Just when civil aviation industry was facing severe criticism for being customer-unfriendly, comes a story that restores faith in humanity.
A pilot from Etihad Airways turned the flight around at the Manchester Airport, just to allow a couple to get back to their dying grandson.
The couple's travel agent Becky Stephenson from Bradford publicly thanked the airline on the travel industry Facebook page Travel Gossip for the 'over and above customer service' it provided to her clients, said The Independent report.
The couple was preparing to fly to Australia in an Etihad carrier via Abu Dhabi on March 30. They found out about the condition of their ailing grandson though a text message just before switching off their cell phones for take-off.
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"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," said the couple's travel agent to The Independent.
"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.
