Traveling can be trying in the best of circumstances. Add in something unexpected like a four-hour diversion, and it can be downright unpleasant. Unless, of course, there happens to be a hero passenger aboard who is prepared to be generous and think outside the box. Fortunately, this was the case for a recent American Airlines flight in Texas.
A passenger aboard the flight told Newsweek the plane was scheduled to fly from Birmingham, Alabama, to Abilene, Texas. Mother Nature had other plans, and poor weather conditions forced the plane to land at a small airport in Longview, Texas.
A passenger got creative
American Airlines plane
(kameraworld via Getty Images)
When it became clear the delay would last hours, the pilot gave the passengers permission to disembark. Unfortunately, the airport was so small that there were only two food vending machines. The travelers would have been forced to get by on chips and candy bars were it not for the creativity of one of the passengers.
One of the passengers decided to order pizza and have it delivered to the airport. And they didn’t just order enough for themselves. They ordered 10 pizzas- enough to feed the entire plane.
It took a village
A flight attendant passes out pizza to the hungry passengers
(TikTok)
If you’ve ever been to an airport, you know it’s not the easiest place to get pizza, or anything else, delivered. It’s a secure area, and you usually need a ticket to get past security checkpoints.
If security concerns weren’t challenging enough, the pilot announced the passengers needed to board because they might be cleared to depart soon. Luckily, the pizzas didn’t go to waste.
A passenger told Newsweek, “The pilot, flight crew, and airport staff coordinated getting the pizzas through security and bringing them onto the plane for everyone.”
The video is going viral
Dominos pizza boxes strapped into a seatbelt
(TikTok)
A video of a flight attendant distributing the pizzas to hungry passengers was posted on TikTok by passenger @suthernliving. The text across the screen says, “Diverted for over 4 hours. Somebody ordered pizza for the whole plane.’
So far, the clip has received over 800,000 views, and the internet is praising the generosity of the passenger who treated his fellow passengers to slices of heaven in cardboard boxes. Comments on the post include:
“May the person who did this always have green lights, cool pillows, and all the happiness in the world.”
“When 1 person brings pizza on the plane, that’s diabolical. When you order for the whole plane? First class all the way babyyyy.”
“Not all heroes wear capes — some upgrade everyone’s inflight dining experience.”
It’s not the first time passengers fed each other
Two people ordered a snack for a hungry passenger
(eurobanks via Getty Images)
This isn’t the first time passengers have received attention for looking after each other. Recently, a passenger was hungry on a United Airlines flight. When the flight attendant rolled around with the pretzels, they asked if they could have a second bag. The flight attendant said no due to concerns they wouldn’t have enough for the other passengers.
A couple overheard the conversation and ordered pretzels themselves. Instead of eating them, they passed them over to the hungry passenger. It was a small act, but the kindness made a difference to someone who hadn’t had a chance to eat that way.
The bottom line
You don’t have to order 10 pizzas to make someone else’s day. There are always opportunities for small acts of kindness when we travel. Whether it’s helping someone put their bag in the overhead bin, passing pretzels to a hungry passenger, or allowing someone to pass by to make a tight connection, it doesn’t take much. Just awareness of the people around you and a willingness to care.