Summary
- EasyJet pilot provided in-flight updates on England-Switzerland match via PA system.
- Pilot received game updates from other aircraft over the radio.
- England won the match, securing a spot in the Euro 2024 semi-finals against the Netherlands.
Passengers onboard an easyJet flight in the air during the recent European Championship quarter-final match between England and Switzerland were kept updated on the game by the aircraft’s pilot. The easyJet captain reportedly delivered 10-minute updates of the game over the PA system, even reaching out to other aircraft to get the latest game information.
easyJet pilot provides game updates
On Sunday, the England national football team battled it out with Switzerland for a place in the semi-finals of Euro 2024, eventually emerging victorious following a tense penalty shootout. With scores of English passengers onboard an easyJet flight unable to access the internet, the pilot decided to use the plane’s PA system to keep the cabin updated on the big game.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
A passenger onboard the flight filmed a few of the announcements and posted the clips to social media. During one of the updates, the pilot says he “thinks at the moment it’s nil-nil” but that he had “heard a rumor” there had been a goal. He then revealed it was a Switzerland goal but that England had immediately equalized, which drew a few cheers.
But where exactly was the pilot getting the information from? While it could easily have been relayed to them by operations, it seems the pilot was getting updates from other aircraft over the radio. When announcing the final score and that England had prevailed on penalties, the pilot said it “was from another aircraft and not easyJet.” While he sounded unsure about the accuracy of the information, as it turns out, the easyJet pilot was spot on, with England putting away all five of their penalties to secure a 5-3 victory following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Semi-final flights
England booked their place in Wednesday’s semi-final in Dortmund, where they will face the Netherlands. As to be expected, a rush for flights has led to skyrocketing prices. According to an Express report this Monday, there were no direct flights available to Dortmund at all – instead, reasonable itineraries requiring a stopover were priced at over £500, with some return fares topping £1,000.
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With around 80,000 England fans expected to be in Dortmund for tomorrow’s semi-final, the majority are expected to drive by car or by coach, and half are believed to already be in Germany. Dortmund Airport (DTM) is the most direct way to reach the Westfalenstadion stadium in Dortmund, but its only nonstop connection with the UK is a daily Ryanair flight from Stansted. It is also possible to fly to Düsseldorf or Cologne, while England fans have the option of flying to Amsterdam and making a land crossing into Germany.
Have you ever been part of a memorable PA announcement on a flight? Let us know your stories in the comments.