x
Breaking News
More () »

Man gets entire American Airlines flight to himself after 18-hour delay

Despite an 18-hour delay, Phil Stringer said it was one of his best flights yet.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Imagine having an entire flight to yourself. That dream became reality for a man who waited out an 18-hour delay for his flight to Charlotte over the weekend. 

Phil Stringer got extra special treatment from his American Airlines crew after the lengthy delay resulted in him being the only passenger on the flight out of Oklahoma City. Instead of being put up in a hotel until a better flight was available, Stringer decided to just stay at the airport. 

Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter

What happened when he got on the plane was worth the wait as the crew helped make the most of a really bad situation. A video he posted to TikTok has been viewed more than 19 million times. 

You can stream WCNC Charlotte on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, just download the free app.

"But you can tell when they were walking up, they're like, 'Why did this not get canceled, why are we even here?'" Stringer told WCNC Charlotte. "So immediately we just started picking on each other." 

Despite the delay and a totally empty plane, Stringer said it was one of the best flights he's ever taken. 

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

MORE ON WCNC

Related

No, there isn’t a day of the week when plane tickets are cheapest to buy

FREE PODCASTS

Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBEApple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts 

Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.   

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.  
SUBSCRIBEApple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts   

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Before You Leave, Check This Out