A plane flying from Iceland to Manchester banged a U-turn over the Atlantic, but not because of a disruptive passenger. Instead, the maneuver took place so passengers could see the Northern Lights.
BBC reports the EasyJet flight made the 360-degree turn to ensure people on the left and right side of the plane could enjoy the aurora borealis.
Adam Groves was one of the passengers on the plane and hailed the “very kind” pilot for allowing everyone to see the ultra rare display.
“We took off and halfway into the flight the pilot turned all the lights off and the view could be seen out the left window,” he described. “But we were sitting on the right-hand side and after a few minutes the pilot switched back and did a 360 loop around for everyone to see.”
Groves added he got engaged while in Iceland, and he and his new fiancée, Jasmine Mapp, spent their entire trip trying to find the aurora.
As for EasyJet, a spokesperson told the outlet, “Our crew will always go above and beyond for our customers and we’re delighted to have been able to share this special view with them.”
Auroras occur when atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere clash with a solar flare from the sun. They usually are seen in regions closer to the Arctic like Iceland and Scandinavia.