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?

Loose Lipped Flight Attendant

January 12, 2014 Attendant & Pilot Stories

I fly US Airways Munich-Philadelphia about three times a year. My last flight involved a flight attendant who greeted me, my husband and our 18-month old toddler with, “Oh no, a baby? You gotta be kidding me!”

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Couple Beleaguered by Multiple Cancellations

January 10, 2014 Delay/Cancellation Stories

Dear Delta, We do understand the weather situation. However, our problems originated from technical faults of your airline. The cancellation of flight KL6104 due to technical faults was the catalyst for the myriad of problems that resulted, which included four preceding flights that were cancelled at the last minute with little or no explanation, leaving us […]

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Traveler Burdened with a Broken Leg

January 1, 2014 Passenger Stories

After breaking my lower leg on a trip to San Diego, I was placed in a non-weight bearing cast and given crutches. I returned to Milwaukee 4 days later and had to transfer in Chicago. The little plane had lots of stairs to climb and I had to carry a legal sized carry-on bag and […]

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Request to Hold Baby Rankles Mom

December 22, 2013 Baby & Kid Stories

I was flying with my three month old son. He was strapped to me in a sling as I read a magazine in my middle seat. I had booked the seat beside me for him in case either one of us needed some space. About forty minutes into the flight, a child and her dad […]

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Crotchety Fraus Trouble Traveler

December 20, 2013 Senior Stories

This happened on a flight from MUC to IAD last year on Lufthansa. Before boarding the plane, my wife and I hoped to use up some of our spare expiring miles to buy some duty-free booze. We asked a young lady who worked there and spoke good English if they took miles and she said […]

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Feuding Sisters Fight on Flight

December 11, 2013 Passenger Stories

During the “air traffic chaos” in Brazil around 2007-20008, people released their worst instincts and behaviors instead of keeping a cool head to allow things to be sorted out. It was a time that I traveled a lot and every time I came back home I had some story to tell.

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Flight Attendant Relates Some Crazy Requests

December 7, 2013 Passenger Stories

As a flight attendant, I have heard some crazy requests. Recently on a transcontinental flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, I had a passenger press his call button. After approaching, he demanded that I find the “farter” and make them stop.

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Disgusted with Delta

December 4, 2013 Delay/Cancellation Stories

We decided to fly my family out of DEN to MEM on a direct flight the week before Thanksgiving so my young daughters could spend more time with Gma and Gpa, and my wife could visit her brothers for a week. I had to work and stay behind.

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Psycho Biatch

December 1, 2013 Passenger Stories

I flew with my husband, our then three year old and four of our best friends from JFK to Rhodes several years ago. We were all split up as we booked them rather last minute. In fact, the only two together were taken by my son, and alternatively by my husband and me, five hours […]

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Kind Passenger Shafted for Switching Seats

November 29, 2013 Seat Stories

Many years ago (15) I was on the Paris to Washington DC flight on an airline I forgot. I seated myself on an aisle seat; a Vietnamese woman and her child were seated next to me.  She was chatting with her husband who was seated behind me. The husband approached me and said that he […]

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Traveler Arrested for “Terrorist Threat”

November 26, 2013 Airport Stories

I was supposed to fly on Hawaiian Airlines today, November 18th, 2013 in Oahu, Honolulu. We were in line to check in our bags. Normally I can carry two carry-ons. The airline agent said only one was allowed and to read the sign. I asked to speak to someone else; she kept telling me to […]

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Bumped on Head for Blocking Lane

November 25, 2013 Airport Stories

I was on my way home from Florida, going through security at FLL. Like at most airports, the area the line goes through right by the X-ray machines is very narrow. A woman decided to stop right there and put her shoes back on, blocking the rest of the line from getting through.

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