Germanwings crash: British air passenger writes emotional letter to pilots who flew her home

The woman said she wanted to show support in the wake of the tragedy

The letter showed support for pilots after the Germanwings disaster (Jai Dillon)

In the wake of the Germanwings disaster that killed 150 people, an air passenger has written an emotional letter to the pilots who got her home safely.

A week ago today, co-pilot Andreas Lubitz barricaded himself inside the Airbus A320’s cockpit and ploughed it into the French Alps in one of the deadliest pilot suicides in history.

The announcement that the crash was deliberate has turned intense security on pilots and the laws and tests ensuring they are fit to fly with the lives of hundreds of people in their hands.

But a passenger naming herself only as “Bethanie” wanted to let air crews know that travellers support them.

The revelation that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed the plane has put pilots under intense scrutiny (Getty Images)

“Dear pilots of the plane taking me home,” she wrote.

“In light of the very recent tragedy in the French Alps and the loss of those poor 150 people, I feel the need to reach out to you and extend a compassionate hand.

“At the end of the day, we are all humans just trying to live this rollercoaster of a life we have been handed.”

She said that the “horrific” tragedy affected pilots more than most and that a “random but heartfelt” kind word can make a difference.

“I’m hoping to create a ripple effect and spread some compassion and understanding,” she wrote.

“Thank you for taking me home. Thank you for doing so safely. Thank you for allowing me to live the life I do in Spain and split my time with my family in England too.

“You make the excitement I feel now to see my family possible. I hope you get to see your families soon.

“I've had a wonderful flight and hope you have too. You’re making a massive difference and you're the reason I can smile tonight.”

Jai Dillon, an airline pilot soon to start operating the same A320 aircraft from London Heathrow airport, shared the heart-warming letter on Twitter.

Saying it was given to a colleague by a passenger, he said it provided welcome “proof that we're all in this together”.

His post has been shared more than 2,000 times, sparking an outpouring of praise from Twitter users thanking Bethanie for her “beautiful” letter and expressing support for pilots around the world.

Mr Dillon shared the photo on Monday but said he could not provide the name of the airline or flight details because of work regulations.