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?

Stuck On A Plane Without A/C In August

September 16, 2010 Delay/Cancellation Stories

The August before last I flew Air Canada from Toronto to Tokyo for work. I fly intercontinental quite often so I’m used to delays and minor problems but this trip was something else entirely. Things started out bad from the start. While waiting to board I noticed that my designated boarding time came and went […]

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Extreme Turbulence While In A 12 Seater Plane

September 15, 2010 Airplane Stories

My dad and I flew from Denver to Farmington, NM on what can only be described as a crop duster back in 2007. When we got to the gate in Denver, which was our connection airport, the gate had been changed on us, twice. Once we finally got to the plane they told us we […]

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Snarked At By Security

September 14, 2010 Airport Stories

Back in 2005 I had to take an emergency flight back home to California when my father died. I know that last minute bookings get a special code for extra screening. I had my purse and my laptop with me, and in the laptop bag I shoved my CD player and a couple of books. […]

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Stomach Contents Soil Clothes

September 13, 2010 Baby & Kid Stories

The year was 1987 and I was flying from Lynchburg, VA to LaGuardia. I was flying on Piedmont Airlines and the flight from Lynchburg was on a Dash 8 to Baltimore with a quick stop in Charlottesville, VA. In Charlottesville a family of three (Dad, Mom, 11 year old son) boarded the plane. I was […]

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The Gift

September 12, 2010 Delay/Cancellation Stories

Airplane travel, at one time adventurous, has now, more often than not, become an adventure. Fifty years ago, well dressed passengers in propeller driven planes flew close enough to the ground to enjoy a panoramic view “of purple mountains’ majesty above the fruited plains.” The earth below was close enough that, through the airplane’s window, […]

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Shocked Over Seat Separation

September 11, 2010 Seat Stories

You blame the parents and kids but sometimes the airlines bring it down on everyone. Our family of four was heading to Disney, including a seven year old boy in an full arm cast and a three year old daughter. The airlines gave us 4 different seats all over the plane, despite our attempts to […]

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Frequent Flier Is Fed Up

September 9, 2010 Delay/Cancellation Stories

OK, this just happened over the last 3 days so I’ll write it while it’s fresh in my mind. I was flying back home after spending 7 days in Europe for business. I make it to the airport (way early as usual as I get nervous if I cut it too short) and sit in boredom […]

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All I Want For Christmas Is To Make It Home

September 8, 2010 Passenger Stories

I think it was 1999. I was living in Virginia at the time and the week before Christmas I had to travel to Los Angeles for some business. I had traveled from Greensboro, NC which was only about 90 minutes from home, and US Air had an easy connection through Charlotte to get me to […]

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Head Case Harangues Passenger

September 7, 2010 Passenger Stories

My husband and I were flying nonstop JFK to SFO on a wide body with a 3-4-3 configuration. Because of our frequent flier statuses, we were able to get exit row seats at the front of coach, to the side and by the bulkhead. Our row had only two seats in it because of the exit […]

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Flight Attendant Wins A Test Of Wills

September 6, 2010 Attendant & Pilot Stories

Flying from ATL to DTW early one morning, the flight wasn’t full so there was plenty of overhead space for carry-on bags for a change! I’m on the aisle and see this woman struggling to get down the aisle with what appeared to be MORE than her share of bags. Her suitcase wasn’t even making […]

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Wackadoo Whacks Passenger

September 2, 2010 Weird People Stories

My husband and I were flying from Boston to West Palm Beach. The seats across the aisle were empty. At one point more than half way into the flight a woman came and sat in the aisle seat next to my husband. She was clearly off of her meds – scratching her head, moving irrationally, […]

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Shook Up Over Shakedown

September 1, 2010 Airport Stories

OK I am waiting for my flight in the Indira Gandhi National Airport in the capital city of India. There were four of us all in our early 2os. So we are waiting for our flight, tired and bored. This guy from Air India comes up to us and tells us that our luggage has exceeded the […]

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