Spend 3,300 USD to catch the total solar eclipse on a plane

Watching the total solar eclipse on a plane. (Source: KVUE News)

According to BBC , to be able to observe the total solar eclipse on the morning of April 8 in North America and Central America, many astronomy lovers are willing to spend more than 3,000 USD to witness this special astronomical phenomenon at an altitude of more than 9,000 m.

Spending both time and money to observe the first total solar eclipse in 20 years was completely worth it for fans. One of them was Do Trinh - a programmer from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

In an interview with BBC , Mr. Trinh said that he and many other passengers on Delta Airline flight 1218 saw the total solar eclipse as the plane crossed the Missouri - Arkansas state line.

Mr. Do Trinh was one of the passengers on Delta Airlines' special eclipse-watching flight on April 8. (Photo: BBC)

"The eclipse started like a golden sunset. The sky then darkened, the Moon appeared to cover the Sun, and a white halo was emitted around it. Passengers told each other to find the best angles to admire the scene," Trinh said of the moment of welcoming the total solar eclipse from an altitude of more than 9,000m.

"Experiencing a solar eclipse at an altitude of more than 9,000 m is a completely different feeling. This may only happen once in your life," Trinh shared.

According to Mr. Trinh, the pilot made maneuvers to change direction and turn the plane so that passengers on both sides could observe the eclipse best. The experience lasted about two minutes.

To get the experience, Trinh planned several different flights along the path of the total eclipse before deciding on a Delta flight from San Antonio, Texas to Detroit, Michigan, which cost about $500 for a first-class ticket to get the best possible view.

But shortly after booking, Trinh's flight was rescheduled and did not fly in the same path as the eclipse. Luckily, he was able to transfer his ticket to another flight, Delta 1218, departing from Austin, Texas, to Detroit.

A few weeks later, Delta announced that this would be its official total eclipse flight, causing ticket prices to skyrocket.

Mr. Trinh spent a total of more than 3,300 USD, taking 4 flights from Amsterdam, to be able to go to Austin, board the Airbus A220 to watch the eclipse.

Delta Flight 1218 was one of two special flights operated by Delta Airlines that allowed passengers to view the total solar eclipse above the clouds. The aircraft used for this special flight was an Airbus A220, which had large windows, allowing passengers to observe the scene outside.

"Witnessing the eclipse with my own eyes was a unique experience. I got goosebumps, it was truly magical," Trinh recounted.

"It takes a poet to describe a solar eclipse, not a programmer," Trinh added.

Mr. Trinh had traveled to France to see the total solar eclipse in 1999, but when he saw the photo of the eclipse taken from an airplane, he knew he would have to find an opportunity to experience it himself.

Tra Khanh (Source: BBC)

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