Home Top

First class reunion: United Airlines pilot secretly captains his son's redeployment flight back from Kuwait and surprises him as he boards

Capt Mario Lopes learned his son was set to return from Kuwait on April 14
He jumped at the opportunity to pilot a military flight to Norfolk, VA that day
His son First Lt Mario Lopes ended up being on board the flight and Capt Lopes worked with crew to pull of the surprise
Heartwarming reunion was captured on video showing the two embracing

Published: 06:06 GMT, 28 April 2016 | Updated: 08:15 GMT, 28 April 2016

View
comments

A clever father, who is a Washington D.C.-based pilot, pulled off the surprise of a lifetime on board one of his flights this month.

When Capt Mario Lopes, a United Airlines pilot, learned his son was set to return from Kuwait on April 14, he jumped at the opportunity to pilot a military flight to Norfolk, Virginia that same day.

Unsure if it was coincidence or fate, Lopes followed his intuition and was able to surprise his son, First Lt Mario Lopes who ended up being a passenger on the flight as he returned from deployment.

A clever father, who is a Washington D.C.-based pilot, pulled off the surprise of a lifetime on board one of his flights this month for his son returning from deployment in Kuwait (the pair pictured during their reunion)

After Capt Mario Lopes, a United Airlines pilot, learned his son First Lt Mario Lopes was set to return from Kuwait on April 14, he jumped at the opportunity to pilot a military flight to Norfolk, Virginia that same day

'I told my wife that this couldn't be a coincidence,' Capt Lopes told ABC News.

'No one could confirm or deny if he would actually be a passenger on my aircraft, but I knew I had to take the chance and find out.'

On April 14, Lopes notified his crew about his plan to surprise his son and asked for their help in distracting him while he attempted to sneak on board, according to ABC News.

He said he gave his lead flight attendant a bag of his son's favorite cookies as he made his way onto the aircraft.

Capt Lopes recalled how as the moment approached, he felt anxious and excited, adding it seemed like 'time was standing still,' according to ABC News.

Capt Lopes shakes his son's hand after they embraced during the heartwarming moment a few weeks ago

Capt Lopes was unsure if his son would be on board the flight but followed his intuition and was able to surprise Mario, who ended up being a passenger on the flight as he returned from deployment

'[I] just could not believe that this opportunity was ahead of me,' Capt Lopes said.

Then the moment came when Lopes made his entrance onto the plane and stood behind his son, asking him 'First Lieutenant Lopes, what are you doing on my aircraft?'

'When he turned around we embraced for as long as I could hold him,' Capt Lopes told ABC News.

'I cannot express the emotions I felt holding my son after not seeing him for so long.'

Lopes, who has been flying since he was 17, said the reunion on the flight was 'by far' the most important to him in his 27-year career at United Airlines

In the heartwarming moment captured on video, Capt Lopes is seen tightly embracing his son as others look on.

They pull away from each other and shake hands only before hugging again during the sweet reunion.

Lopes, who has been flying since he was 17, said the reunion on the flight was 'by far' the most important to him in his 27-year career at United Airlines.

The video was posted to YouTube on April 18.