An international flight turned back when a female passenger realised she had left her baby in the air terminal boarding area – and audio of the pilot explaining his decision to air traffic control is raising eyebrows on social media.
The strange incident affected Saudia flight SV832 from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur, Dubai-based Gulf News reported.
The flight turned back after the mother, a Saudi Arabian, told cabin crew she had inadvertently left her baby behind in the boarding area at Jeddah’s King Abdul Aziz International Airport.
The captain of the Saudia B787-9 Dreamliner can be heard requesting permission to return to the airport and gate. When air traffic control asks the reason, the pilot says a mother left her baby behind in the terminal and she refuses to continue the flight.
https://youtu.be/U3t8NYYWMKY
The flight lasts over eight hours and the absent-minded mother didn’t really have any choice about whether to continue – but the pilot and crew were compassionate.
“May God be with us. Can we come back or what?” the pilot asks an air traffic controller.
The operator takes the flight number and consults a colleague about the protocol for such an unusual event.
“This flight is requesting to come back…a passenger forgot her baby in the waiting area, the poor thing.”
The operator then asks the pilot to reiterate the reason for turning back.
“We told you, a passenger left her baby in the terminal and refuses to continue the flight,” the pilot says.
“Ok, head back to the gate. This is totally a new one for us!”
Rather than being annoyed at the delay, passengers are reported to have applauded the pilot, considering his decision reflected kindness and humanity – although one or two aboard just might have been glancing at their watches and wondering about their connecting flights in Kuala Lumpur.
Written by Peter Needham
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