A BRADFORD travel agent has thanked an airline for its customer service after a pilot aborted a take-off to allow an elderly couple off the plane to visit their dying grandson in hospital.

The couple were due to fly to Australia when they received a text message about their grandson's condition.

The Etihad Airways plane returned to the gate to allow the couple to get to his bedside before he died shortly afterwards.

Travel agent Becky Stephenson, who works in Bradford for the company Travel Counsellors, praised the airline for its "over and above" customer service.

She said the plane was taxiing on the runway at Manchester Airport when the grandparents received a text message saying their grandson was in intensive care.  

They informed cabin crew and the pilot aborted take-off. The couple then disembarked and collected their baggage.

The incident happened on March 30. The flight went ahead after the couple had got off.

Mrs Stephenson, the couple's travel agent, posted the account on the Travel Gossip Facebook page.

She wrote: "I only heard about what had happened this week because I was away on an educational.

"I sent a message to Etihad’s sales manager to praise the staff and popped what had happened on Travel Gossip, but I had no idea it would get so many likes and comments.

"It was such a sad thing that happened to my clients, but it was lovely that Etihad was able to help in the way they did.

"They were on their way to Abu Dhabi so if they hadn’t been able to get off the plane they may not have made it back in time.

"I contacted them to give my condolences and they said they were going to contact Etihad as well."

She added: "Never in the 25 years I have been in travel have I ever heard of an airline going above and beyond with their customer service."

Etihad have said the couple can use the ticket again on a different date.