Watch: Pilot hangs out of cockpit window to retrieve flyer's phone

Screengrab from the viral video shared by Southwest Airlines.

A pilot of a US-based airline has taken their "passengers first" moto to a whole new level when he was caught on camera, hanging out of the cockpit to retrieve a phone that one of his passengers accidentally left behind. The plane had already left the gate at the Long Beach Airport in California when the incident occurred.

"When our employees at Long Beach Airport noticed a customer's phone left behind in a gate area after a flight that was already boarded and pushed back from the gate, they didn't hesitate," Southwest Airlines tweeted with the now-viral video.

When our Employees at @LGBairport noticed a Customer's phone left behind in a gate area after a flight that was already boarded and pushed back from the gate, they didn't hesitate. #WorldKindnessDaypic.twitter.com/cf3gJy8Nmy

— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) November 13, 2022

The eight-second clip shows the pilot dangling his torso outside the cockpit window reaching for the phone as a crew member tries to pass it to him.  After the first failed attempt, however, another crew member takes over and jumps even higher to reach the pilot's hand. Once successful, people can be heard cheering in the background.

Twitter users were impressed with the airline's act of kindness.

"This is so wholesome and awesome to see! The pilot didn't even know the passenger who forgot the phone, but they went out of their way to help the passenger anyway! We REALLY need more people like the pilot in this world," commented Twitter user @_Bl00dFang_.

Another user @PrinzSeptim wrote, "This is why I always like flying Southwest. Their pilots and stewards are always so friendly, energetic, funny, and love what they are doing! I boarded a plane to Vegas once and the crew started singing, puts a smile on your face."