DOZENS of eclipse tourists got the ultimate vantage point on the rare spectacle on Friday morning as they took to the sky in a one-off flight.

A total of 57 passengers boarded the Jet2 flight, chartered by Omega Holidays, and took off from Glasgow Airport at 7.30am to view the solar eclipse in cloud-free skies at 38,000ft over the North Atlantic.

The jet headed north to airspace over the Faroe Islands between Scotland and Iceland, where scientists and tourists had gathered to watch the total eclipse overhead.

The flight was one of a handful of special charters organised across Europe to give eclipse fans the opportunity to chase the "path of totality" - the 100 metre-wide shadow cast across the Earth as the moon passed in front of the sun.

This will be the last total eclipse in Northern Europe until 2026, and on board the Jet2.com flight passengers each had their own row of seats to ensure the best view possible.

Special glasses were provided to allow passengers to safely watch the eclipse, which lasted over two hours from start to finish.

Jet2.com pilot Captain Christopher Pollock said: "I can honestly say that was one of the most amazing flights of my life. What a special moment to witness and the view was just breathtaking. For the full impact of a total eclipse, you have to be inside the 'path of totality', which is quite narrow, but also fast-moving because the planet is rotating.

"So you really have to be in the right place at the right time to get the best view - and thanks to Omega Holidays we were. I'll definitely be putting my name down for any return flights in 11 years time."

Omega customers travelled from as far away as America to take the flight.

Talking about the experience, Gail Love who travelled from Kirkcaldy with sisters Joan and Francie Love, said: "As soon as I heard about it, I knew I wanted to be on it. It's a once in a lifetime experience - absolutely out of this world, wow, really over-whelming."

Tickets cost up to £1400 for the flights, with each passenger allocated their own row of seats to get the best view from the aeroplane windows.