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Wed, Jun 19, 2019

United Airlines Pilot Helps Out A Stranded College Student

Paid For Her Flight Back To School When Weather Forced A Diversion To Seattle

When a college student returning to Pacific University in Oregon found herself stranded in Seattle due to a weather diversion, a United Airlines pilot, who is also a dad, came to her rescue.

USA Today reports that the student, who was identified only as Kiana, was on a flight on a different airline that was diverted to Seattle due to weather. Kiana's father Dave Coffin said in a video posted to YouTube just before Father's day that the other airline "basically stuck her in a hotel room overnight and had forgotten about her. At one point, I was about to go book a flight and go get her myself and by the grace of God, (the pilot) came into our lives and helped us out."

The pilot is Robert Fonte, who is based in Houston. He saw Kiana with a TSA agent, and she broke down in tears when she told him what had happened. Fonte also has a daughter about Kiana's age, so he decided to see what he could do to help.

Even though United doesn't fly from Seattle to Portland, Fonte told the lobby agent "just put it on my card. We're gonna get Kiana where she needs to be," he said on the video.

The two dads are staying in touch via text messages, according to the report.

(Image from file)

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