It was a surreal moment indeed, when a British Airways pilot announced the Queen’s death to passengers and crew on 8 September. Watch here…
It was quite a sombre moment on board a British Airways (BA) flight when a pilot had to break news of Queen Elizabeth’s death to both passengers and crew members.
The announcement was made on the tail end of a Thursday trip from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Heathrow Airport in London. The Queen passed away at age 96, surrounded by her children in Balmoral, Scotland.
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BRITISH AIRWAYS PASSENGERS REACT TO THE QUEEN’S DEATH
The response on the flight was quite a poignant one – video of the incident has been shared on social media and part of it shows some of the flight attendants clearly emotional over the news.
“Elizabeth, the queen, passed away earlier today with her family by her side. I thought I should at least tell you that before you arrive at the terminal,” the pilot said as a crew member dabbed his eyes with a napkin.
“Many will be very very sad about this. It will give you some time to reflect as I say, we have 40 minutes to landing. We will be thinking about her family at this time. Please if any of you are particularly upset please at this time be aware that it also has affected some of my crew,” he said.
The moment onboard BA Flight 178 was captured on video by passenger Michael Capiraso, who was flying from the US to the UK to drop his daughter off at the University of Edinburgh.
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King Charles III, the Queen’s eldest son, automatically became the head monarch after her death. He was proclaimed by the Accession Council during a televised ceremony in London on Saturday.
In his speech, the King paid tribute to his mother for her decades-long dedication and also acknowledged that a long road lies ahead for him.
“My mother’s reign was unequalled in its duration, dedication and devotion. Even as we grieve, we give thanks for this most faithful life. I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me,” he said.
By: Thabo Baloyi
