EasyJet pilot makes manoeuvre and dims cabin lights so passengers can catch glimpse of Northern Lights

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The easyJet flight was passing over the North Sea from Iceland to Manchester when the manoeuvre happened

Passengers on board an easyJet flight were given front row seats to the Northern Lights earlier this week. The pilot of a flight from the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik to Manchester made a special effort to ensure those on board  caught the wonderful sight.

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The pilot performed a loop over the North Sea to give passengers the opportunity to catch a glimpse. Lights in the cabin were also dimmed to improve the viewing experience.

One passenger on the flight shared his gratitude to the pilot on social media for the manoeuvre. He said: “Big thanks to the @easyJet pilot of EZY1806 from Reykjavik to Manchester who did a 360 fly by mid flight to make sure all passengers could see the incredible Northern Lights.”

easyJet responded to the note and said that the comments would be passed on to the pilot personally. A spokesperson said: “Hi there. Our crew strive to deliver an excellent level of customer service, so they will be extremely happy to read your comments. I will ensure that this is passed to the Crew Performance Manager, so this is recognised and passed to the Pilot personally.”

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The flight alteration was noted on tracker site Flight radar which noted the full loop. The graphic showed the manoeuvre was made at a point to the south west of the Faroe Islands.

Sharing news of the loop on Twitter, Flightradar24 said: “An @easyJet flight just made a 360 turn over the North Sea. The Northern Lights are very strong tonight as well, so the reason was probably to allow passengers on both sides of the aircraft to see the fantastic #AuroraBorealis.”

The Northern Lights are a stunning sight The Northern Lights are a stunning sight
The Northern Lights are a stunning sight | Ivan Kmit - stock.adobe.com

When asked by a Twitter user if the pilot would be able to make a move without asking flight control for permission, Flightradar said: “Pilots will inform Air Traffic Control to ensure it is safe to perform.”

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