Etihad Flight Turned Round To Help Couple Reach Dying Grandson's Bedside

One Etihad flight from the UK to Australia was aborted by a pilot, who decided to take a snap decision in order to help an elderly couple. They got a text message about their grandson, who was critically ill, which made the pilot turn the flight so that the grandparentscould rush to the hospital.

The story was posted in a closed Facebook Travel group Travel Gossip (via Travel Mole)

It was the doing of the travel counsellor, Becky Stephenson, who put up the story to appreciate Etihad Airways for the laudatory customer service that had been provided to her clients.

Her post said the couple were travelling to Australia via Abu Dhabi and were on the brink of switching off their mobile phones. Just then the plane taxied to the runway when they got a text message conveying that their grandson was in intensive care, so they had to reach the hospital quickly.

The message was passed on to the cabin crew and then the pilot. He turned it around and went back to the gate, which helped the couple disembark from the flight and unload their luggage. The crew then requested for help so that they could return to the airport and get their car collected from the park.

"Every little detail thought about and taken care of, so impressed and wanted to say let others know the service that they have provided," Stephenson wrote.

The following day, the grandson died. At least the grandparents did get off the flight on time to see their grandson for the last time, thanks to the pilot.

The travel counsellor sent a mail to the Etihad sales manager to express her appreciation of the staff. It allowed the customers to reuse their tickets for another trip to Australia so that they could see their family.

The post received more than 60 comments in appreciation of the airline.