When someone falls ill in a public place, the wishful cry of help would traditionally be 'Is there a doctor in the house?!'

But when the co-pilot of a Boeing 747 was struck down with a severe migraine mid-air on Monday, the crew held out no hope there might be a 'pilot on the plane'.

Fortunately, their prayers were answered as one of the passengers, who works for North American Airlines, got up to reveal he was fully qualified to fly a jumbo jet.