I fly perhaps 20 - 30 times a year for work. I've escaped any of the horror stories above so have done OK. A couple of go-arounds at Cork are about as scary as it gets. Also went around at Dubai on an A380. That wasn't scary but amazing - feeling the power in those engines.
My worst flight experience was checking in 24 hours late for a flight to Tokyo (Doh!). It was during the Rugby World Cup so availability was limited. Fortunately for me an inbound connecting flight was delayed so I eventually got on, but it was a nervy hour or so.
Not bad on my part but myself and ex were coming back from Cape Verde on Ryan-Air when she got up to go to the loo.
Dinner trolley was coming out in both aisles and when she came out the loo, she was stuck behind it, close enough though that they could have rolled it back and let her through...
Oh no....they werent being delayed on handing out dinner and it takes them ages! She was stood up for about half hour waiting for them to get to our seat.
I watched her progress from relatively happy to down right miserable by the time she got back so I just said "cheer up babe, they just served dinner"
Years ago I was due to fly to Lagos via Abuja in Nigeria to run a training course for work. However I managed to get myself sacked a month or so before the course was due to take place, which was handy as the connecting flight from Abuja crashed and everyone onboard died.
Years ago I was due to fly to Lagos via Abuja in Nigeria to run a training course for work. However I managed to get myself sacked a month or so before the course was due to take place, which was handy as the connecting flight from Abuja crashed and everyone onboard died.
Years ago I was due to fly to Lagos via Abuja in Nigeria to run a training course for work. However I managed to get myself sacked a month or so before the course was due to take place, which was handy as the connecting flight from Abuja crashed and everyone onboard died.
1979 on a flight back from Spain. Laker Airways. It was about the time when cracks started to appear in its aircraft (I think). Anyway, we’d just suffered a 36 hour delay in Alicante Airport. Everyone had the shits, was smelly, sunburnt, hung over and just wanted to get home. There was a big cheer when we finally took off. As we approached Gatwick, the plane circled the airport about five times. As we got closer to the ground, there were fire engines and ambulances on the runway. I tell you, it was bedlam. People were crying and screaming ‘we’re gonna die’, shouting at the cabin staff, moving up and down the aisle. Awful time. Then out of nowhere, we land, with a bump. But we were down safe and sound. Turns out that the captain could get the wheels down due to a mechanical fault and they had to be manually cranked down. Have never been so relieved to get off a plane
Many Moons ago, but I was waiting in Luxemburg for my Icelandair flight to New York, at the time it was supposed to take off from Luxemburg, it was still in L.A.
For you oldies I’ve flown and survived Dan air. One flight club 18-30 on Dan air 3 aborted take off because engine on fire, last try after we carried crying and screaming young ladies onto plane, one of 2 engine was turned off after we reached about 500 feet as it’s was sounding bit rough, then to top it all captain came on the loud speaker and I swear people was trying to open the doors at this stage, oh it forgot to say it was a female pilot when there weren’t any female pilot. Anyway as the flight went on we where quiet rightly plied with free alcohol, and I mean we got smashed, it’s amazing how much alcohol can be consumed by 18 to 30 year old in a 2 hour flight. She (the pilot) announced that because of a slight problem with the shut down engine it might be a touch dodgy landing as she couldn’t put the engine in reverse so stopping on one would be interesting. Much more alcohol was consumed. In we come over the Isle of Wight, no circling or niceties such as waiting our turn, emergency landing at Gatwick, straight in hurtling in at low level, we looked out the window and the screaming restarted, fire engine and ambulances dashing along beside us, the an almighty explosion as she tried to stop the plane someone forget the damaged engine couldn’t be put in reverse and we all piled out the aircraft as the fire brigade dealt with the engine. To be fair we all got off alive, on other Dan air flights that wasn’t the case. Think it was something like 8 years before I fly again.
My first flight was Dan Dare in 1984 with my cousin to visit my sister in Switzerland. We were both 14 & flew alone. As we took off water poured out from above our seats, we all got soaked. My cousin was in hysterics (& not laughing) I had to slap her to calm her down 🤣 Same holiday we got stuck on a chair lift. Stuck up above the tree line. It was just a chair in those days, no safety bar. Off she went into hysterics again. Had to slap her a second time. As it was summer we were the only ones on the lift. We were up there about an hour 😳😱🤣🤣🤣🤣
My first flight was Dan Dare in 1984 with my cousin to visit my sister in Switzerland. We were both 14 & flew alone. As we took off water poured out from above our seats, we all got soaked. My cousin was in hysterics (& not laughing) I had to slap her to calm her down 🤣 Same holiday we got stuck on a chair lift. Stuck up above the tree line. It was just a chair in those days, no safety bar. Off she went into hysterics again. Had to slap her a second time. As it was summer we were the only ones on the lift. We were up there about an hour 😳😱🤣🤣🤣🤣
Think it's about time you thought about writing a book, young lady !
For you oldies I’ve flown and survived Dan air. One flight club 18-30 on Dan air 3 aborted take off because engine on fire, last try after we carried crying and screaming young ladies onto plane, one of 2 engine was turned off after we reached about 500 feet as it’s was sounding bit rough, then to top it all captain came on the loud speaker and I swear people was trying to open the doors at this stage, oh it forgot to say it was a female pilot when there weren’t any female pilot. Anyway as the flight went on we where quiet rightly plied with free alcohol, and I mean we got smashed, it’s amazing how much alcohol can be consumed by 18 to 30 year old in a 2 hour flight. She (the pilot) announced that because of a slight problem with the shut down engine it might be a touch dodgy landing as she couldn’t put the engine in reverse so stopping on one would be interesting. Much more alcohol was consumed. In we come over the Isle of Wight, no circling or niceties such as waiting our turn, emergency landing at Gatwick, straight in hurtling in at low level, we looked out the window and the screaming restarted, fire engine and ambulances dashing along beside us, the an almighty explosion as she tried to stop the plane someone forget the damaged engine couldn’t be put in reverse and we all piled out the aircraft as the fire brigade dealt with the engine. To be fair we all got off alive, on other Dan air flights that wasn’t the case. Think it was something like 8 years before I fly again.
I've not had a really bad experience, but I was on a flight earlier this year and there was a little bit of turbulence... anyway, when the plane landed it was grounded - God knows why they told us, but we were told there had been a problem and the plane would not be making any more trips for a while! Interestingly, that was South Africa.
Worst experience was on Alitalia going from Heathrow to Naples via Milan on some cheapo deal rather than flying direct. The horrible arrogant stewardess wouldn't let my son use the toilet, despite the seat belt sign being off. He was six years old and had tears streaming down his face, but she was still more interested in selling coffee and said that for h&s reasons he was not allowed down the aisle whilst she was pushing her urn down it. I tried arguing that allowing a child to use the toilet was more important than flogging coffee, but she was having none of it and threatened to get me arrested if I didn't sit down. Then, when we arrived at the destination, it took over an hour for them to get the bags off of the plane. When they did my mother-in-law's case was missing and didn't turn up for about three days. Worst of all though was that they actually took us to our destination of Naples. What an absolute shit hole. Just about the only place I've ever visited that I wouldn't want to go back to.
The incident that caused the most screams was on a Britannia Airways flight from Gatwick to Palma in 1973. Apparently one of the engines was overheating so as soon as we touched down, the the pilot took what I understand was a state of the art action to cool it: He flicked a switch and the engine casing fell away to be left hanging underneath by a hinge. All good stuff except that on seeing it, a guy behind me shouted out, "the engine's fallen off". Loads of people started screaming until a helpful person observed, "no, it's still there". At this point the pilot came on the intercom and explained what had happened. I did wonder why we weren't warned beforehand but I guess no-one wants to think about an engine overheating when they're still in the air, so perhaps they just hoped people would react better.
I've just google Dan air. You crazy f*****s for getting on one of their flights
They where a fairly major airline, my experience was fairly mild compared with some, to get off alive was fantastic, as I said not all did, it wouldn’t happen now days.
Had a very bumpy flight from Vegas to LA some years back; cabin crew falling all over the place as plane struggled to gain
Another "worst" one was coming back from Bali. After changing in Singapore, we flew 14 hours back to London...which was fog-bound! The pilot said he didn't have enough juice to do many go-arounds so we diverted to Manchester. We sat on the ground there for two hours (away from the terminal so nobody - even those bound for Manchester! - could get off) and re-fueled, then flew back down to Heathrow. 19 hours on one plane equalled a very sore bottom!
People do get randy couped up for that long I suppose!
Coming back from Bangkok early on only flight I could get. Gastroenteritis. 5 hour stopover at Dubai. 4 hours at Paris CDG. Train from Luton. Wanted to die all the way.
I mentioned this on the other thread. My old mate was on this flight. Unless you died on an airplane and therefore can’t tell the story… nothing would probably make you get back on a flight.
just had one... flight from London to Manila via Riyadh. Got to Riyadh to see a 16 hour delay. No staff on hand, nobody to inform what to do, where to go. Found out through the BBC that it was due to a typhoon in Manila. No food, no accomodation, no nothing in a basic airport.
Flight then gets a further delay, nothing to do with weather and sets off 23 hours late.
Missed my connecting flight in Manila of course and then waiting for my bag and...,
They lost it....
said it would be one or two days, here Iam 8 days after setting off and I'm still waiting...
First and only ever flight with Saudia... the most incompetent, most useless airline on the planet. And I thought the Filipina air crew were joking when they said it was a crap company.
Just took our first flight for 28 years. Via Blue Islands to Jersey, it was interesting to see how the whole airport security thing had changed since 1994. Flights were fine, smallish plane with propeller engines! On the way out the pilot said he was going to take some “short cuts” and we made it in 55 minutes instead of the 80 minutes as advertised. On landing in Jersey, there did seem to be a huge amount of braking while simultaneously veering off the runway to the side. Not sure if that’s because of a short runway but it didn’t happen on the return into Birmingham. I did find the banking of the plane at times rather unnerving and the return flight hit some bumpiness as we came back in through the clouds but it didn’t seem to bother the other passengers. It was also a bit weird seeing no wings from the window as the wings on the plane were above the windows!
I mentioned this on the other thread. My old mate was on this flight. Unless you died on an airplane and therefore can’t tell the story… nothing would probably make you get back on a flight.
Our honeymoon flight back from Okinawa, Japan to Hong Kong in a T8 Typhoon. (The kind where businesses and schools get shut down and everyone gets sent home from for the day.)
We were coming in to land and the pilot comes over the intercom with a sound of dread in his voice:
"We're going to attempt a landing... (very long pause) ... Winds are extremely high... Visibility is very low... May God have mercy on our souls."
Okay he didn't say that last bit, but that was the sense I was getting.
The turbulence was gut wrenching. It didn't shake the plane but made it rise and then free-fall for a second. Over and over. People were screaming. Some vomited. When we finally walked off the flight, the gangway looked like a warzone!
I've just google Dan air. You crazy f*****s for getting on one of their flights
How it was back then, my sister in law worked for them back in the mid 80's, though not on the planes (she worked in HR) though she regularly flew with them (staff 'perk').....she is still with us btw.
Comments
My worst flight experience was checking in 24 hours late for a flight to Tokyo (Doh!). It was during the Rugby World Cup so availability was limited. Fortunately for me an inbound connecting flight was delayed so I eventually got on, but it was a nervy hour or so.
all plain sailing...
Dinner trolley was coming out in both aisles and when she came out the loo, she was stuck behind it, close enough though that they could have rolled it back and let her through...
Oh no....they werent being delayed on handing out dinner and it takes them ages! She was stood up for about half hour waiting for them to get to our seat.
I watched her progress from relatively happy to down right miserable by the time she got back so I just said "cheer up babe, they just served dinner"
Peaceful flight from there on in haha!!
was your replacement on the flight?
We were both 14 & flew alone.
As we took off water poured out from above our seats, we all got soaked. My cousin was in hysterics (& not laughing) I had to slap her to calm her down 🤣
Same holiday we got stuck on a chair lift. Stuck up above the tree line. It was just a chair in those days, no safety bar. Off she went into hysterics again. Had to slap her a second time. As it was summer we were the only ones on the lift. We were up there about an hour 😳😱🤣🤣🤣🤣
I'd definitely buy it !
The incident that caused the most screams was on a Britannia Airways flight from Gatwick to Palma in 1973. Apparently one of the engines was overheating so as soon as we touched down, the the pilot took what I understand was a state of the art action to cool it: He flicked a switch and the engine casing fell away to be left hanging underneath by a hinge. All good stuff except that on seeing it, a guy behind me shouted out, "the engine's fallen off". Loads of people started screaming until a helpful person observed, "no, it's still there". At this point the pilot came on the intercom and explained what had happened. I did wonder why we weren't warned beforehand but I guess no-one wants to think about an engine overheating when they're still in the air, so perhaps they just hoped people would react better.
People do get randy couped up for that long I suppose!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_811
They lost it....
said it would be one or two days, here Iam 8 days after setting off and I'm still waiting...
First and only ever flight with Saudia... the most incompetent, most useless airline on the planet. And I thought the Filipina air crew were joking when they said it was a crap company.
http://www.hoaxorfact.com/technology/dragon-airline-safe-landing-in-typhoon.html
We were coming in to land and the pilot comes over the intercom with a sound of dread in his voice:
"We're going to attempt a landing... (very long pause) ... Winds are extremely high... Visibility is very low... May God have mercy on our souls."
Okay he didn't say that last bit, but that was the sense I was getting.
The turbulence was gut wrenching. It didn't shake the plane but made it rise and then free-fall for a second. Over and over. People were screaming. Some vomited. When we finally walked off the flight, the gangway looked like a warzone!