Boy, 8, showered with gifts after plane intervention

An eight-year-old boy who was praised for calming a disruptive passenger to stop a holiday flight being diverted has been showered with gifts from around the country and even overseas.

Phoenix, from Salford, was flying back from Turkey on the Jet2 flight with his father James when the episode unfolded - and led to them being personally thanked by the pilot.

A woman began shouting before the boy leapt into action, speaking to her, sitting next to her and then spending hours showing her his football cards, singing and asking about her family.

Since hearing about the story, strangers from as far away as Germany have sent gifts, with James now inviting people to give money to charity instead.

The pair had been in the Turkish city of Izmir but were forced to fly home home early due to a family emergency.

The pilots got authorisation to divert the flight away from Manchester Airport when the passenger became disruptive.

The woman then gradually calmed down for the rest of the journey after Phoenix intervened, prompting the pilot to shake hands with the father and son as they disembarked, and a flood of gifts from strangers across the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany.

"It's been magnificent," James said, adding that he has no idea how people have managed to trace their address.

"The deliveries started rocking up at the house with thank you cards and even a PlayStation 5."

James said: "When the first gift came, we thought it was nice for someone to do that, but since then it's been parcel after parcel."

He added that Phoenix thought it "was like Christmas Day" when he saw the gifts, and he "can't thank everybody enough".

As well as the presents, Jet2 sent the family free flight vouchers and thanked them for "showing the utmost compassion and kindness and care".

But now Phoenix wants his story to help others.

James said: "One of the things he wants to do is give the stuff away, so if people are in financial hardship or they know someone who might want one of these presents then they can get in touch.

"What Phoenix now would like is for people to stop sending things, and if you've got money just donate it to charity."

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