How would you like to have been on a plane stranded, delayed, and out of your wits? You probably would not like that possibility at all. But, how would you like it if, to relieve your wait, your pilot ordered you some food…food for you, along with all the other passengers? Some passengers would be glad about that occurrence–and that’s exactly what happened when one pilot, Captain Matthew Hoshor, took the reins on a flight Monday.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Matthew Hoshor Treated All His Passengers to Food on Monday, According to Reports
@samrwalker Hey, Sam. How awesome! We’re glad to hear the crew took care of you today. We’ll pass along your praise to our teams. ^BA
In an unexpected occurrence, Hoshor treated his passengers to what some would call a full meal, i.e. a burger, during a delay that had reportedly frustrated some passengers beforehand.
Hoshor is said to have ordered 70 burgers for the passengers on the flight, distracting them from the, no doubt annoying to some, 5-hour delay, that was reported by ABC 7 News in Tulsa. Hoshor is a captain for Mesa Airlines.
Mesa Airlines flights are operated by United Airlines.
“We’re currently 2.5 hours into a delay leaving Tulsa on @united and our Captain, Matthew just ordered every single person on the plane lunch from Fat Guys Burger Bar,” Sam Walker, a passenger tweeted. “Good people and customer service do still exist! #UA6329″
Walker confirmed that the flight finally went “wheels up.” He reportedly sat in first class. Walker also confirmed in his tweets that the captain picked up the payments for the food.
“Awesome captain Mesa has here!” Walker tweeted.
Walker must have sent the tweet halfway through the reported 5-hour delay, if he and reports stated that their flight was delayed by five hours.
United Airlines confirmed that the passenger’s tweet was true: Hoshor had in fact ordered his passengers some food.
2. Matthew Hoshor’s Flight Had Been Heading a Short Distance
Their flight to Houston had been delayed more than two hours when @MesaAirlines Capt. Matthew Hoshor bought burgers for the entire plane #avgeek
Though the delay seemed quite long, it was actually scheduled for a short distance, to take off for Houston. It was leaving from, and delayed in, Tulsa–the flight would have ordinarily taken about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
The weather was reportedly to blame for the delay, and precautions needed to be taken, so Hoshor took them. Hoshor’s flight eventually took off and landed safely in Houston.
The delay happened at Tulsa International Airport on Monday.
Hoshor ordered the burgers for passengers from a nearby burger joint, Fat Guy’s Burger, in Tulsa.
3. United Airlines, Which Operates Mesa Airlines, Heaped Praises on Matthew Hoshor
“Hey, Sam,” United Airlines tweeted. “How awesome! We’re glad to hear the crew took care of you today. We’ll pass along your praise to our teams.”
A spokesman for Mesa Airlines told USA Today that they take “great pride” in their team.
‘We take great pride in our crewmembers and always appreciate passengers’ positive feedback,’ Mesa Airlines spokesman Jack Hellie said to USA Today in an official statement.
The chairman and chief executive officer of Mesa Air Group, Jonathan Ornstein, said to the Houston Chronicle, “He’s a really good guy,” speaking openly about Matthew Hoshor.
“We’re very proud of him,” Ornstein told the Houston Chronicle. “That he went out of his way like that to take care of the passengers … it really was outstanding customer services, way above and beyond.”
Ornstein added that Hoshor is a highly talent pilot. “It makes me so proud as CEO of a company,” Ornstein said. “To see an employee do that, it just makes me feel great.”
4. Fat Guy’s Burger Says It Has Never Experienced an Incident Like Matthew Hoshor’s Before
Fat Guy’s Burger Bar in Tulsa said that the huge burger order for a group of passengers, was likely a first, according to The New York Post.
Hoshor’s Burger Adventure seems to have gone viral, as several outlets are now reporting.
“Mesa Airlines pilot goes viral after buying passengers burgers during a flight delay,” so say ABC’s Eye Witness News reports.
5. No Word Yet on Whether Matthew Hoshor Ordered Vegetarian or Vegan Burgers For Those Who Don’t Eat Meat
Fat Burger – Public Menu
While there’s a large consensus and applause, as have been described above, for Hoshor’s act, no reports have confirmed whether vegetarian burgers were ordered.
Fat Guy’s menu above does show a vegetarian option though.
Some readers have also wondered whether Hoshor will be able to expense his purchase with his airline company employers.
“Bless his heart,” Brenda Copeland Campbell commented on the above Facebook post. “I’m sure he was hungry too. With full bellies, it makes a content & relaxing flight for all.”
Roberto Canizalez Meza said, “Hope he can expense that.”
Daniel Fiddick said, “Why don’t the airline do it[?]…Thank you capt.”
Greg Gerald Sosa quipped, “Donald Trump is that you?”