Southwest Pilot Showers His Millionth Passenger With Gifts, Pays For Her Ticket

Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight from Denver to Pittsburgh on Saturday were treated to an adorable surprise. Before takeoff, their captain took to the intercom and explained that a very important person was on board.

“Today is a special day,” said Captain John Richie, a former Air Force pilot who said he’s been with Southwest for 22 years. “Ever since I started with Southwest, I’ve kept track of the passengers I’ve flown, and today I’m flying my one millionth passenger.”

The cabin cheered. Richie strolled through the cabin and presented his millionth passenger with a bottle of Champagne, an autographed copy of her boarding card and an envelope of cash equaling the cost of her ticket.

“I did a little bit of snooping, and I found out how much you paid for your ticket,” he said.

Southwest flight attendant Jennifer Todd captured the sweet exchange in a video that’s been viewed over 1.3 million times on Facebook.

HuffPost has reached out to Southwest and Jennifer Todd for more information. In the meantime, congrats to both pilot and passenger!