"This is a sad day and you guys made it incredible, so thank you so much," Captain Jon Jackson said
Credit: SouthwestAir/Facebook; Ronen Tivony/NurPhoto/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Spirit Airlines pilot Jon Jackson’s final flight before retirement was canceled after the airline ceased operations on May 2
- Southwest Airlines surprised Jackson with a retirement celebration, including a water cannon salute and applause at the gate
- A video of the celebration went viral on Facebook with 14 million views, with viewers saying they were in tears
A retiring Spirit Airlines pilot celebrated a bittersweet moment that marked the end of his career after his final flight was canceled when the airline shut down.
Captain Jon Jackson was scheduled to fly his last flight into Baltimore on Saturday, May 2, when Spirit Airlines suddenly ceased all operations.
The budget airline, which launched 33 years ago, had been experiencing financial difficulties for years before its ultimate shutdown.
Unable to mark the last flight of his career, Jackson then boarded a Southwest flight from Fort Lauderdale to Baltimore when his son, Chris, who is a Southwest pilot, mentioned his father’s situation to staff, according to a Facebook post by the airline and The Guardian.
Credit: SouthwestAir/Facebook
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“They seized the opportunity to change the course of the day for Capt. Jackson,” per the post, and “set into motion a plan that resulted in a proper retirement party when the flight landed in Baltimore.”
Jackson was surprised when the Baltimore Airport Fire & Rescue met the aircraft with a traditional water cannon salute. He was also presented with a bottle of champagne at the gate by the Baltimore Ground Operations Team.
A sweet video posted on Facebook on Sunday, May 3, by Southwest Airlines, showed Jackson being announced as he entered the airport to a round of applause.
A woman said on the loudspeaker: “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Jon Jackson!” The crowd then cheered and asked him to do a speech.
Jackson said: “This is overwhelming, I can’t thank you all enough, it’s… you know… as Spirit goes down, this is a sad day and you guys made it incredible, so thank you so much.”
Credit: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Fellow carrier Southwest Airlines, wrote: “It was a powerful reminder of the aviation community’s ability to show respect, compassion, and solidarity when it matters most. Above all, this moment was about honoring a fellow aviator. Congratulations, and thank you for your service in the skies, Capt. Jackson.”
The clips went viral on Facebook, racking up 14 million views and thousands of comments, with one person writing: “Jokes on you, Southwest Airlines. I planned on crying today anyway. Congrats, Captain Jackson. 🩷 ✈️.”
Another said: “Flight Attendant here… definitely not crying. Probably just got some salt from these pretzels in my eye. 🥹😭💙💚,” while a third added: “A pilot is a pilot regardless of whose wings they wear on their suit. Happy retirement and very well played, Southwest!”
Spirit Airlines was looking to break a deal with the Trump administration to provide a cash infusion for survival, but failed to secure funding from bondholders and the government, per the Wall Street Journal.
On Saturday, May 2, the airline company announced that it was ceasing all operations in a statement posted on Instagram.
"It is with great disappointment that Spirit Airlines has started winding down its global operations, effective immediately," the airline said in a statement. "All flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available.
"While we are not able to help rebook your flight on another airline, we will automatically process refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment," the statement continued.
PEOPLE reached out to Southwest Airlines for comment and further information, but they did not immediately respond.
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