Pilot has passengers in fits of laughter after blaming long flight time on BREXIT

An airline pilot came up with a new reason for a longer-than-expected flight time – blaming it on Brexit.

The Jet2 pilot had passengers in stitches with a comedy welcome message that also joked that he’d be playing Twister with his co-pilot.

The announcement on the flight from Leeds Bradford to Naples on July 25 was recorded by passenger Nikki Badger who shared it on social media.

Accompanied by giggles and laughter from the passengers on board, the pilot said: “We are 60,000 miles above the earth’s surface. Well, it might as well be and if you try and jump you’ll never make it.”

Getting on to the subject of the plane’s flight time, he went on: “The time en route today is, there will be a big sigh now are you ready? Two hours 56 minutes. Can you believe it?

“So, slightly longer flight time than you may be expecting. That is entirely down to Brexit. If you’ve got any complaints please put them in writing to John Claude Juncker, Angela Merkel, Theresa May, probably not Jeremy Corbyn.

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After a bit more banter, the pilot finished: “Well, I think I’ve rattled on for long enough. You have a long flight time, have you brought something to do? I don’t know a game of cards? Travel scrabble?

“So, the co-pilot and I have got Twister. We’ve got our mat ready, obviously not now we will wait until we get going.”

Nikki Badger, 29, from Beverley, East Yorkshire, who was flying to Naples for her best friend’s wedding, said: “I think all pilots should be more like him and greet people in this way.

“From start to finish he was hilarious and had the entire flight in stitches, people actually wanted to hear what he had to say, which makes a change. I hope he’s our pilot on the flight home.”