KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (KRON/CNN) — This is one way to appease frustrated air passengers stuck on a tarmac: A Delta Airlines pilot threw a pizza party for passengers who were on a flight that was delayed and diverted to Knoxville, Tennessee.
On Tuesday afternoon, severe storms delayed several Atlanta-bound Delta Airlines flights, including those from California, Denver, and Philadelphia. The planes were diverted to Tennessee.
“We circled in the air for a while (and) then the captain said we were diverting to Knoxville because of storms over the airport in Atlanta,” passenger Khoury Ashooh told the DailyMail.
Social media posts suggests that the pizza delivery lifted the spirits of many people on that Philadelphia to Atlanta flight.
“We are sitting on a runway stuck on a @Delta flight because of weather,” tweeted @RileyVasquez. “So they’re throwing us a pizza party!”
“Delta continues with class,” tweeted @BillyTheKidWitt. “Stuck due to weather and the crew ordered everyone pizza. #deltaairlines.”
The flight, which usually takes about two hours, eventually landed three hours late at 7 p.m.
Passengers on other delayed Delta flights reported similar feasts, and it appears that the free food was the result of a broader edict.
“It’s part of an effort company-wide when weather disrupts our operation to get food and beverages to delayed customers,” Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant said.
No word as to whether coffee and Delta’s famous cookies were served for dessert.
Daniel Baker, head of Flightaware.com applauded the use of food to handle the potentially difficult situation. “A meal can go a long way to calming nerves, and it raises the observation that there were far fewer incidents of air rage when airlines gave out food and cocktails for free!” he said.