It is funny how doing even just a little bit of good can earn a company undying loyalty.

Back in the 90s, my mom was diagnosed with what turned out to be terminal cancer, and was having major surgery the next day. Being the mid 90s, there were no cheap ticket web sites, and next-day flights were priced for business travelers (out of the reach of a poor grad student). However, airlines did give you a break for family emergencies like this. Delta was the only major airline that treated me like a human being and got me a ticket to be with my family during this terrible time.

To this day, I go out of my way to fly Delta, even when it means a plane change if another carrier has a direct route, etc.