Etihad pilot stops take-off to let couple say goodbye to dying grandson

Crew members of an Etihad Airways plane have been praised for aborting take-off to allow a couple to rush to the bedside of their dying grandson.

The plane was on the runway at Manchester Airport when the couple received a text message to say their grandson had been taken into intensive care.

After informing the cabin crew, who relayed the message to the pilot, they were able to get off the flight, their luggage was unloaded and they were taken back through the airport. Their car was even collected from the car park and taken to arrivals so they could drive off straight away.

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The grandparents, who had been heading to Australia, managed to reach the hospital and spend time with their grandson before he passed away the next day.

The story came to light when Bradford travel agent Becky Stephenson thanked Etihad on Facebook for going "over and above" its customer service duty.

"I sent a message to Etihad's sales manager to praise the staff and popped what had happened on Travel Gossip [a Facebook page], but I had no idea it would get so many likes and comments," she told the Manchester Evening News.

"It was such a sad thing that happened to my clients, but it was lovely that Etihad was able to help in the way they did."

Stephenson said the couple were planning to thank the airline personally.

"I contacted them to give my condolences and they said they were going to contact Etihad as well," she said.

Etihad has said the customers can re-use their tickets for a future trip, the Manchester Evening News reports.