United Pilot Delivers Pizza and Compassion after Emergency Landing
2 min read
A United Airlines pilot has won hearts across the internet after ordering and personally distributing 30 pizzas to passengers stranded after an emergency landing.
Captain Scott Wardle, now affectionately dubbed the “Pizza Pilot,” explained, “After 30 years as a pilot, both in the Air Force and as a civilian, I know how frustrating it can be to feel stuck at an airport. I just had to do something to show we care.
Well, the story took off over a flight from Boise to Phoenix via Houston. Some 45 minutes over the journey, one passenger started acting unconscious. With medical professionals on board, Wardle decided to divert to Albuquerque to make an emergency landing.
That was not all: it landed at 11 p.m.-just when the airport‘s food court was about to close. Another hitch was that the cabin crew had worked more hours than they were supposed to and needed a fresh team before flying any further.
“I made sure the replacement crew was en route,” Wardle said. “Then I thought, what can I do for these passengers? Pizza seemed like the perfect solution–simple, comforting, and something most people enjoy.
Wardle got to work, phoning in an order for 30 pizzas and turning the check-in counter into a makeshift serving station. He handed out plates and napkins, ensuring every one of the 155 passengers had a slice before sitting down to enjoy his own.
Photos and videos of the pilot serving pizza in his uniform went viral in no time, with people getting impressed left and right. He says old friends who served with him in the Air Force reached out, as did classmates from his 1984 high school graduation, to let him know they‘d seen his act of kindness.
I didn‘t think it was a big deal; I just did what I felt was right,” Wardle modestly said. “Many pilots in our company do similar things, I just happened to get my picture taken.”
United Airlines reimbursed Wardle for the pizzas and praised his compassion as a shining example of their commitment to customer care.
What had been for the passengers a possibly frustrating delay now turned into a story of empathy and teamwork–a reminder that sometimes a slice of pizza can go a long way in bringing people together.
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