American Airlines Pilot's Heartfelt Surprise For Grandmother

Pilot's Surprise for Grandma Goes Viral

Imagine, moments before a flight, a pilot comes out of the cockpit and addresses the passengers who have all just gotten seated. If I'm sitting there, I'm thinking delays, or issues, certainly not a cute story that's going to cool even the coldest of hearts.

American Airlines Pilot Swaps Flights to Fly Grandmother

Justin Shurtz, an American Airlines pilot, surprised his grandmother by swapping flights with another pilot to make her trip from Memphis to Chicago. Shurtz's grandmother was expecting him to pick her up in Las Vegas, but he was the one flying her to the Windy City instead.

Emotional In-Flight Tribute to Grandparents

Before takeoff, Shurtz announced in front of the entire cabin the importance of his grandparents, who raised him and "supported" him. Shurtz mentioned that his grandfather had passed away earlier this year, and he hadn't had the chance to fly with him.

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Flight Crew Helps Pull Off Heartwarming Reunion

Big props to Shurtz for pulling off the surprise of the year, and shout-out to the American Airlines crew for making it happen behind the scenes. This story takes off and lands right in my heart with zero delay.