A United Airlines flight made an unexpected detour on September 13, leading to a kind gesture from the pilot that turned a frustrating situation into a heartwarming experience.
United flight 2480 (UA2480), which took off from San Francisco at 1:01 p.m., was scheduled to land in Houston at 7 p.m. However, things took a sudden turn mid-flight.
Passenger Tanya Stamos noticed that the flight attendants had disappeared to the back of the plane, which seemed unusual. Soon after, the captain addressed the passengers, asking if any medical professionals were onboard. After some time, the captain announced the plane would make an emergency landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The plane landed at Albuquerque International Sunport at 4:15 p.m. An ambulance met the plane to assist a passenger, and after they were taken off, the remaining passengers were deplaned.
Due to the emergency landing, the crew exceeded their maximum shift hours, requiring a new flight crew to be brought in. The new crew was expected to arrive by 10:30 p.m., according to communications sent by United Airlines. Passengers were given meal vouchers at 7:15 p.m., but the delay continued.
Things got worse when the captain informed the passengers that the airport would close soon, as restaurants in the airport shut down at 9 p.m.
In a generous move, the pilot ordered 30 pizzas from a local restaurant to be delivered to the gate for the passengers. Stamos shared the experience on TikTok, saying, “Our pilot is absolutely amazing. He felt so bad for the situation that he ordered 30 pizzas from a local pizza shop and had them delivered right to our gate. He made sure all 150 passengers ate before he made himself a plate.”
United Airlines confirmed there were 153 passengers on board, but the exact number of pizzas ordered could not be verified. The airline commended the pilot’s actions, stating, “We love to see our pilots go above and beyond for our customers when the unexpected happens.”
Stamos explained that the pilot organized the pizza distribution based on passenger seat assignments. He ensured that every passenger received a slice before he took his own.
Eventually, the replacement flight crew arrived, and the passengers continued their journey to Houston, landing in the early morning hours.
Reflecting on the experience, Stamos said, “Everybody always thinks of something negative happening in this world. What I take away from it is that goodness always prevails.”
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