no stroller she could get to right away. My husband carried her bags and I carried her baby, making sure baby could see mom the entire way. I have no idea how she was going to possibly manage without help, it was a job with the 3 of us.
Little things, like the flight attendant on American telling us that the seats in front of the nonreclining last row where we had been assigned were empty, and then making sure we got a chance to buy a meal before they sold out in the front of the plane, go a long way.
The pilot who not only dealt with a blown out engine on takeoff but came back on the PA to repeat his message because he had been told the volume was too low (and apologized for the inconvenience!) on Icelandair.
I’m another fan of Southwest’s change policy.
Once got to the airport as thunderstorms were coming. No planes could land, although planes could take off. Got lucky in that the one plane that was already at the gate was the one for the flight I was on. Most other flights were four hours late due to waiting for incoming aircraft that had to be held at their origins until the thunderstorms passed.
The flight did not have to wait for the mechanic to do an hour’s worth of paperwork?
^^Nope. It was very quick. Alaska + small airport = happy pax.
(I already mentioned this on another thread…)
A while ago we were waiting to take off from JFK. There was bad whether so planes couldn’t take off, but we had to wait on the runway in case they let a few through at a time. So we spent 5 hours on the runway before we actually got in the air (for another 5 hour flight!). The crew was very helpful, they let us get up and move around and made us as comfortable as possible and when we did get in the air they gave us free movies.
What really surprised me was when we landed as we got off the plane they handed each of us a $50 voucher for a future flight. The delay was due to whether, it wasn’t their fault and yet they were doing something to make it up to us.
Thanks Jet Blue!
Nothing major, but last time DH and I were flying, i had a window seat two rows ahead of his aisle seat. Plane fills and nobody in my row. I could see everyone eyeing those seats and just as the door closed the flight attendant walked by…“Excuse me, but if these passengers next to me have missed their flight, can my husband back in row 21 move up after take-off?” Of course he could move up right then. He and I got a full row and the big guy in his former middle seat got an aisle seat. Win-win!
We decided to take the family to Vegas over the holidays for some good wholesome fun, and my wife and I both got upgraded for the flight home. She’s Silver though regular travel; I’m Silver through Million-Miler status. But usually Silver gets you nothing but a warm welcome.
Not recent, exactly, but a great experience.
On my first long international flight (14 hours) we were on a 747. We were given seats on the front row on the top floor. Away from crying children, darker, calmer, easier access to the bathroom. We had never flown the airline before nor paid for any special privileges. It was quite the unexpected surprise.
This is more of a funny thing than “good” thing. Yesterday I flew in economy on a 13 hr int’l flight from asia to europe. There was a school ski club headed to switzerland as a large group. I sat in a row full of middle school boys from the ski group. Their teacher chaperone was in a different part of the plane so I ended up as their de facto flying chaperone.
As soon as the plane took off at midnight the young boy next to me nodded off. He must have been a stomach sleeper, because he kept flopping forward to lay his head in my lap. After the third time of gently pushing his head off my lap, I folded his headrest “wings” to lock his head, then I reclined his seat for him and covered him with a blanket.
DH and I recently flew on Frontier. I was pleasantly surprised that our flights departed and landed early. We also had the smoothest landing I have ever experienced.
Speaking of landings, we recently had the roughest landing I can remember. The flight attendadent announced, “I don’t think I need to tell you that we have arrived in City X.” That drew a big laugh from the passengers.
This was 12 yrs ago, when my mom was hospitalized and dying. We flew back and forth multiple times, and at one point we decided I’d stay there and DH would take our kids back home so they didn’t miss more school. This happened to have been on Air Tran. Ironically, they had a snow day at home that day (light dusting closed the schools, not the airport) and the flight had accidentally double booked many seats. Passengers were irate. DH and s’s were already seated, but the airline was desperately looking for people to give up their seats, and was offering round trip vouchers (meaning 2 segments). As the kids were missing school anyway, they weren’t in a rush to get home. Older s misunderstood the offer of the vouchers and asked if they could get 2 vouchers if they gave up their 3 seats. The flight attendant happily agreed, the guys got on the next plan, and had 12 (4 each) inconvenience vouchers to use for future flights. Also, apparently the inconvenience vouchers have a higher priority than people trying to use the vouchers that AirTran used to give for having a certain # of flights to equal a free flight. Those 12 free flights came in mighty handy!!
I remember we were flying home from CA once. They were begging for people to be bumped so the kids and I outvoted H and offered to be bumped and each got a voucher for $200 plus a $15 voucher for food and tickets for the next flight 2 or so hours later. We happily bought food and waited for our later flight. When we landed, we were surprised to see the folks on our prior flight getting in AFTER us! They had a problem and spent their time on the tarmac waiting for a repair and got no compensation for their inconvenience.
Another time, we were flying home from SFO and for some reason, the flight was cancelled and they rebooked everyone on the later flight. After we landed, they sent everyone the choice of a $100 travel certificate or some miles credit.
Yesterday’s flight left on time and arrived 25 minutes early! It was mostly a smooth flight and the free entertainment system worked fine. I saw The Martian and Forest Gump, neither of which I had ever seen before.
Our flight was late taking off but due to some nice tailwinds, we arrived on time after all. 
“Speaking of landings, we recently had the roughest landing I can remember. The flight attendant announced, “I don’t think I need to tell you that we have arrived in City X.” That drew a big laugh from the passengers”
I never mind, when I’m a passenger, when the flight attendant says something like that, in a joking manner. However, I was on an Alaska flight about a month ago, and when we landed in Oakland (in gusty winds and low visibility situation), the landing was a little hard, but nothing I’d even think twice about. The male flight attendant came on the PA, and started out with a long, loud, disgusted sigh. Then he said a snarky comment. None of the passengers laughed, we just looked around at each other, thinking—that’s really rude. I wanted to tell the captain, but they were still doing the postflight when I passed.
For the most part, people kept their comments to themselves after a recent landing in Burbank. The flight attendants didn’t say anything, as I think they were just relieved they didn’t have to divert. Moderate turbulence coming in, a visual approach at night to a runway rarely used for landings (Rwy 33-never use that one), terrain everywhere, very gusty, strong winds, short runway. I’m sure the passengers had no idea what a hairy approach it must have been. I saw the crew afterwards, and said–“That must have been challenging, impressive!” I think they were very pleased they didn’t have to go around and do it again.
I have always been relieved when we land (even if a bit bumpy), and can’t remember flight attendants making snarky comments. I see no purpose–everyone is doing their best.
It really sticks out, when they do. I’ve heard silly, snarky, funny comments, and I have no problem with that. Outright disrespectful and rude is rare.
When in doubt, I think silence is MUCH safer than possibly offensive. I think the flight crews on my flights have felt the same. 
Whew! Sitting on an airplane right now on the ramp, delayed because of the inbound, then jet bridge issues, pushing back I felt the tow bar break (obscenities that confused my seat mate), now the only available tow bar is in use and I’m going to miss my connection!
However, the good part is, on Delta there is an app that with just a few button pushes, I rebooked my outbound to a later flight. So now I’m not stressed, easy as can be!
We flew down to Florida on Christmas day. The crew on Southwest walked through the aisle with Santa hats and handed out small toys (like Matchbox cars) to the kids on the flight. I ordered a glass of wine and it was free because of the holiday.
Not my personal experience but julesegr’s post made me remember this: