On Tuesday, an American Eagle service was heading to Charlotte, North Carolina from Key West, Florida, when it was forced to divert to Charleston, South Carolina, due to severe thunderstorms. The Embraer ERJ-175 had taken off 40 minutes late and then spent hours sitting at Charleston. However, to cheer up the passengers, the captain ordered pizza for everyone on the aircraft.
Southern hospitality
American Eagle flight 4798 was being operated by Republic Airways and had left Key West at 14:30 EDT. It was almost touching the North Carolina border before the crew decided to turn back south to land in the sister state at 17:10 EDT.
On the ground, the captain of this flight understood that passengers would have been frustrated after being heavily delayed. Subsequently, the crew had a treat in store for the customers when pizza arrived on the plane.
According to View from the Wing, an American Airlines spokesperson shared the following about the gesture:
“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.”
The conditions finally improved for the ERJ-175 to head to Charlotte at 19:18 EDT. Undoubtedly, the plane was now filled with plenty more relaxed customers after an impromptu pizza party! The aircraft reached its final destination of Charlotte, the United States’ second-largest hub, at 20:06 EDT.
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The operations
According to Planespotters.net, the ERJ-175 that took part in this flight, registration N113HQ, first joined Republic Airlines in August 2007. The carrier was the first company to take on the unit after it was produced at Embraer’s Sao Jose Dos Campos facility in Brazil.
Republic Airways operates numerous services on behalf of American Eagle. However, the firm also collaborates with Delta Connection and United Express with its ERJs. Notably, American Eagle has several other carriers operating on its behalf, such as Mesa Airlines and SkyWest Airlines.
A nice touch
Calls such as what the captain made this week can make a big difference to a passenger’s day, especially when there are unexpected diversions and delays. The pilots would have also been under stress trying to ensure that the travelers make it to their destination safely. However, this factor didn’t deter them from going the extra mile. Notably, the offering on this trip may have been more substantial than what is seen on several short-haul flights of this nature!
Simple Flying reached out to American Airlines for comment on this story. We will update the article with any further announcements from the airline.
What are your thoughts about this pizza party on this American Airlines Embraer ERJ-175? Have you experienced anything similar on your travels over the years? Let us know what you think of the situation in the comment section.
