On December 28, 2023, passengers on a Vueling flight from Barcelona to Ibiza were initially alarmed by a message from the pilot.
After introducing himself and his crew, the pilot said,
"I'm sorry to inform you that we're departing later than scheduled because my co-pilot and I are reading the airplane's instruction manual to figure out how to take off. But don't worry, I think we will manage it by this evening."
Initially, passengers quickly began to worry, but shortly afterward, they realized it was just a joke. This was because it pertained to the specific day.
One passenger told El Periódico,
"At first, we only thought he was telling us there was no runway and we'd take off later. Then we realized it was a joke because it was the 28th." In Spain, December 28 is celebrated as the "Day of the Holy Innocents" (Día de los Santos Inocentes), a tradition similar to April Fool's Day, where jokes and pranks of all kinds are common.
The passengers could still feel in safe hands, and the flight proceeded without any hitches. The passengers arrived at their destination, and the pilots had no issues landing the aircraft, whether they used a guide or not.
