Discovery of human heart on board prompts passenger plane to make U-turn

Prominent US carrier Southwest Airlines makes a mistake with donor organ

Southwest Alirlines' logo and slogan took on a whole new meaning after a mistake was made with a human heart being transported.
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The logo used by US passenger airline Southwest is a heart, a choice that took on an ironic meaning when one of its planes was recently forced to make a U-turn due to the discovery of a human heart left on board.

According to the Associated Press, the Dallas-bound Southwest Airlines flight had to suddenly return to Seattle after it was discovered that the human heart had been forgotten on the plane.

The heart was supposed to have been removed before take-off.

Various media reports, however, indicate the heart was not intended for a specific patient, but was to have its valves removed for later use.

Despite the mistake, The Seattle Times reports the organ was able to be utilised as it was intended.

Southwest Airlines, which frequently uses the phrase, “We run on Southwest Heart” along with the Twitter hashtag, #SouthwestHeart, received ample criticism mixed with some attempts at humour on social media.

Others, including those in Seattle who covered the story, noted the potential seriousness of the mistake.