Three years ago I was flying out of Newark Liberty Airport on an American Airlines flight. Being a Platinum frequent flier member, whenever a first class seat wasn’t available to me I would always go to the rear seats in the plane. I usually found that there was more room in that portion of the plane since most people don’t want to be the last off the plane.
As the plane began to taxi out of the gate, I noticed that there was a constant drip from above my head that was draining onto my jacket. Since it wasn’t too bad, I decided that I could just move one seat to my right which placed me against the bulkhead.
We continued to taxi to the runway and the drip appeared to stop. As the pilot increased power, however, the drip became a waterfall and much to my surprise I was suddenly showered with ice cold water that soaked not only me but the two seats that were empty to my left. The flight attendant in the back of the airplane noticed my dilemma, and after we got off the ground she immediately brought me paper towels so that I could at least attempt to dry my hair and face. But as my clothes were soaking wet, I was forced to sit in them until I arrived at DFW where my wife picked me up. The two of us laughed all the way back to our house over the unexpected shower that I received compliments of American Airlines.
- M. Watts
Tagged as:
american airlines,
leaks
My family and I were in the back of a plane in a full cabin-width set of seats in one of those box car with wings puddle jumpers. We were in Charlottesville, VA in the middle of the summer, and the relative humidity was probably over 90%.
The plane was pretty much loaded but the boarding door was still open. They thankfully started up the plane’s A/C system and this caused a cloud of condensation to start pouring out of the system’s vents, starting at the back of the plane.
My older boy, about 5 years old at the time, observed the phenomenon and in a loud, clear voice stated “Look, Dad, smoke!”
An entire plane load of passengers and crew slowly, deliberately and simultaneously turned around to look towards the back of the aircraft. A seasoned Hollywood director couldn’t have choreographed it better.
Everyone relaxed when they realized the source of my boy’s comment, but it was a moment.
Tagged as:
children & babies,
puddle jumper
I was flying home on a red-eye United flight from Honolulu to San Francisco. My inter-island connecting flight from Kauai on Go! Airlines was late and I barely made it to the gate on time after a mad dash from one end of the airport to the other. The flight was fully booked and the agent was just about to give my seat to someone on stand-by. Even though I lost my reserved aisle seat for a center seat in a row of 5, I was relieved simply to have made the flight.
As I made my way to my seat, I discovered a woman sitting in my seat with her baby and husband occupying the seats next to her. I indicated that she was in my seat and she proceeded to argue with me that she was also assigned my seat. I held up my boarding pass showing the assigned seat and she continued to insist that I couldn’t possibly have that seat. When I asked to see her boarding pass, she finally relented. It was obvious she was trying to scam her way into securing an extra seat so her baby wouldn’t have to sit on her lap the whole flight.
I tried to keep civil with this liar as I took my seat. However, it became more challenging after she then announced to me that her baby’s legs would need to stretch out into my space as she nursed. Normally, I don’t have any problem accommodating someone, but for her to seek my favor after her thoughtless and selfish behavior a moment earlier was particularly nervy. I contemplated telling her to pound salt and to switch seats with her husband, but decided not to stoop to her level. I did, however, stretch my legs fully along her side as I napped during the flight.
Tagged as:
children & babies,
go airlines
This isn’t a flight from hell, more like a screening from hell. Two friends and I went to China for a sightseeing vacation. This was 2004, so I didn’t bring my expensive digital camera, just my regular film camera. I put 7 rolls of film in a clear zip-lock baggie and in my pocket. At the Beijing airport security, the alarm went off and I showed them my film. No problem at all. The Chinese lady pulled out her gloves and did a quick hand inspection and realized it was film and off I went. Same thing in Tokyo’s Narita airport. The screener guy saw the film, on went the gloves and off to the plane I went. Last leg was from Hawaii to Phoenix. The conversation went like this:
Screener – “We’d like to run that through the X-ray.”
Me – “It’s film. You’ll ruin it.”
Screener – “It should be OK.” (Note, this was the most unconvincing use of the word “should.”)
Me – “Can I have a hand inspection?”
Screener – “We’d really like to run that through the X-ray.”
Me – “Hand inspection.” Screener calls for a supervisor.
Supervisor – “What film speed is it?”
Me – (lie) “800.”
Supervisor – “I’m pretty sure it’ll be OK.”
Me – “Hand inspection please,” and I pointed to the sign which states that they’ll do a hand inspection if requested for film. Finally, they agreed to do a hand inspection and low and behold, it was film. Seriously though, you’d think that in Hawaii, in the ultratourist place, they’d be a bit more accommodating. All it takes is a minor miscalibration of that X-ray and it can damage all film.
Tagged as:
airport,
security
