A United Airlines pilot came to the rescue for four passengers that were about to be stranded at Chicago O' Hare International Airport last night. The boarding gate had closed while they tried to make the last flight. However, the captain spotted the frustrated group just before departing and ordered the gate to be reopened.

Disruptive journey

View from the Wing reports that Washington Post national political correspondent Jenna Johnson had quite an eventful trek to Washington D.C. from Las Vegas. After temporarily wrapping up her work duties in Nevada, she wanted to surprise her husband who wasn't expecting to see her till next month.

The journalist had a one-day gap in her assignment following the period of presidential campaigning, so she wanted to make the most out of the short break. Therefore, she booked a flight to Washington Dulles from Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport.

However, President Donald Trump was in town for the camapaign and the roads leading to the airport terminal were closed. This forced Johnson to wait 90 minutes on a shuttle to the hub, causing her to miss her flight.

Finding a way

Thereafter, United rebooked the reporter on another service that connects to Dulles via Chicago. In another moment of bad luck, a mechanical issue caused the flight to also be delayed. Altogether, this took two hours to sort out.

During the frustration, some passengers started to argue with each other. Meanwhile, others couldn't take the sitting around any longer and left the aircraft.

Finally, the plane departed before landing in Chicago at 21:10. Johnson exited Gate C19 and had to make her way to Gate C15 for the flight to Dulles that was about to depart at 21:15. Therefore, she rapidly ran across the distance of four gates only to find that the door had already closed.

This was the final flight of the night to Dulles and Johnson was coming to terms with her failed surprise. As she phoned her husband to tell him of her attempt, there was a twist of fate for the passenger.

An agent came running and informed her that the gate had been reopened. Johnson was confused yet ecstatic as she could make her way to see her husband after all.

Captain's call

Johnson took to Twitter to share her frustrating experience, which led to a story that restores some faith in humanity. The positive outcome was the result of a United captain that felt it was his team's duty to get Johnson and three of the other stranded travelers to their destination.

"We ran back to the gate, where the pilot was waiting," Johnson posted on her Twitter account, shared by View from the Wing.

"From the cockpit, he had seen four stranded travelers and, knowing that it was the last flight of the night, decided to not leave us behind. “It’s our job to get you where you’re going,” he kept saying."

Making all the difference

We reached out to United for comment on the events that unfolded. A spokesperson informed us that it is the Chicago-based carrier's mission to offer a great experience for its customers, no matter where they are on their journey.

"Our goal is to provide great service for our customers throughout their entire journey, both on the ground and in the air," the spokesperson informed Simple Flying. "We’re glad that we were able to assist these passengers in getting to their destination and look forward to having the opportunity to welcome them back soon," 

It's great to see airline crew members use their initiative when it comes to these situations. Companies often become obsessed with following various sets of procedures, not allowing any room for exceptions.

However, this wasn't the case with the United employees on this particular journey as they all tried to help her despite the obstacles that came her way. Altogether, Johnson's husband must be so happy to unexpectedly see his wife, especially during this harsh winter season.

What are your thoughts on how the pilot took action? Let us know what you think in the comment section.