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| A death, a birth, and a blind child flying solo – your most eventful flights | A death, a birth, and a blind child flying solo – your most eventful flights |
| (4 months later) | |
| Most people have a flight that they remember, whether for good or ill. Perhaps the person sat next to you had no sense of personal space, or maybe you were bumped up to premium economy (does anyone get moved up to first any more?). | Most people have a flight that they remember, whether for good or ill. Perhaps the person sat next to you had no sense of personal space, or maybe you were bumped up to premium economy (does anyone get moved up to first any more?). |
| However, for some, the flights that stay with them are much more dramatic . As the world’s attention was captured this week by a lovelorn hijacker with a fake suicide belt (a story made all the more surreal by a Brit who asked the hijacker for a “selfie”), we asked you to tell us about your most action-packed flights. | However, for some, the flights that stay with them are much more dramatic . As the world’s attention was captured this week by a lovelorn hijacker with a fake suicide belt (a story made all the more surreal by a Brit who asked the hijacker for a “selfie”), we asked you to tell us about your most action-packed flights. |
| So buckle up for an eventful ride, here’s what you told us: | So buckle up for an eventful ride, here’s what you told us: |
| ‘A man yanked at the emergency exit – it was terrfying’ | ‘A man yanked at the emergency exit – it was terrfying’ |
| We were on the runway starting to take off and the stewardess was going through her safety flight talk to everyone, when a man four aisles back from me jumped over those four rows of seats and started yanking on the emergency exit door. People started screaming but the stewardess did nothing. Then the man went back and sat down. I don’t know how my hair didn’t turn white over that incident. That’s the last time I have been on an airplane. Having someone try to open an emergency exit door like that made me realise that I never want to be locked up with in a small area with strangers ever again. Anonymous, 63 from Louisiana | We were on the runway starting to take off and the stewardess was going through her safety flight talk to everyone, when a man four aisles back from me jumped over those four rows of seats and started yanking on the emergency exit door. People started screaming but the stewardess did nothing. Then the man went back and sat down. I don’t know how my hair didn’t turn white over that incident. That’s the last time I have been on an airplane. Having someone try to open an emergency exit door like that made me realise that I never want to be locked up with in a small area with strangers ever again. Anonymous, 63 from Louisiana |
| ‘The innocence of a blind girl I sat next to stayed with me’ | ‘The innocence of a blind girl I sat next to stayed with me’ |
| I was on a day trip to Los Angeles for business in 1998. I was asked, just before boarding, if I could look after a blind six-year-old girl who was travelling alone. I do not know why they selected me for the task, but I agreed. We sat together by the front exit door for the one-hour flight. She was very brave and I described aloud everything that was happening around us. I held her hand. It was a moment of innocence that has stayed with me. She must be all grown-up by now. Guy McNally, 65 from California | I was on a day trip to Los Angeles for business in 1998. I was asked, just before boarding, if I could look after a blind six-year-old girl who was travelling alone. I do not know why they selected me for the task, but I agreed. We sat together by the front exit door for the one-hour flight. She was very brave and I described aloud everything that was happening around us. I held her hand. It was a moment of innocence that has stayed with me. She must be all grown-up by now. Guy McNally, 65 from California |
| ‘When we touched down the flight lurched off the runway’ | ‘When we touched down the flight lurched off the runway’ |
| In 2002, I left my job to travel in Australia and New Zealand. I flew to Perth, arriving at about 1am. The flight over was magical but the landing was terrifying. Without warning, as we touched down, the plane lurched violently to port and off the runway. The pilot revved the engines, and threw the plane back into the air. I had experienced a “touch and go”, not that I knew what it was at the time. We circled Perth – still magical – and landed at the second attempt to a round of applause from the passengers. Below is a photo of Perth at night, taken from Kings Park a couple of days into my stay. Tom Reid, 50 from Canterbury | In 2002, I left my job to travel in Australia and New Zealand. I flew to Perth, arriving at about 1am. The flight over was magical but the landing was terrifying. Without warning, as we touched down, the plane lurched violently to port and off the runway. The pilot revved the engines, and threw the plane back into the air. I had experienced a “touch and go”, not that I knew what it was at the time. We circled Perth – still magical – and landed at the second attempt to a round of applause from the passengers. Below is a photo of Perth at night, taken from Kings Park a couple of days into my stay. Tom Reid, 50 from Canterbury |
| ‘A 24-hour stomach bug decided to hit on a 24-hour flight’ | ‘A 24-hour stomach bug decided to hit on a 24-hour flight’ |
| Travelling from Toronto to Sydney (with a two- and a one-year-old in toe) my stomach felt a bit jittery; I put it down to pre-long-haul flight nerves. It wasn’t nerves. It was the feeling of hell brewing up inside my stomach preparing its violent exit. Not 30 minutes out of Toronto I felt a little nauseous and casually picked up the paper bag in the seat pocket. I filled it right up with vomit. I lost count of the number of hurls and runs to the toilet that ensued enroute in the 14.5 hours to Sydney. Nothing stayed down. Not ginger ale, not water, not plain old ice. I vomited in the paper bags, in the toilet, in cups, plastic bags. Plain bad luck that a 24-hour stomach bug decided to hit on a 24-hour flight. Anonymous, 35 from Toronto, Canada | Travelling from Toronto to Sydney (with a two- and a one-year-old in toe) my stomach felt a bit jittery; I put it down to pre-long-haul flight nerves. It wasn’t nerves. It was the feeling of hell brewing up inside my stomach preparing its violent exit. Not 30 minutes out of Toronto I felt a little nauseous and casually picked up the paper bag in the seat pocket. I filled it right up with vomit. I lost count of the number of hurls and runs to the toilet that ensued enroute in the 14.5 hours to Sydney. Nothing stayed down. Not ginger ale, not water, not plain old ice. I vomited in the paper bags, in the toilet, in cups, plastic bags. Plain bad luck that a 24-hour stomach bug decided to hit on a 24-hour flight. Anonymous, 35 from Toronto, Canada |
| ‘My plane had to emergency land in Bermuda’ | ‘My plane had to emergency land in Bermuda’ |
| It was 1976 and I was on an overnight flight with British Airways from Kingston, Jamaica to London with stops en route in Nassau and Bermuda, our final destination being London Heathrow. I was 15 at the time and travelling with my younger sister. | It was 1976 and I was on an overnight flight with British Airways from Kingston, Jamaica to London with stops en route in Nassau and Bermuda, our final destination being London Heathrow. I was 15 at the time and travelling with my younger sister. |
| The first lap of the journey was fine: our descent into Bermuda was bumpy but uneventful, and we disembarked and spent an hour or so in the transit lounge as the plane was refuelled. | The first lap of the journey was fine: our descent into Bermuda was bumpy but uneventful, and we disembarked and spent an hour or so in the transit lounge as the plane was refuelled. |
| When we got back on board we were in the air for some time (notably not yet at cruising altitude, the seatbelt sign had still not come off) when the captain told us that the plane’s front wheel had not retracted immediately after take-off as it was supposed to and they were unsure of its stability. We would be returning for an emergency landing in Bermuda within two hours. | When we got back on board we were in the air for some time (notably not yet at cruising altitude, the seatbelt sign had still not come off) when the captain told us that the plane’s front wheel had not retracted immediately after take-off as it was supposed to and they were unsure of its stability. We would be returning for an emergency landing in Bermuda within two hours. |
| When the pilot eventually informed us that we were commencing our descent into Bermuda the tension on board was palpable. We gripped our armrests and waited. When the nose-wheel gently touched down and we knew we were safe, the whole plane erupted in spontaneous applause. Trevor Martin, 55, a Brit in San Francisco | When the pilot eventually informed us that we were commencing our descent into Bermuda the tension on board was palpable. We gripped our armrests and waited. When the nose-wheel gently touched down and we knew we were safe, the whole plane erupted in spontaneous applause. Trevor Martin, 55, a Brit in San Francisco |
| ‘A fortunate turn of events meant I flew first class for free’ | ‘A fortunate turn of events meant I flew first class for free’ |
| I was flying for work and had booked a business class seat. I found myself seated next to a lady whose husband was standing in the aisle talking to her; his seat was obviously somewhere else. I offered to swap seats with him and, while his wife seemed happy with that, he was less keen. When he pointed me to his seat in first class I understood why. He could not really disappoint his other half, so I found myself pampered in first while he enjoyed his wife’s company. Flying first is really nice, especially if you don’t have to pay for the privilege. Anonymous, 62 from Swindon, England | I was flying for work and had booked a business class seat. I found myself seated next to a lady whose husband was standing in the aisle talking to her; his seat was obviously somewhere else. I offered to swap seats with him and, while his wife seemed happy with that, he was less keen. When he pointed me to his seat in first class I understood why. He could not really disappoint his other half, so I found myself pampered in first while he enjoyed his wife’s company. Flying first is really nice, especially if you don’t have to pay for the privilege. Anonymous, 62 from Swindon, England |
| ‘A woman went into labour – I was the only doctor’ | ‘A woman went into labour – I was the only doctor’ |
| On the way to Sydney, via Singapore, about an hour out of London the call for a doctor on board went out and, as I had already mentioned my job to the passenger sitting beside me, I couldn’t even think of hiding. | On the way to Sydney, via Singapore, about an hour out of London the call for a doctor on board went out and, as I had already mentioned my job to the passenger sitting beside me, I couldn’t even think of hiding. |
| It was for a young lady who told me she was 34 weeks pregnant and had just developed tummy pains. Her description of this was a bit vague, and it wasn’t really possible to examine her properly in her seat so I couldn’t be sure if she was in labour. The steward asked me did I want us to land in Copenhagen I said no, everything would be OK. Returning to my seat I felt a sense of dread – surely I’d made the wrong call? It was too late now. There was no way I could change my mind. Three hours later they came to get me again. Now there was no doubt: she was in labour. | It was for a young lady who told me she was 34 weeks pregnant and had just developed tummy pains. Her description of this was a bit vague, and it wasn’t really possible to examine her properly in her seat so I couldn’t be sure if she was in labour. The steward asked me did I want us to land in Copenhagen I said no, everything would be OK. Returning to my seat I felt a sense of dread – surely I’d made the wrong call? It was too late now. There was no way I could change my mind. Three hours later they came to get me again. Now there was no doubt: she was in labour. |
| “Tell the Captain to land now” I told the steward. Minutes later the captain appeared. “Don’t you know there’s a war on?” he said (the first Gulf war had started the day before). “We are somewhere over northern Russia.” After some negotiation we decided it was best to just return to London. The labour progressed uneventfully with the delivery of a healthy baby boy, accompanied by plenty of Singapore Airlines hot towels and a bottle of champagne to toast the birth. | “Tell the Captain to land now” I told the steward. Minutes later the captain appeared. “Don’t you know there’s a war on?” he said (the first Gulf war had started the day before). “We are somewhere over northern Russia.” After some negotiation we decided it was best to just return to London. The labour progressed uneventfully with the delivery of a healthy baby boy, accompanied by plenty of Singapore Airlines hot towels and a bottle of champagne to toast the birth. |
| The captain made no announcement about the turn-back until we started our descent into London, with the great line “during the night our passenger complement has increased by one!” Michael O’Leary, 53 from Sydney | The captain made no announcement about the turn-back until we started our descent into London, with the great line “during the night our passenger complement has increased by one!” Michael O’Leary, 53 from Sydney |
| ‘A lady collapsed and was pronounced dead’ | ‘A lady collapsed and was pronounced dead’ |
| I’m travelling with a Catholic group to do charity work in Sri Lanka. When we are about to take off from Heathrow, an elderly lady sitting to my left is was traveling with her grandson collapses. A call goes out for medical help and one of my companions who is a doctor moves to help. Hail Mary’s and various prayers are said. | I’m travelling with a Catholic group to do charity work in Sri Lanka. When we are about to take off from Heathrow, an elderly lady sitting to my left is was traveling with her grandson collapses. A call goes out for medical help and one of my companions who is a doctor moves to help. Hail Mary’s and various prayers are said. |
| The lady is resuscitated and the plane erupts with cheering and clapping. Moments later the lady collapses again. This time they are unable to revive her and she is pronounced dead. It takes 20 minutes for the ambulance crew to arrive, which I find incredible for such a major airport. | The lady is resuscitated and the plane erupts with cheering and clapping. Moments later the lady collapses again. This time they are unable to revive her and she is pronounced dead. It takes 20 minutes for the ambulance crew to arrive, which I find incredible for such a major airport. |
| The lady and her distraught grandson are taken from the plane. The passengers are in a sombre mood as we finally take off an hour later. Looking back it was such a strange experience: one minute elated, the next horrified. Suzanne Pendleton, 41 from Manchester | The lady and her distraught grandson are taken from the plane. The passengers are in a sombre mood as we finally take off an hour later. Looking back it was such a strange experience: one minute elated, the next horrified. Suzanne Pendleton, 41 from Manchester |
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