Despite bearing the Number of the Beast, taking off on the unluckiest day of the year and flying into HEL, Flight 666 managed to land successfully at its destination.
Yesterday, passengers flew from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Helsinki, Finland, a normal journey for most we’re sure.
However by sheer chance the date, flight number and destination all lined up to create the terrifying Flight 666 to HEL on Friday the 13th.
Amazingly despite this flight being an obvious affront to the almighty, it landed safe and sound after what seems to be a standard flight, which didn’t end with those on board trapped in the realm of the great unclean one.
The flight was flown by pilot Juha-Pekka Keidasto, who wasn’t bothered about flying on such an unlucky day or with such a demonic number.
The Telegraph report he said:
It has been quite a joke among the pilots. I’m not a superstitious man. It’s only a coincidence for me.
If there’s some passenger who is anxious about this 666, our cabin crew is always happy to help them.
Thankfully, for the superstitious among you, yesterday’s flight was the last time it’ll ever happen because Finnair are retiring the flight number 666.
In a statement the airline said:
Today will actually be the final time that our AY666 flight flies to HEL.
As of October 29, some of our flight numbers in our network will change and our AY666 flight from Copenhagen to Helsinki will change to AY954.
In 11 years, we’ve flown 21 times the AY666 flight to HEL on Friday the 13th.
HEL isn’t the only terrifying Airport code currently in use. In Congo they have KIL for Kilwa and DED for Dehradun, neither of which we can imagine the local tourist board advertising.
We should also point out Finnair operate a flight from SIN to HEL but don’t worry, this isn’t a metaphor for the corruption of man by the devil, its just a flight from Singapore to Helsinki.
Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition and the superstition surrounding the day is believed to have arisen in the Middle Ages.
Apparently it came from the story of Jesus’ last supper and crucifixion in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday.
Interestingly in Italy, Friday the 17th is considered unlucky because the Roman numerals for 17 are XVII and by rearranging the figures, you can easily get the word VIXI, ‘I have lived’, implying death in the present.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.