This week, Southwest Airlines publicly apologized for treatment of a Muslim passenger thought to be of concern. While some, especially in the Muslim community, have condemned the airline’s action, I for one say, “Thank you, Southwest Airlines!”

Why? Not because of the mistake. Harassing passengers is nothing to be proud of. What I am thankful for is their apology. Too many people and corporations seek to ways to make themselves look good even under the worse circumstances. Rather than seeking to spin the story in their favor, Southwest did the right thing. They said, “We’re sorry.”

An important observation here is that there will be heat from the public whether there is an apology or not for wrongful actions. The question is whether Southwest (or any entity, ourselves included) is willing to do the right thing or not. They chose to do so.

From my perspective, saying sorry is far better than “Bags fly free.” Looking forward to booking another Southwest flight soon.