Flights From Hell flies you into the crazy skies with stories about the adventures and anxieties of airplane travel.
Commercial airline travel takes us far, far out of our comfort zone. We're herded into cylinders that zip hundreds of miles per hour at 30,000 feet, subjected to security screenings, confronted with delays and lost luggage, rushed to catch connecting flights, constrained to small seats, scrunched up with strangers, and surrounded by pathogens. Is it any wonder we end up becoming a bundle of raw nerves by journey's end?
I should have known better. The morning started out all too smoothly: There was no traffic on the way to the airport, there was a rare parking spot nearby, and security checks were surprisingly quick. My flight to New York was scheduled for 10:00 a.m., and I felt confident. But as any experienced traveler knows, when things go too well, disaster is often lurking just around the corner.
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If this isn’t a flight from hell, I don’t know what it is. We returned, or I should say, we attempted to return, from Maui to Phoenix on flight AA 645 on June 13th, 2024 at 9:26 p.m. We taxied and stopped in our tracks for 45 minutes or so. As we flew first class in the front seat, we couldn’t hear the commotion in the back.
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I was on an AirAsia flight from Indonesia to Kuala Lumpur with my father. It was a very short one hour flight that I usually consider as a chance to nap. Moreover, the seat next to me was empty so I considered it extra arm room. I couldn’t nap.
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British Airways (BA) is not famed for its good service, but this time they outdid themselves.
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Living in South Dakota, I totally understand that the weather can cause travel issues. I also completely get that when extreme weather happens, it is beyond anyone’s control. This is not a story complaining about a simple weather issue. My anger is about being lied to, and the airline condoning dishonesty with their staff.
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My profession requires frequent air travel. Perhaps ironically, my most recent travel “experience” was specifically for the purpose of meeting with officials at the FAA (though on the topic of exo-atmospheric transportation between points on the globe, as opposed to now ubiquitous airline travel).
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Loss of Cocktail Service in First Class
February 10, 2019 Flying Hell CommentaryI am a frequent flyer on most major airlines traveling for business and personal reasons. As a VIP member on most airlines, I am finding it more and more difficult to receive appropriate service in business and first class.