Apology For Creating A Flight From Hell

December 11, 2009

in Food & Drink Stories

I fear that I may have been a passenger that accounted for fellow passengers experiencing a “flight from hell.” I had 11 hours to kill before my flight in Anchorage, Alaska with no car and a mile or more walk from the airport before I could find any place to hang out. I checked my baggage at the airport and made the walk into the nearest part of town where I rented a bicycle and rode around. I was new to the “legal” drinking age fraternity and decided to stop everywhere I passed for a drink. This grew quite boring and I soon returned to the airport where I ended up in the bar very near my gate with 4 hours before take-off. I sat and chatted with the bartender and some fellow drunks at the bar and wouldn’t you know I lost track of everything. I recall leaving the bar, then there is a large patch of darkness, followed by my searching for a barf-bag with no luck as the woman next to me (I have a window seat) was telling me I don’t look so good. Then comes another period of time that is a blank. I then recall waking up, head propped on the bathroom door sitting, fully clothed mind you, on the airplane toilet. I have no idea how long I had been there or what I had done. I opened the door only to see the passengers directly next to the lavatory looking at me in utter disgust. I then sat in my seat and promptly passed out.  This was merely a connecting flight to Houston from where I would then go to NYC.

I felt rather chipper after arriving in Houston and decided to have a smoothie. I was lacking many essential vitamins and minerals so I ordered the large, 32 ouncer. I drank it all the while waiting for my flight and feeling great, except for a slight hangover. Again I had a window seat, this time  next to a woman and her 19 year old son. The plane began to taxi and that’s when it happened. Again I was told I don’t look well and again there was no barf bag. I conceded that I was fine and acted like I was continuing to drink my smoothie while gazing out the window. I had completely blocked the woman and her son from my face and popped the top off of my empty Styrofoam cup. I silently vomited into the cup filling it, but on my last silent heave something happened causing me for cough/vomit out my nose all over my shirt. The cup was full and the top back on it, but because we were taxiing I was unable to leave my seat. I promptly took my shirt off and cleaned myself off the best I could and put on a clean shirt I had thoughtfully brought in my carry-on. There was no mess and as far as I could tell, no smell from my 32 oz of vomit sitting at my feet. I again passed out and woke up at the end of the flight, but I cannot help but to think that I contributed to someone having a terrible flight. I apologize to anyone whom I offended and pray that I am not unknowingly on a “no-fly” list. I’m a nice, polite, handsome young man, but I know I drank too much for everyone’s own good and want to share this tale with all so that it may never happen again. If you wish to drink while you travel, take a cruise or have someone drive you.

Regretful Dan (Flying is fun, just don’t be a jerk!)

{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }

Tim Spooner December 10, 2009 at 10:21 pm

Its a pity you were not mature enough to behave in a civilised way before you got on the plane. Do you think an explanation here in any way compensates for the stink and discomfort you caused to other people?

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Sabrina December 11, 2009 at 11:52 am

He apologized and you should give him credit for that. This is quite embarrassing and lets not pretend that we have not ALL been there at some point. yes, he made a poor choice in judgement but unlike all the other hell causers out there, he's the only one to come forward and take responsibililty for his mistake.

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Kad December 16, 2009 at 2:04 am

Well written. Nice apology. Accepted.

Tim, please go f*** yourself. I'll bet you complain at the slightest form of discomfort in a cattlecar at 30,000 feet and expect them to 'make it right'.

By his taking the time to think about it and 'come clean', Regretful Dan is displaying his knowledge of his mistake, his thoughts on the matter after it happened, and would likely be a much better single-serving friend in the future than you will ever be.

We were all young once, and while this isn't in and of itself an excuse or reason for bad things to happen, true wisdom comes from experience. RD will likely choose his libations more carefully for his next 50-60 years of potential flying time.

But thank you for putting on the ministers cap and deriding his apology. It must somehow make your life more meaningful. I can't imagine how though.

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Mr. Cooper July 17, 2010 at 5:11 pm

Kad, I prefer to stay above the fray but you are an absolute coward. You deride Tim for doing exactly what you are doing which is total hypocrisy and is ridiculous, but to tell him to go f*** himself is cowardice. I have no doubt that someone like you (a coward) would never say this to anyones face since you would probably have a chronically broken nose but somehow think it is alright to do since you are obviously hiding in your mommies basement and are safe because of the anonymity afforded by the internet. I have seen some of your comments on other subjects and thought that you were rather creepy but this comment solidifies my opinion that you are definitely of the lowest variety of scum.

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chris December 11, 2009 at 4:05 am

Get over yourself, Tim Spooner. Poster, your apology is accepted. It takes everyone a few years to learn how to drink (alcohol). Excellent self-control and good thinking in using the smoothy cup as a barf bag. Yes, you were in the wrong, but without your quick thinking and ingenuity, it could have been a lot worse for everyone.

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madachode December 11, 2009 at 4:24 am

next time stay home.

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ps December 11, 2009 at 5:22 am

Hey you overdid it and apologized. Case closed. I'm sure alot of folks who were "in training" have done the same.

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Paul December 11, 2009 at 6:53 am

Hey Tim…your a loser!

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Cam Tompkins December 11, 2009 at 8:04 am

Excellent! Love this guy. He needs to learn his limits but he sounds like fun!

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Josh December 11, 2009 at 10:53 am

Drinking in excess + flying is never a good idea 🙂

Lesson learned, eh?

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GMMR December 11, 2009 at 11:10 am

Sounds to me like a guy who was young and had too much time on his hands. When I was his age and in the same situation I would have done the same thing and learned the same lesson. As for you Tim I'm sure you have never done anything wrong in your life. It must be hard to be as perfect as you. It kind of sounds like one of Obama's learning situations.

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Jim December 11, 2009 at 11:43 am

Thanks for the apology….we all screw up time to time…and, hopefully we learn from our mistakes….it sounds like you did. If everyone were as conscientious, it would be a better place.

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Aaron December 12, 2009 at 4:26 am

Apology accepted. We all learn this lesson sometime.

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Glen December 12, 2009 at 6:37 am

Well, seems like you have learned your lesson. Apology accepted conditionally that is doesn't happen again.

As for Tim and Madachode, seems like you guys might be the passengers with bad attitudes that all of us other passengers have to deal with too!

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RJ December 16, 2009 at 7:34 am

Hey, he had the guts to get on here and apologize. Gotta respect that. (Just don't do that again! :))

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S.M. December 28, 2009 at 3:04 am

Been there, done that. I didn’t chuck on the plane or anything but years ago I did go to the airport after clubbing all night in Atlanta. My friends dumped me in front of the airport and I stumbled around pretty much asking everyone to point me in the right direction because I had like a 5 second attention span and couldn’t remember where I was going. Thank god I finally made my gate and passed out on the plane. I feel bad for the people that probably smelled the alcohol on me for the duration of the flight but thankfully I was at least passed out and hopefully not bothering the people around me too much. Everyone has been the Pain in the butt passenger at some point, some people just don’t want to admit it.

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Kris March 3, 2010 at 5:57 pm

wow. This is the first time i have seen anyone admit and apologize for creating a flight from hell. Bravo to you for apologizing. There are millions of people who should do the same as you, but unfortunately, don't. And (i know this was already said before) Tim, what about all the people who created flights from hell and DIDN'T apologize? c'mon. give this guy respect.

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Muzition June 18, 2010 at 1:44 pm

Well, at least you owned up to what you'd done wrong.

I've never had alcohol before or during a flight. I get nauseated enough as it is, and I think alcohol would make it worse.

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