Air traffic control clears way for dad flying in for son’s birth

CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte pilot made it home just in time for the birth of his son, thanks to quick teamwork between fellow pilots and air traffic controllers who helped rush him to the gate.

Cody Burd, a captain with Pacific Southwest Airlines, was 402 miles away in Lexington, Kentucky, finishing a work trip when his wife went into labor in Charlotte.

“I’m doing whatever I can to get home,” Cody said.

He got the call early that morning. “4 or 4:30 in the morning, and she called and said, ‘Hey, I think you need to come home,’” he recalled.

His wife, Caitlyn Burd, said she had a feeling the timing would work against them.

“I was like, I just have this sinking feeling that labor or my water or my water’s gonna break or go into active labor when you’re gone. And lo and behold, that is exactly what happened,” Caitlyn said.

With no time to spare, Burd took the jump seat in the cockpit of a full flight headed to Charlotte.

“Oh, I’m very grateful. We always try to fill the jump seat if we can,” Cody said.

As the plane approached Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the crew alerted air traffic control that they had a soon‑to‑be dad onboard who needed to get home fast.

In radio traffic captured during the landing, the pilot can be heard saying: “Hey, we got somebody who’s, uh, onboard whose wife is in labor. Can we get around Piedmont?”

The controller quickly responded: “Yeah, man, we can do that!”

Another pilot on the runway slowed down to let them pass, saying, “Alright, we’ll slow down here a little bit, let them go around. We heard, uh, labor. Piedmont 5827. Congratulations!”

The crew raced to the gate, and Cody rushed straight to the hospital, making it just in time to welcome his son, Baker.

“Oh, it was amazing, it was great!” Cody expressed.

His wife told Channel 9 that the small act of kindness from the aviation team made all the difference.

“I think that one little thing that they did really did make all the difference,” Caitlyn elaborated.

The Burds said mom and baby are doing well, and the family is grateful for the pilots and controllers who helped a dad beat the clock.

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