Hats off to Southwest Airlines for their newer, cozier gates at Chicago Midway Airport

Like a lot of travel publications, we here at WorldGolf.com are quick to jump on the airline-bashing bandwagon. Those fare-hiking, baggage-charging, ticket counter grouches who either need to be prescribed some Prozac or Focusin.

I’m not exempt from this, I can blast off on a grizzled, whiny air travel rant as good as anyone.

But when an airline does a good thing to benefit its passengers, we should commend them. Maybe if airlines got as much good press for their positives as bad press for their shortcomings, they might be inclined to do more of the good. Just a hair-brained theory of mine…

So here I am at Midway Airport in Chicago, and my Delta flight is delayed going to Atlanta (I will never learn. Nothing good ever happens when “Delta” or “Atlanta” is somewhere on my airline ticket).

So after taking a little stroll around I found myself in Terminal B, the exclusive Southwest Airlines terminal. And behold, its lounges feature coffee-shop style plush chairs. That’s not all. Next to each armrest is a narrow table for your beverage and is equipped with a power plug for your electronic devices. We all know how many airports tuck their power plugs in the dirtiest corners of their airports, if you can find one at all.

These cozy chairs are big enough to sleep in. I know this because there is a young woman curled up and snoring next to me.

So kudos to Southwest Airlines on this occasion, who have proven that it’s possible for airlines to improve on their service even at a time of high fuel costs pinching profit margins.

I feel kind of like a guilty freeloader sitting in these Southwest chairs with my Delta plane ticket, but Delta’s gate has old chairs and really pissy gate attendants, since all the flights coming in from Atlanta are delayed today. Then again, there is no status update on my delay. I might end up sleeping here. I’ve slept in an airport (ATL, of course) thanks to Delta before…