Airlines Sometimes Bring Joy, Solace by Going the Extra Mile
Lori Kessler clearly didn’t know what was coming.
Dressed in sweats, Kessler said she hadn’t put on any makeup before getting on United Airlines Flight 472 with boyfriend Shawn Oesterreicher for their July 28, 2011, trip from Los Angeles to Denver.
She mentioned to a flight attendant that they had met five years earlier on the same flight to Denver, but the significance escaped her that morning.
Kessler loved the “Glee” version of the KISS song, “Beth.” Once they were airborne, Oesterreicher handed over his iPhone with a re-written recording of the song — including a marriage proposal. While he claimed to go to the restroom, a flight attendant announced his proposal over the loudspeaker.
He returned, dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him, to champagne from the flight attendants and applause from passengers.
“I personally think it’s the best the proposal I’ve ever heard,” Kessler said. “That’s where we met. It would be fitting if it was on a plane.”
Your relationship to airline travel might not be as loving as the soon-to-be-married couple’s engagement day. Pre-boarding security is a pain. The planes are crowded. Your airline seat isn’t always comfortable. And the food they serve? What food?