"God speed and tailwinds all the way": TUI captain's emotional speech to Doncaster Sheffield Airport control tower is captured on audio as final flight departs

Aviation Youtube channel Airliners Live shared the audio recording of the conversation between the cockpit and air traffic controllers as the plane, registered G-TAWW, prepared to leave on Friday night, accompanied by video footage of it taxiing for take-off on the runway.

G-TAWW operated TUI’s final movement at Doncaster Sheffield, a incoming flight from Hurghada in Egypt, and the captain was then instructed to depart empty to Manchester Airport, from where the aircraft resumed service by flying to Malaga the next day.

In the emotional speech, the unnamed pilot identifies G-TAWW as a seven-year-old Boeing 737 that has been flying since 2015 before beginning his address to the control tower.

"Doncaster, on behalf of all of us at TUI – thank you for your support and for being part of our team. Together we’ve delivered wonderful experiences for our customers for the last 17 years.

"The runway and buildings form an airport, but it’s the people who are really the core. God speed and tailwinds all the way.”

The tower responded on behalf of air traffic control, the fire and engineering departments: ”It’s been an absolute pleasure working with you and we hope we can get to do it all again.”

The airport has now closed to commercial traffic, though the National Police Air Service’s base remains operational until they agree a departure date.