This is the moment a recently graduated pilot surprises his mum and dad by switching places with a colleague and announcing he is flying them through the air for the first time.
The heartwarming scene was recorded after rookie pilot Raphael Leong switched flights to surprise his parents as they flew from Ho Chi Minh City to their native Singapore on Jetstar Asia Flight 3K558.
In the video, Leong, 36, can be seen announcing to the passengers that the flight is “very special” for him because his “parents are on board”.
He can also be heard saying: “So I changed flights with whoever was flying in the airline and I just planned to give them a surprise by making an announcement in front of the cabin.”
Some of the passengers then start clapping and he adds: “This is the first time in my life that they will be on a flight that I’ll be flying. Hi Pa, hi Ma! Surprise, I love you!”
After the flight landed Leong gave an interview with his mum Rosalind in which he explains he was expecting her to be shocked by his appearance but only afterwards did he realise she had been in the toilet when he made the announcement.
His mum says she heard her son’s voice and explains she is very proud of Raphael as she used to tell him to “reach for the sky”.
Leong used to fly planes in the Republic of Singapore Air Force before switching to Jetstar in the past year.
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Story By: Alex Cope, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: AsiaWire Report
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