Pilot turns around Manchester Airport flight to Australia so couple could say goodbye to dying grandson

A pilot who turned back a plane preparing to take off at Manchester Airport so a couple could say goodbye to their dying grandson has been praised as “truly amazing”. Becky Stephenson, a travel agent from Bradford, said two of her customers were preparing to set off for Australia via Abu Dhabi when they received the news that the boy was seriously ill. She told The Independent that they had already boarded the Etihad Airways flight and were switching off their mobile phone when they noticed a missed call from their son-in-law.

“They were taxiing on the runway when they got the text message saying their grandson was in intensive care and they needed to get there,” Mrs Stephenson said. “They passed the message to the crew, who spoke to the captain and he turned the plane back.” The pilot returned the aircraft to the boarding gate while staff arranged to get the couple’s baggage and assist them back through the airport and collect their car so they could drive straight home. Their grandson died the following day, 31 March, when the passengers were scheduled to be arriving in Australia.

Mrs Stephenson said the couple, who did not wish to be named, were thankful to have had the chance to say goodbye to their grandson.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/pilot-turns-around-manchester-airport-flight-to-australia-so-couple-could-say-goodbye-to-dying-a6979866.html

A nice story about a sad happening.

Very sad indeed.
It is rare we hear or read of human kindness, thank goodness that captain had such a good heart or that couple would have had even more pain.