Flight stories

seipeal1

So, I live in Australia but I hate flying, always have done. So, tell me your in-flight stories. Scary, funny, silly and why? Domestic, international or intercontinental?

krudler

seipeal1 wrote: »

So, I live in Australia but I hate flying, always have done. So, tell me your in-flight stories. Scary, funny, silly and why? Domestic, international or intercontinental?

how'd you get there then?

bmarley

Hate flying too...havn't flown now for couple of years as will avoid it at all costs...any suggestions of how to overcome these fears?

iPlop

Some guy had a heart attack on the plane home from spain a couple of years ago but the pilot didn't bother to tell the passengers that he was goin to nose dive the plane into an airport in france.It took less than 10 mins to land the plane.I think a few others had heart attacks on the way down

MagicMarker

bmarley wrote: »

Hate flying too...havn't flown now for couple of years as will avoid it at all costs...any suggestions of how to overcome these fears?

Xanex.

alwaysadub

krudler wrote: »

how'd you get there then?

Maybe he came out of his mammy's tummy there.

I don't have any flying stories actually

lucky so far and I travel at least once a month, touch wood

krudler

alwaysadub wrote: »

Maybe he came out of his mammy's tummy there.

powers of common sense.....prevailing, sarcasm....being weakened....gah!

M.Pool

nine and half hours on a flight with some ones kids screaming for the entire flight. ear plugs, rescue remedy and alcohol are the only way to go.

seipeal1

krudler wrote: »

how'd you get there then?

Very good answer. I like you. I walked. Started at 20 years old, finished at 22. Questions?

starlit

Almost fell out of the sky once when flying!

Blisterman

Had a weird one on wednesday. We were coming in to land, got to the point where we're about 100m high, then suddenly, we swooped back up into the air. Pilot says over the PA. "Couldn't land cause there was a plane already on the runway. This is very common."

So we circled around and tried to land again. Same thing happens. We circle around a little bit. Eventually the pilot says "We can't land because we've got a technical problem. We're trying to sort it out, and hopefully we can land soon".

I've no idea what the problem was, but we were flying around in a circle for the tensest half an hour of my life, before coming in for the bumpiest landing I've ever experienced.

Tar.Aldarion

On one flight my nose bled more than it ever has and would not stop from Milan to London

themandan6611

flying from Sydney to Melbourne, on take off we heard a loud noise like something breaking - plane lost a fair amount of alltitude quickly. When we landed pilot confirmed some piece of the plane did break but obviously not that a serious piece, had to sit on the runaway for 2 hrs :mad:

Flew from Rio to London a week after the Air France plance went down 18 mths ago, on the same route (rio to paris) - quiet nervous and there was an awful lot of turblence, one of my worst flights (along with returning to this kip of a country).

Did manage to sky-dive - that was a cool flight

Plug

I remember a few years ago coming back from Salau we were about to land in Dublin airport. Me, my brother and father. I could see the runway we were probably about 4 meters from the runway when all of a sudden the plane roared full throttle and it pulled back up. I thought the plane was about to crash, extremely scary. People were screaming, the captain talking in Spanish I mean WTF?
People literally shat themselves! My father turns to me and says "Jesus, Darren if the plane dosen't kill us the smell of is going to finish us off". Busted my bollox laughing:D
I asked a few of the lads over on the Aviation & Aircraft forum and they explained what it was, its a 'go around' manoeuvre. Scary stuff when ya haven't a fcuking clue whats happening.

fonecrusher1

Emergency take off abort on runway in singapore. 747 was in full thrust about 5 seconds from being airborne & the captain decides to not take off. Those things can stop in a hurry if they want to. Freaky incident. Some sort of technical problem that obviously showed up at the last second.

Taking off from cork airport on one of the windiest days on record. The plane we were due to get on had 2 aborted landings which we had the horror of watching before we made the walk to the plane itself. Scariest take off ever. The thing swooped what felt like 50ft to the left as we went airborne. For the briefest of seconds i was thinking 'goodbye life'.

Not mad about flying but its something you just have to do now & then.

chillywilly

bmarley wrote: »

Hate flying too...havn't flown now for couple of years as will avoid it at all costs...any suggestions of how to overcome these fears?

Don't read through this thread!

dory

Once had a pilot say over the intercom, "We're having some difficulties with our steering here, just waiting for the fire department to arrive on the run way and we will begin our descent". Was in New York in 2004, I was bricking it!

tigger123

bmarley wrote: »

Hate flying too...havn't flown now for couple of years as will avoid it at all costs...any suggestions of how to overcome these fears?

There's a book which I read and found it really helpful, Flying Without Fear by Keith Godfrey. The author was a pilot for 35 years with British Airways and I found it really helpful. I went from being terrifed to actaully enjoying flying.

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

Not so much a scary story but a real pain in the bollox one...

Me and a few friends were flying to Bulgaria to go skiing in January 2008. Flying into Sofia. So the flight takes about 4 hours, we get above Sofia and pilot says the usual ****, "prepare for landing" etc. Except we just keep going around in circles more or less, not decending at all.

This goes on for about half an hour. Then the pilot comes back on and says there is snow on the runway and they are clearing it, this is why there is a delay. This happens several times more, all in all about an hour of just going nowhere in particular.

Eventually fuel is running low, pilot comes back on again, says the runway is still not ready and we are been diverted to BUCHAREST. Not just another city, another bloody country!! This is to refuel and then take off and try Sofia again.

So we get to Bucharest, and land. The pilot comes on again, says that he has been informed Sofia is unusable and that we are GOING TO HAVE TO FLY BACK TO DUBLIN AND TRY AGAIN TOMORROW. This is where the **** hits the fan and all hell breaks lose. People are out of their seats, going mad at the crew. So much so that the crew lose it and offer anyone that wants to the chance to get off in Bucharest and make their own way to Sofia, but that they can't get their luggage until the flight arrives in Sofia the next day due to some safety reason or something like that. Some people, mentallers that they are, take them up on this option. They get off, then have 2nd thoughts, and try to get back on!! But at this stage the the door is shut again and there is a big commotion, people were literally banging the door. Security is called, and after about 40 minutes of this, they are let back on. This delayed us all taking off again.

FINALLY we take off, fly 4 hours back to Dublin, are ****ed into an airport hotel for 3 hours sleep, then woken up and had to go through it all again, absolutely wrecked and incredibly pissed off. Whats worse, we were told at the airport that there is still heavy snowfall and that if the plane can't land this time we will be let out in Bucharest and have to make our own way. What a risk to take but we had to do it, and thankfully it landed this time at the first time of asking.

All in all a crazy ordeal, the scene on the plane in Bucharest airport where some people looked close to rioting is something I will never forget.

kowloon

Engine cutout on a Cessna (172?), went into a glide for a while, looked for nice flat fields for an emergency landing, engine started up again.

Saw another aircraft from a flight to England with thick black smoke trailing, presumably from an engine fire. I kept meaning to look it up but now I've forgotten the date I was flying.

ejmaztec

Sink The Banana wrote: »

Some guy had a hart attack on the plane home from spain a couple of years ago but the pilot didn't bother to tell the passengers that he was goin to nose dive the plane into an airport in france.It took less than 10 mins to land the plane.I think a few others had hart attacks on the way down

Where did all the deer come from that attacked the passengers? Did they break out of the cargo-hold?

kerryman12

waiting to push back in zurich a few year ago the plane suddenly went dead, lights/engines the lot. a second later i see fire engines racing over beside us and breaking suddenly - water cannon at the ready.

after five tense minutes the pilot comes on and says " ladies & gentlemen we had a little incident, some of the ground crew noticed a fuel leak from one of the wings!!!"

coming into cork late one very stormy friday night, the pilot comes on to advise us to expect a bumpy landing due to the conditions. as we decend it is completly smooth until about 5 seconds before wheels down. We are hit by a strong cross wind and it feels like the plane hits the runway sideways on. when we finally come to a stop my colleagues turns to me and say " any landing you can walk away from is a good one!"

iPlop

ejmaztec wrote: »

Where did all the deer come from that attacked the passengers? Did they break out of the cargo-hold?

Didn't even notice that fixed now:pac:

El Horseboxo

I've had 2 emergency landings. One in Australia and another in Laos. I also have a habit of flying on the same day as major airline crashes. Strangely enough i find that comforting despite the tragedy of it. Mainly because how often do major airlines have crashes on the same day apart from 11/9.

JohnP199

I was on an Aer Lingus flight before Christmas when a man with a suspiciously familiar Cork accent started 'pleasuring' on-board. I wonder what ever happened that guy...

Fringe

11 hour flight, they decided to serve breakfast about an hour before landing. The landing was really bumpy and I got sick all over those blankets they give you. Hid the blanket under the chair and legged it off the plane.

ejmaztec

Sink The Banana wrote: »

Didn't even notice that fixed now:pac:

:P

plein de force

Coming home from holidays a few years ago, over the vast atlantic we went into turbulence. The words from the pilot were, "it's going to get rough guys, buckle up" hardly words of comfort my god i have never been so scared in my life, the plane bobbing down then shooting back up whilst shaking from side to side and hearing the engines roar then go almost dead quiet a few times really scared me. Then it was all over and the food trolleys were out but we then hit unexpected turbulence and one of the trolleys went flying down the aisles, dosey mare didn't put the break things on it, could've seriously injured someone.


And last year flying to Boston. On Aer Lingus i was in the middle 4 seats. An american couple to the left of me and this fat, smelly lummox. the american couple were french kissing at one point, then legs and arms going everywhere. At least go to the bathroom if you're going to get frisky. then the fat guy was spilling into my seat, his arm kept spilling off his armrest and elbowing me. then while i was still eating he decided to find another meal up his nose, picking and eating. Horrible flight, it really was.

iPlop

plein de force wrote: »

And last year flying to Boston. On Aer Lingus i was in the middle 4 seats. An american couple to the left of me and this fat, smelly lummox. the american couple were french kissing at one point, then legs and arms going everywhere. At least go to the bathroom if you're going to get frisky. then the fat guy was spilling into my seat, his arm kept spilling off his armrest and elbowing me. then while i was still eating he decided to find another meal up his nose, picking and eating. Horrible flight, it really was.

Jaysus ,no shame!

Sky King

A plane will take horrendous punishment before it will break... usually the occupants break first! Though having said that people still are afraid of their sht of turbulence. I can understand why, it's not very pleasant.

The go-around maneuver is quite common but it still frightens the sh1te out of people because they're not expecting to hit full throttle as they touch town. There's 101 reasons why a pilot will elect to do it, usually it's just to be on the safe side as a precautionary measure.

The best is the 'positive touch down'.. I think Ryanair specialise in this one. Was coming into DUB one windy evening and the pilot touched down 'positively' to say the least... a deathly silence falls over the cabin and a Dub at the back pipes up "Jaysis! Did we land or were we bleedin shot down!"

kerryman12

kilkenny flyer wrote: »

A plane will take horrendous punishment before it will break... usually the occupants break first! Though having said that people still are afraid of their sht of turbulence. I can understand why, it's not very pleasant.

they really can take a beating, wasnt there a famous case about 5 years ago, a BA flight off the west cost of africa hit a pocket of "empty air" and dropped 700ft instantly. The plane was ok and made the rest of the flight but there were a number of broken limbs in the cabin.

biko

seipeal1 wrote: »

Very good answer. I like you. I walked. Started at 20 years old, finished at 22. Questions?

Yeah, why do you hate flying? It's an irrational fear.

My flight stories are just boring hours flying to and from US for work.

Acoshla

It's not the flying I'm afraid of, it's the crashing and dying bit that freaks me out.

On a flight a few years back and just as we were about to take off and some people were still getting settled into their seats we heard this mad screaming from the back of the plane. A guy with special needs had taken a dislike to the guy in the seat in front of him, grabbed his head and started clawing at his eyes whilst screaming and roaring, frightened the shite out of the entire plane. He had to be pulled off him and taken off the plane.

Had to make an emergency landing in Paris a few years back too, I wasn't too bothered about it all, was only a teenager, but my Mom said "We are going way too fast for how low we are", sure enough we thumped down onto the runway with a good bit of extra force, pilot apologised saying he had misjudged it, ha.

My uncle was on a flight once and the pilot announced the usual entering turbulence put on your seatbelts thing. Before he could finish the sentence they hit a pocket of air and fell FAR!, my uncle said anyone not strapped in hit the roof.

iPlop

Spadina wrote: »

On a flight a few years back and just as we were about to take off and some people were still getting settled into their seats we heard this mad screaming from the back of the plane. A guy with special needs had taken a dislike to the guy in the seat in front of him, grabbed his head and started clawing at his eyes whilst screaming and roaring, frightened the shite out of the entire plane. He had to be pulled off him and taken off the plane.

Had to make an emergency landing in Paris a few years back too, I wasn't too bothered about it all, was only a teenager, but my Mom said "We are going way too fast for how low we are", sure enough we thumped down onto the runway with a good bit of extra force, pilot apologised saying he had misjudged it, ha.

My uncle was on a flight once and the pilot announced the usual entering turbulence put on your seatbelts thing. Before he could finish the sentence they hit a pocket of air and fell 10,000 ft, my uncle said anyone not strapped in hit the roof.

Would have loved to see that ,especially the fellas reaction

Dan133269

kerryman12 wrote: »

they really can take a beating, wasnt there a famous case about 5 years ago, a BA flight off the west cost of africa hit a pocket of "empty air" and dropped 700ft instantly. The plane was ok and made the rest of the flight but there were a number of broken limbs in the cabin.

what is a pocket of empty air?

Spadina wrote: »

It's not the flying I'm afraid of, it's the crashing and dying bit that freaks me out.

On a flight a few years back and just as we were about to take off and some people were still getting settled into their seats we heard this mad screaming from the back of the plane. A guy with special needs had taken a dislike to the guy in the seat in front of him, grabbed his head and started clawing at his eyes whilst screaming and roaring, frightened the shite out of the entire plane. He had to be pulled off him and taken off the plane.

Had to make an emergency landing in Paris a few years back too, I wasn't too bothered about it all, was only a teenager, but my Mom said "We are going way too fast for how low we are", sure enough we thumped down onto the runway with a good bit of extra force, pilot apologised saying he had misjudged it, ha.

My uncle was on a flight once and the pilot announced the usual entering turbulence put on your seatbelts thing. Before he could finish the sentence they hit a pocket of air and fell 10,000 ft, my uncle said anyone not strapped in hit the roof.

10,000 feet? :cool:

Today on leaving the plane the cabin crew member told us to "enjoy the rest of this miserable day in Brussels."

Captain_Generic

biko wrote: »

Yeah, why do you hate flying? It's an irrational fear.

That article only applies to Americans, the OP is screwed on the shark front

TheZohanS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlBPz74VPaA

Nothing to worry about...

Sky King

I have never heard of a plane falling 10,000 feet. You're saying the aircraft 'fell' nearly two miles, or a third of its overall altitude? No.

Also I think the 'empty air' being referred to above is descending air.

Also, a fear of heights, snakes and creepy crawlies is totally rational, it's ingrained into our psyche through evolution for our own safety. I think the brain doesn't register flight as being high because you're not connected to the ground. Check this sh!t out though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzgAm1tyo1g&feature=related

fonecrusher1

Thing about having a scary moment on a flight is if the incident is accompanied with a hysterical scream from some panicky person it makes it all the more scary. I hate that sh!t.

RockinRolla

A young woman had to be restraint on an Are Lingus flight from Heathrow to Dublin. She was shouting at the air hostess in a worried manner along the lines of "I hate flying, I hate flying, I'm just warning you, I hate flying"...

Me and this other guy, observing this, turned and said "Jesus Christ, I've been flying for the last 36 hours". I was in the same position.

fonecrusher1

RockinRolla wrote: »

A young woman had to be restraint on an Are Lingus flight from Heathrow to Dublin. She was shouting at the air hostess in a worried manner along the lines of "I hate flying, I hate flying, I'm just warning you, I hate flying"...

Me and this other guy, observing this, turned and said "Jesus Christ, I've been flying for the last 36 hours". I was in the same position.

Was it a bit like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0GW0Vnr9Yc

ejmaztec

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Thing about having a scary moment on a flight is if the incident is accompanied with a hysterical scream from some panicky person it makes it all the more scary. I hate that sh!t.

I have to restrain myself from running along the aisle screaming "we're all gonna die!", just to trigger off the ones trembling in their seats.

Trhiggy83

I have a few stories,
I was in shannon a few years back and we were flying to glasgow on a ryanair flight and the doors were closed by the air hostesses for take off. There was then some loud banging on the back door immiediately afterwards.

The air hostess opened the rear door and a maintenance guy started shouting at her in front of everyone as the plane had not been refeuled

He went up and reported her to the captain.

Another one for you
Only last friday i was getting off a ryanair flight and got out at the front exit. The pilots door was open when i was passing and i had a look in. Im not joking he was sitting there looking through a copy of nuts magazine. He looked about 30 so may have not been the main pilot but i had a picture in my head of him looking through it at 33000 feet as well. I was thinking at least we are in the care of true professionals

dx22

We were about to land in Knock airport once, summers days clear blue skies and then there was a really loud bang and the plane completely lit up, plane start to ascent again and the pilot said we were hit by lighting and could not land in knock as the didnt have the right (emergency?) equipment there. Plane had to fly back to dublin. A 3.5 hour bus trip back to knock. I always thought that lighting strikes should not interfere with a flight?? Everyone calm about it tho

Another time landing in knock in a storm in an aer arann prop plane very scary as plane landed sideways on the runway. Captain came on intercom and said sorry for the rough landing and surprisingly admitted it was one of the toughest landings he had ever done

amen

About seven years ago B737 from Dallas to Cincinatti mid week. Approx 20 passengers on the plane, super fast take off/climb out as plane empty but then bang right into a storm. Horrific turbulence for about 1 hour after take off. No service and cabin crew seated and strapped in the whole time. Eventually climbed into cloudless skies at 40,000 (about 1,000 below max altitude for B 737). First time I was so high in plane. Coming into Cincinatti pilot said it would be bumpy and it was a little bit not bad crossed the runway threshold all fine and just as wheels touched down the plane flipped down on the left hand side and you felt like you were going to tip over then 1-2 seconds later we were level and fine. Scary though.

iPlop

dx22 wrote: »

Another time landing in knock in a storm in an aer arann prop plane very scary as plane landed sideways on the runway. Captain came on intercom and said sorry for the rough landing and surprisingly admitted it was one of the toughest landings he had ever done

That's a crosswind and is standard crosswind landing (sideways)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljOxo0s33sI

Sky King

Depends on the plane. The 'wing down' method allows you to fly with the nose pointed directly at the runway, 'slipping' into the wind. Both can be done with light aircraft. Haven't a clue what's standard practice with a large one or not though.

Berty

Commoner Irish people who go on their holidays to Package holiday hell like to clap when the plane lands.

Fvcking proletariat :rolleyes:

iPlop

Berty wrote: »

Commoner Irish people who go on their holidays to Package holiday hell like to clap when the plane lands.

Fvcking proletariat :rolleyes:

THAT has to be the most annoying thing ever ,so bloody retarded.Id say the cabin crew just cringe when it happens

ejmaztec

Sink The Banana wrote: »

THAT has to be the most annoying thing ever ,so bloody retarded.Id say the cabin crew just cringe when it happens

You know that you've avoided death somewhere en-route when the crew clap after the plane's landed.