The rise of social media and TikTok in particular have allowed millions around the world to witness and rewatch some of the terrifying moments that sometimes (actually, quite rarely compared to the tens of thousands of flights landing safely each day around the world) occur on flights.
One commercial pilot recently went viral for showing how close planes can get to each other in the air while passengers on a Delta (DAL) -) flight from Edinburgh to New York took photos of flames coming out of a plane's wing from their window seats after an engine fire broke out (the flight was diverted to a nearby airport and all passengers were safely evacuated.)
Related: Airplane Makes Emergency Landing After Overhead Bin Erupts in Flames Mid-Flight
While it occurred back in October, passenger footage of a Virgin Atlantic (SPCE) -) plane coming into London's Heathrow Airport from New York but speeding past the runway cleared for its landing recently started going viral on TikTok.
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'The amazing captain knew what he was doing,' traveler clarifies
"When you’re landing into Heathrow from New York but it doesn't go to plan 🤦🏼♂️," traveler Craig Simpson wrote over top of the footage captured through the viewfinder available on some airlines' entertainment systems. The flight was taking place on an Airbus A350 (EADSF) -) and, in the one-minute video, viewers can see it approaching the runway but then going past it.
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The video received more than 15,000 likes from viewers interested to know why the pilot had missed the runway or what had happened to the people aboard the flight.
"But the amazing captain knew what he was doing and was absolutely amazing at it," Simpson clarified as the video cuts off as the plane jets past the runway. "Thank you again @VirginAtlantic for an absolutely top class flight home!"
'I did for a moment think he was going to do a third attempt...'
In a follow-up video posted after the first one went viral, Simpson published the sights from the viewfinder as the Virgin pilot circles the area another time and makes a safe landing. This is a common flying move if a pilot misses the opportunity to make a descent at top speed and needs to retry the landing.
"The second attempt from the amazing captain who landed us safe and sound," Simpson clarified in the description to the video. "I did for a moment think he was going to have to do a 3rd attempt as the winds were super crazy at @Heathrow Airport."
But as so often happens on social media, the second video providing some clarity did not get nearly as many views as the first — the dramatic footage of a plane leaving the runway behind while zooming toward the city at top speed was what captured TikTok users' imaginations and attention.
