As holidays go, it's pretty unusual for a fellow passenger to end up flying the plane himself.

But that's exactly what happened to families at Manchester Airport when a dad travelling abroad with his wife and young son ended up in the cockpit himself.

Astonished passengers travelling to Alicante listened as Michael Bradley took to the tannoy to offer his services for Sunday's flight.

Having been told by his wife that they were facing a delay, the qualified easyJet pilot 'deliberately' took his licence and ID along to the airport.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

In a video shared on Facebook by Denton mum Michelle Potts, he told passengers: "My wife who's on row 15 with my little boy - hopefully he's asleep by now, I should keep it down or else I'll get told off - she rolled over and punched me in the back of the head and said 'our flight's delayed by two hours because they are minus one captain for the flight'....

"So just before we went through security I thought I wonder if this is worth a phone call, I think it is because I'd like to go on holiday.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

"I phoned up easyJet and said 'Hiya, I'm standing in the terminal doing nothing. I have got my licence with me - deliberately from being punched in the back of the head at 3am - I have got my ID with me and I'd very much like to go on holiday and if you need a favour I'm standing here ready to go."

He added: "They said 'we'll phone you back'. Thirty eight seconds later they phoned me back and said 'please, please pretty please with a big cherry on top, can you fly the aeroplane to Alicante'?

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Commenting on his casual dress, but stressing he'd 'stuck a pair of shoes on just in case', Michael, who also works for the airline, said: "So if you're alright for one of your pilots to look like this today, we'll go to Alicante" and was met with cheers from the passengers.

Michelle, who was going for a short break with her friend Jess Clayton, posted the video and said: "It could only happen to me!! Get to the airport and our flight is delayed a couple of hours... then I happen to look at the original time and it changed to gate closing!! Had to leg it across the airport to get on the flight...

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

"Get to boarding and asked the guy at the desk what's going on he said ' oh your pilot's gone missing but a guy that's going on your flight is going to fly the plane ' REALLY CASUALLY!!!

"Luckily the guy was actually a pilot!! probably would of been cancelled if it wasn't for him! Legend."

Speaking to the M.E.N, she said: "I was a bit nervous when I was first told, but once he told us on the plane I was just relieved that we weren't going to be delayed."

A spokesman for easyJet said the flight's delay was 'due to the knock on effects of the French ATC failure on Sunday' which impacted on crew and meant they had to rely on standbys.

He said: "We are grateful to one of our pilots who was travelling on holiday from Manchester to Alicante on 2 September with his family and volunteered to operate the flight.

"This meant customers could get to their destination and shows the commitment and dedication of our crew.

“This is fully in line with regulations as he had his licence and ID with him. Safety is always our highest priority."

The spokesman said the incident was 'exceptional' and stressed that Michael was well rested, having previously had four days off, and was legally permitted to fly the aircraft.