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?

Woman In The Double Wide Wheelchair

March 16, 2010 Portly Stories

On one of my regular business trips between Detroit and Louisville, I suffered the unfortunate but occasional layover at Chicago’s Midway International (pre-renovation). It was typically a short stop with just enough time to pick up a magazine and stroll to the next gate. On that stroll, I saw something passing the other way that […]

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Furious About Fees

March 16, 2010 Luggage Stories

Recently I flew with my daughter from San Jose to Dallas. It was my 2 week vacation to my brother’s place. Not knowing that American Airlines was charging me for luggage, I ended up paying $30 for my 2 bags. I was furious but could not do anything at the last moment. I just could not […]

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Passenger Freaks Out During Flight

March 15, 2010 Passenger Stories

I’m surprised this one never showed up on the news! On February 22, 2010, on United Flight 651 from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport en route to San Diego, the flight was diverted to Las Vegas. Why? Because of one passenger displaying unique symptoms of mental distress that included screaming at the top of her lungs for […]

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Cheapskate Spends More

March 15, 2010 Delay/Cancellation Stories

I was going to New York from Fort Meyers, Florida, but I had to stop at West Palm Beach to change planes. However, the plane was delayed so we had to choose to take another plane for $40 more, or wait for the delayed plane to show up. I was too cheap to pay the […]

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Airlines – Microcosm of Society

March 14, 2010 Flying Hell Commentary

So, what did you think? You purchased a ticket to fly from point A to B. The expectation is that you’ll have a comfortable seat and arrive at your destination on time. I think for the most part, barring situations out of the airlines control, that is what you get. The trouble is… for the […]

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Little Angel’s Meltdown

March 14, 2010 Baby & Kid Stories

My worst kid-on-a-plane experience was with my own child. We (mom, dad, an 8-year-old and a 2-year-old) had just taken off from DFW on our last leg of a 6-flight trip when the meltdown began. It ended when the plane landed 2 hours later in Arizona. My 2-year-old cried, screamed, kicked, and threw things. The […]

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Interminable Lines And Other Misfortunes

March 14, 2010 Airport Stories

I had the wonderful experience of flying with a toddler recently. My daughter is well behaved, adorable (of course all parents say that!) and rather soft spoken. Our flights were great. The Orlando airport was not. Our flight to Orlando was one of the best I have ever had. We were hoping for the same […]

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Grossed Out By A Gargantuan Seatmate

March 12, 2010 Portly Stories

I was so beyond excited to go to Florida and see my grandparents. I got on the plane, found my seat, and sat down to enjoy the first leg of my flight. Everyone who has had an empty seat next to them knows this feeling. You’re watching the faces of every single person get on the […]

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Altercation With An A-Hole

March 11, 2010 Passenger Stories

A year or so ago as my family was taking our annual Hawaii trip, we ran into a fellow who was very very unfriendly. As we boarded the plane in Phoenix Sky Harbor, I thought it would be a relatively tame flight. I was wrong… Now my Dad is a good guy, but as far […]

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Seats Reclined For Eleven Hours Straight

March 11, 2010 Seat Stories

Last summer, my sister and I were part of a larger group of people who were heading to Egypt to do some missions work for a month. The first part of our trip was an 11 hour flight from LAX to Heathrow. Since the group didn’t book tickets together, we had picked two seats, one […]

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Return From Paris Is A Nightmare

March 10, 2010 Odds & Ends Stories

A while back, my wife (then my girlfriend) and I were in Paris on vacation. We had a wonderful time (even managed to get “bumped” to 1st class on the flight over the pond from MSP 10 days earlier). Well, we reported to CDG in plenty of time for our return flight to Detroit (MSP […]

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The Foul Foot

March 10, 2010 Odor Stories

On a flight a gentleman sat behind me. After being seated he took his sneakers off and wedged one of his feet in-between the seat in front of him (which was mine), and under my arm rest. The smell was enough to make me puke. I turned around and asked him to remove his foot, […]

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