Man who was meant to be on 9/11 flight recalls moment his 'life changed forever' 25 years on

A man who was supposed to be on the hijacked plane that crashed into the North Tower on 11 September has spoken out about how he cheated death.

Gerry Moylan's last minute change of plans in 2001 saved his life, as al-Qaeda terrorists took control of the aircraft he was meant to be travelling to Los Angeles on.

Ahead of the 25th anniversary of that devastating day, he has now recalled the chilling moment that the check-in agent at Logan International Airport in Boston informed him of the horror that had unfolded in the skies.

Moylan was supposed to be among the 92 passengers and crew members who were onboard the Boeing 767 which was commandeered by hijacker Mohamed Atta and four others.

American Airlines Flight 11 was the first plane to hit the World Trade Center, as it smashed into the North Tower at approximately 8.46am local time.

Moylan found this out while he was stood at the check-in desk at the airport in Boston, which is the moment that he says 'his life changed forever'.

In a series of TikTok videos recounting his experience on 11 September, 2001, he explained that he was meant to be on the very plane which took out the North Tower, but had changed his flight the day before.

"I had switched to the 11am flight," he told his 152,000 followers while sharing an image of his original first class plane ticket for American Airlines Flight 11.

"When I asked the woman for a reference number, she said, 'Just use the same number on your ticket, don't worry, the change went through'. Well, I did worry. So the next morning, I still got to the airport at around 8am.

"Flight 11 - the flight I was originally booked on - had already taken off. I walked up to the counter and the young women greeted me.

"I told her, 'I'm very early for my 11am flight, but I just wanted to make sure that my change went through'.

"She confirmed that my change went through and as soon as she did that, she became very upset. Then she said she had to call over her manager."

The airline workers then informed him that 'something bad has happened', before telling Moylan: "Someone was looking over your shoulder today."

He said he was left 'numb' by the terrifying news and spoke to the check-in agent about how he feared he would never fly again.

Moylan continued: "She said, 'How do you think I feel? I checked them all on'. She didn't mean the passengers. I later realised she meant the terrorists.

"They'd come from Maine and had to recheck in. She's the one who checked them on."

He explained that this American Airlines employee, who was named Anna Zanni, tragically took her own life several weeks later.

Moylan revealed that the only reason he changed his travel plans at the eleventh hour was so that he could make the most of being in first class and try the lunchtime menu, rather than flying out at breakfast time.

Social media users have been left stunned by his poignant account of how he dodged death on 9/11, while others filled the comment section of his posts with their own stories of survival.

One person said: "It’s crazy to hear how many people on 9/11 missed their train, changed their daily routine ever so slightly, etc and they narrowly missed being directly involved in the tragedy. It sends a chill down my spine but I’m happy that these people were spared."

Another added: "This is why I don’t get too mad about delays or unexpected changes. You never know what that inconvenience might be saving you from, or if it’s literally saving your life."

And a third wrote: "25 years later we still listening to stories like this, it’s so heartbreaking. Thank you for sharing, its very important."

Actor Mark Walhberg and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane were also supposed to be travelling on American Airlines Flight 11, but like Moylan, did not board the plane due to twists of fate.