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For any young boy, saying farewell to their dad is always a touching moment.

And for eight-year-old Ethan May, it was no different - as he hugs Gary goodbye at Gatwick airport en route to a business trip to the Middle East.

However, the tears of sadness soon turn to tears of joy for the boy - as his 41-year-old father reveals he plans to take his son and his partner Claire on holiday instead.

Boy says tearful goodbye to dad at airport... then gets a...

Gary, from the New Forest, and Claire - who filmed the two-minute footage on her mobile phone - had planned the prank as a surprise for Ethan.

The video, which was posted on Monarch Airlines' Facebook page and has been viewed more than 35,000 times, shows father and son hugging and crying in Gatwick airport car park.

Gary asks Ethan: 'Why don't you come with?'

To which his son replies that he doesn't have his passport or any clothes.

Gary opens the boot of their car and gets out two suitcases, saying: 'This is Claire's ... and this is yours.'

Family holiday! Ethan, Gary and Claire on the flight to Egypt after surprising the eight-year-old

At that point, Ethan starts crying again - this time tears of happiness. 'It was the best surprise ever!' he says. 

The family flew to Sharm el-Sheikh on Monarch Airlines, where they spent a week at Sentido Reef Oasis Senses Resort. 

Gary told MailOnline Travel: 'We planned this quite quickly as I was due to fly to the Middle East for business.

'But the client rescheduled the meeting just three days before this video was taken.

'We didn't think we were going to get a holiday this year and then suddenly this week in July appeared.

'We decided, with great difficulty, to keep it from Ethan.

'We had to tell him all his clothes were being washed for some unknown reason, and he kept having a go at Claire asking her "why are all my clothes in the washing?".

'We had to pack when Ethan was in bed and sneak all the cases into the car while he was sleeping.

 'I hope it will be a memory that he keep forever.' 

Ethan said: 'When I found out I felt really shocked and kind of embarrassed because of all the tears.

'But then I felt I really happy because it's the best surprise I've ever had.'

A spokesman from Monarch Airlines said: 'We are thrilled to have been part of such as special family moment – Ethan is a lovely boy who charmed all the cabin crew on board with his excitement at his very unexpected holiday.

'We are so pleased that this last minute booking has brought so much joy and we're looking forward to welcoming Ethan and his family on board again soon.'