Passengers on a special Delta flight that traveled in the solar eclipse’s path of totality on Monday had trouble catching a good view of the incredible phenomenon – but still enjoyed the “fun community experience.”
Delta offered two flights, both departing from Texas and landing in Detroit, so flyers could take in the total solar eclipse from more than 30,000 feet in the air with special merchandise and snacks.
But peering out small windows on a packed flight to catch the stunning view proved difficult, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution journalist who was on the flight from Dallas to Detroit.
“As it covered Dallas in total darkness, the sky around the plane, now over southeast Missouri, started to turn gray. About 45 minutes into the flight, attendants came on the speaker to announce we were 10 minutes from totality,” intrepid reporter Mirtha Donastorg wrote.
“But unlike on the ground, the plane was never fully dark. As it fell more into shadow, people started asking, ‘Do you see it yet?’ And a truth began to dawn on us — maybe a plane isn’t the best viewing spot for an eclipse. With glasses or without, it was hard to see the eclipse.”
The reporter noted some passengers got a better look at the eclipse than others and began airdropping stunning photos of what they witnessed.
Overall, the plane was in totality for roughly three minutes, according to Donastorg.
“From my vantage point from an aisle seat close to the right wing of the plane, the eclipse felt at times like a sunset, at times like an unexpected storm that darkened the clouds, minus the turbulence,” she wrote.
Passengers on the same flight told the Washington Post that while they didn’t see much, it was still a worthwhile endeavor.
“What I wanted to see, more than the actual eclipse itself, was just the shadow racing toward us from behind,” Kyle Carter, 40, said. “I did see that. You could see the darkness come towards us.”
Scot Kees and his 8-year-old daughter caught a “sliver” of it.
“Even though we didn’t get it completely, it was a fun community experience,” Kees told the outlet.
Delta, like other airline operators that offered special flights, made it clear leading up to the flights from Dallas and also Austin there were no guarantees.
“While Delta flight plans have been designed to maximize time within the path of totality, this is subject to change due to factors outside of Delta’s control such as weather and air traffic control that could impact timing and aircraft,” the airline stated pre-flight, according to the Washington Post.
Delta staff had been preparing for the big day for months in advance, including pilots practicing the timing the S-turn maneuver during flight simulations supposed to give customers the best glimpse of the solar eclipse on either side of the aircraft.
The unique flight, which included a couple getting engaged, appeared to leave most travelers satisfied to be part of the historic event.
”It was a lot of fun,” Avi Mirchandani, 37, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was a very different thing than I’d typically be doing on a Monday at work.”
