Having already experienced delays and with further holdups seeming increasingly likely because of the absence of an EasyJet Captain, Michael Bradley, a father of two decided to take matters into his own hands.
Prior to going through security with his wife and children Michael called the easyJet office offering to step in and pilot the aircraft while his wife and children remained in their normal seats.
Just 38 seconds after making the call, easyJet rang him back to accept his offer and after a short announcement to passengers Michael took his position up front and over 200 passengers on the Manchester based aircraft were Alicante bound.
Of course Michael is himself an EasyJet pilot.
Explaining that he too wanted to get away on holiday, In a video shared on Facebook by fellow passenger Michelle Potts, he told passengers: “My wife who’s on row 15 with my little boy – hopefully he’s asleep by now, I should keep it down or else I’ll get told off – said ‘our flight’s delayed by two hours because they are minus one captain for the flight’….
“So just before we went through security I thought I wonder if this is worth a phone call, I think it is because I’d like to go on holiday.
“I phoned up easyJet and said ‘Hiya, I’m standing in the terminal doing nothing. I have got my licence with me, I have got my ID with me and I’d very much like to go on holiday and if you need a favour I’m standing here ready to go.”
He added: “They said ‘we’ll phone you back’. Thirty eight seconds later they phoned me back and said ‘please, please pretty please with a big cherry on top, can you fly the aeroplane to Alicante’?
As a result of Michael’s initiative and the easyJet desire to get it’s customers to their destination the flight took to the sky on time.
AQ spokesman for the airline said that “This is fully in line with regulations as he had his licence and ID with him. Safety is always our highest priority.”
He added that “Michael was well rested, having previously had four days off, and was legally permitted to fly the aircraft.”
Michael apologises to the passengers for his casual dress but explained that this was an exceptional situation. His announcement “Strap yourself in because we’re going to Alicante” was met with applause and cheers from the passengers.
