When This American Airlines Flight Diverted Tuesday, The Captain Ordered Everyone Pizza

On Tuesday American Eagle flight 4798, operated by Republic Airways, was scheduled to fly from Key West to Charlotte. The Embraer ERJ-175 regional jet was packed with passengers, most of whom were likely heading home after a long weekend in Florida.

However thunderstorms in Charlotte kept them from landing, and the flight diverted to Charleston, South Carolina. The flight, which departed 40 minutes late, spent an hour and 22 minutes on the ground in Charleston.

Word from the flight, though, was that the captain kept everyone in good spirits by having pizza delivered to the plane. He took care of refueling passengers, not just the plane. So everyone made it into Charlotte at 8:09 p.m. feeling much better than passengers usually would after a grueling six hours in a regional jet.

From Facebook, this appears to be the first officer from the flight. Both the captain and first officer’s names were John. Sadly, a photo showing the pizza boxes and sodas doesn’t appear to show Papa John’s. That might have been the only thing to make this story even more fitting.

Credit: Facebook

American Airlines spokesperson Sarah Jantz shares,

We’re incredibly proud of the American Airlines team and our regional partners — including Republic’s crew members — who take great care of our customers every day. Rain or shine, our team consistently proves they’re the best in the business.

Weather can throw a monkey wrench into travel. Things can get rough inside a metal tube for hours longer than you’ve planned. But a little bit of kindness goes a long way. This captain of the American Eagle flight showed more than a little. Pizza makes everything better.