Trapped on the plane waiting to take off, tell us your stories
Jun 18th, 2003, 01:26 PM
#21
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A reversed thing happend to us in 1999, we flew Air Canada from SF to Montreal with a layover in Toronto. Now I don't remember all details, somehow we landed late in Toronto, and the other plane was waiting for just 2 of us, what was really cool! We were running hoping to catch the plane, and the employees were shouting: don't worry, the plane will wait for you! Neat, huh?
Jun 18th, 2003, 02:04 PM
#22
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My angel mom, who was a terific travel agent in her time, made me promise to never fly on Aeroflot. Thank you Gardyloo for a great (and well written) story !
My trapped stories are not as horrific-just unusual. Delayed in Tucson for de-icing, 1 hour of touring Sky Harbor(PHX) because of gate changes,
4x on the plane,then off because of failure to pressurize the cabin in St. Thomas, a nine hour Paris flight-full cabin-and the movie breaks up inside the player and my personal fave: On a recent cross country flight the cabin crew cannot serve the last 10 rows due to turbulance. So we wait 90 mins locked in our seats.(Well anyone who stood up was told to "SIT DOWN!") Now mind you, the first 15 rows is dying to get to the bathroom after full cans of soda and drinks. So when the pilots give the all clear you can imagine the stampede to the bathroom, then the cabin crew insists on serving the last 10 rows, and blocks the aisle trapping the crowd in the back by the galley and bathrooms-'twas quite a scene..
R5
My trapped stories are not as horrific-just unusual. Delayed in Tucson for de-icing, 1 hour of touring Sky Harbor(PHX) because of gate changes,
4x on the plane,then off because of failure to pressurize the cabin in St. Thomas, a nine hour Paris flight-full cabin-and the movie breaks up inside the player and my personal fave: On a recent cross country flight the cabin crew cannot serve the last 10 rows due to turbulance. So we wait 90 mins locked in our seats.(Well anyone who stood up was told to "SIT DOWN!") Now mind you, the first 15 rows is dying to get to the bathroom after full cans of soda and drinks. So when the pilots give the all clear you can imagine the stampede to the bathroom, then the cabin crew insists on serving the last 10 rows, and blocks the aisle trapping the crowd in the back by the galley and bathrooms-'twas quite a scene..
R5
Jun 18th, 2003, 02:52 PM
#23
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This is no match for Gardyloo's or Diana's experiences. It is the most disorganized flight I've been on. It occurred in summer 1999 on a flight out of O'Hare. American Airlines was testing Y2K computer compliant software when their system crashed and lost all seat assignments for our flight. Gate agents double-assigned seats. There was such a long delay and so much confusion that passengers finally were told to board and sit in what they thought were their assigned seats.
More confusion on board as passengers sought the same seats. One woman was ordered to move to a seat near the front of coach section away from her two preschool age children. "Fine," she shouted. "Let another passenger or the flight attendants care for them." She was quickly given the seat.
An obese man across the aisle from me kept begging for a seat belt extender to no avail. He finally got up and screamed that the flight couldn't depart until he was secure. Another passenger, an extremely non-assertive woman, was still standing in the aisle as the plane was taxiing away from the gate. Flight attendants failed realized a passenger was standing until the plane was cleared take-off. Someone finally yelled at her to sit anywhere and buckle up. She sat down in a jump seat.
More confusion on board as passengers sought the same seats. One woman was ordered to move to a seat near the front of coach section away from her two preschool age children. "Fine," she shouted. "Let another passenger or the flight attendants care for them." She was quickly given the seat.
An obese man across the aisle from me kept begging for a seat belt extender to no avail. He finally got up and screamed that the flight couldn't depart until he was secure. Another passenger, an extremely non-assertive woman, was still standing in the aisle as the plane was taxiing away from the gate. Flight attendants failed realized a passenger was standing until the plane was cleared take-off. Someone finally yelled at her to sit anywhere and buckle up. She sat down in a jump seat.
Jun 18th, 2003, 03:27 PM
#24
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gardyloo....its wonderful to come home to such a wonderfully told wacky adventure..thanks!
surely one of the best posts on fodors in ages.
on the other posts..why did i have to be reminded of circling airports? one of my biggest fears. it terrifies me for some reason..perhaps because
we circled london once for eternity, trapped up there due to who knows what....and by the time we got clearance to land...the pilot must have been as impatient as we were because we came down so fast we skidded violently sideways along the tarmac...and i was resigned then to not ever seeing the queen...so frightened was i....but id see "the king"
thank you elvis for that comfort.
surely one of the best posts on fodors in ages.
on the other posts..why did i have to be reminded of circling airports? one of my biggest fears. it terrifies me for some reason..perhaps because
we circled london once for eternity, trapped up there due to who knows what....and by the time we got clearance to land...the pilot must have been as impatient as we were because we came down so fast we skidded violently sideways along the tarmac...and i was resigned then to not ever seeing the queen...so frightened was i....but id see "the king"
thank you elvis for that comfort.
Jun 18th, 2003, 06:06 PM
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Ack! I just remembered the guy that had a diabetic coma/episode on a flight to Las Vegas one year. WE were in First but the flight attendants get that panicked "I am handling this" kind of look that makes everyone hop up and look to the back!
Then the co-pilot or whatever he is called went to the back!
When we landed, the ambulance guys came on first and took him off then we were allowed to get off of that plane!!!
Then the co-pilot or whatever he is called went to the back!
When we landed, the ambulance guys came on first and took him off then we were allowed to get off of that plane!!!
Jun 19th, 2003, 04:59 AM
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We were descending into Buffalo when all of a sudden the captain comes on and makes a panicked announcement that no one understands and the plane starts ascending back up. Suddenly, all the lights went out, the flight attendants look at each other and their faces turn white. They scurried to their seats and buckled up. The plane then circles the airport for over an hour. The captain never makes another announcement, and the flight attendants remained in their seats without checking on anyone. The plane was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Some people were praying (believe me, I was one of them) and no one was talking. Thankfully, the plane landed and there were fire trucks and ambulances waiting on the runway. We never found out what happened, but I always wondered if the landing gear was stuck.
Jun 19th, 2003, 06:30 AM
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Not on the same level, but here goes...
Returning from San Juan to Newark on American in Nov '01. This is 4 days after the American plane went down in NYC. Our plane was the same model that crashed, an Airbus 320 I believe.
Scheduled to leave around 5:30pm. Arrive at the airport hour & half or so before the flight and see that it is ontime. Wait in a very, very long check-in line, since no curbside check-in, for about 45 minutes. In those 45 minutes, the flight went from ontime to delayed about 90 minutes. No big deal... we check in and go to our gate. As we get there, people are crowded around the gate counter. We are delayed some more but no details are given.
Finally told that the plane needs to be inspected and is coming in from the DR. Meal vouchers are handed out, but they tell us not to go far, to wait for more info. After about 10 people getting vouchers (we were first or second to get them), they stop and say that the plane won't be coming from the DR anytime soon. Now, I didn't mind about the inspection, but I was annoyed that a) they didn't find it necessary to inspect all of the planes right after the accident and b) it wasn't scheduled in a more orderly manner, especially since they didn't feel the need to immediatley inspect them. But whatever.
So just after we got our vouchers, they stopped handing them out. But we had already gotten out of line. Just then they announce the plane isn't coming, and that they are trying to book people on other flights to the NY area. So I have to get to the back of the line and obviously miss the few seats that werer available.
For everyone else that didn't make it, they said they were securing a replacement plane. However, there was still a problem... by the time the plane would be ready, the flight crew could not work it legally becuase it went over the # of hours a day they could work. So a new crew had to be obtained (not sure how that got resovled).
We finally leave around 10:30 (about the time we were supposed to arrive) and are told we are flying to JFK and will be bused to Newark, and that our bags are already there b/c they came in on an earlier flight... an AA agent would be there to help us. We land around 2:00am, agent is there but has no idea what's going on or where our bags are. Finally learn that they are in another terminal. So we have to walk outside through construction to get our bags that are in a security office. A guard is there as we overrun him and take over the area. Then we have to walk back outside through the construction again to get to our bus that will take us to Newark. Wait about 20 minutes on the bus and finally arrive in Newark around 3:30am. Home around 4am.
Oh, we were able to get two sets of meal vouchers since I had to wait in line twice... $44 worth. However, since I had to wait in line so long, all of the sit down restaurants closed by the time we could use them. Options were Subway and McDondalds. So out of spite, we bought $22 worth of burgers, fries, nuggets, ice cream, and whatever else they had. And about $20 of Subway for the plane ride.
(wow, that was longer than I expected).
Returning from San Juan to Newark on American in Nov '01. This is 4 days after the American plane went down in NYC. Our plane was the same model that crashed, an Airbus 320 I believe.
Scheduled to leave around 5:30pm. Arrive at the airport hour & half or so before the flight and see that it is ontime. Wait in a very, very long check-in line, since no curbside check-in, for about 45 minutes. In those 45 minutes, the flight went from ontime to delayed about 90 minutes. No big deal... we check in and go to our gate. As we get there, people are crowded around the gate counter. We are delayed some more but no details are given.
Finally told that the plane needs to be inspected and is coming in from the DR. Meal vouchers are handed out, but they tell us not to go far, to wait for more info. After about 10 people getting vouchers (we were first or second to get them), they stop and say that the plane won't be coming from the DR anytime soon. Now, I didn't mind about the inspection, but I was annoyed that a) they didn't find it necessary to inspect all of the planes right after the accident and b) it wasn't scheduled in a more orderly manner, especially since they didn't feel the need to immediatley inspect them. But whatever.
So just after we got our vouchers, they stopped handing them out. But we had already gotten out of line. Just then they announce the plane isn't coming, and that they are trying to book people on other flights to the NY area. So I have to get to the back of the line and obviously miss the few seats that werer available.
For everyone else that didn't make it, they said they were securing a replacement plane. However, there was still a problem... by the time the plane would be ready, the flight crew could not work it legally becuase it went over the # of hours a day they could work. So a new crew had to be obtained (not sure how that got resovled).
We finally leave around 10:30 (about the time we were supposed to arrive) and are told we are flying to JFK and will be bused to Newark, and that our bags are already there b/c they came in on an earlier flight... an AA agent would be there to help us. We land around 2:00am, agent is there but has no idea what's going on or where our bags are. Finally learn that they are in another terminal. So we have to walk outside through construction to get our bags that are in a security office. A guard is there as we overrun him and take over the area. Then we have to walk back outside through the construction again to get to our bus that will take us to Newark. Wait about 20 minutes on the bus and finally arrive in Newark around 3:30am. Home around 4am.
Oh, we were able to get two sets of meal vouchers since I had to wait in line twice... $44 worth. However, since I had to wait in line so long, all of the sit down restaurants closed by the time we could use them. Options were Subway and McDondalds. So out of spite, we bought $22 worth of burgers, fries, nuggets, ice cream, and whatever else they had. And about $20 of Subway for the plane ride.
(wow, that was longer than I expected).
Jun 19th, 2003, 06:51 AM
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A few years ago we were going from Newark to Halifax, NS. We waited in the plane on the tarmac for 4 (four) hours. The next day I came down with severe prostitis, -fever, pain, and difficulty in urinating, which subsided after a few days with antibiotics. When I got back home, I had to have a prostatectomy in a month. So sitting on a plane led to an operation. 
#39;(
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Jun 19th, 2003, 08:59 AM
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Almost forgot another story from when I was returning home from Puerto Rico again on TWA this time (what is it with me, Puerto Rico and failed airlines turning into horror stories I'm not sure.) But we were halfway into the 3 1/2 hour flight when we find there is a sick passenger on the plane and no doctor. The pilot, instead of landing at the nearest airport, decided to TURN AROUND and go back to San Juan, unload the passenger and his baggage and then we now had to refuel, and then head back. What should have been a 2pm arrival turned into a 11pm arrival! My father who was picking me up at the airport turned around, went home, and took a nap before getting me!
Jun 19th, 2003, 09:38 AM
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So you guys think you had it bad? You think that the fact that because of weather or mechanical problems, your ordeal was traumatic? Consider this...
In January 1982 a blizzard hit the DC area virtually shutting down the city and its airports. Once things began to move again and planes were taking off, one flight in particular was heading south full of vacationers. Despite their 2:15pm departure time, they managed to board around 2:45pm and because of "weather" did not push from the gate until 3:30pm. I'm sure these folks were moaning and complaining just like you folks. In an attempt to speed things up, the crew started the reverse thrusters to get them to the take-off point faster. The plane's captain decides to pull in close to the plane in front of them on the waiting area for take-off in order to quickly thaw the nose cone and front area by the front plane's exhaust. Switching on the engine de-icing apparatus would have delayed the plane further and by now it was approaching 4 o'clock. There were plenty of grumpy passengers, just like you folks. Eventually the plane took off around 4pm only to plunge into the 14th Street Bridge and ultimately into the freezing Potomac River. There were 5 survivors among the 80 or so passengers. This was Air Florida Flight 90 and I remember it well. From that day on, I take weather and mechanical related delays in stride knowing that the flight crew is doing their best to get me there safely and not succumbing to the whines and wants of the 'me-first' mentality that many people have these days. I'd much rather miss a connection than die in a fiery crash because some pilot and passenger wanted to get somewhere quick.
In January 1982 a blizzard hit the DC area virtually shutting down the city and its airports. Once things began to move again and planes were taking off, one flight in particular was heading south full of vacationers. Despite their 2:15pm departure time, they managed to board around 2:45pm and because of "weather" did not push from the gate until 3:30pm. I'm sure these folks were moaning and complaining just like you folks. In an attempt to speed things up, the crew started the reverse thrusters to get them to the take-off point faster. The plane's captain decides to pull in close to the plane in front of them on the waiting area for take-off in order to quickly thaw the nose cone and front area by the front plane's exhaust. Switching on the engine de-icing apparatus would have delayed the plane further and by now it was approaching 4 o'clock. There were plenty of grumpy passengers, just like you folks. Eventually the plane took off around 4pm only to plunge into the 14th Street Bridge and ultimately into the freezing Potomac River. There were 5 survivors among the 80 or so passengers. This was Air Florida Flight 90 and I remember it well. From that day on, I take weather and mechanical related delays in stride knowing that the flight crew is doing their best to get me there safely and not succumbing to the whines and wants of the 'me-first' mentality that many people have these days. I'd much rather miss a connection than die in a fiery crash because some pilot and passenger wanted to get somewhere quick.
Jun 19th, 2003, 09:53 AM
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This story is the opposite of all the others..... In 1991 on the return leg of a trip to Miami on Pan Am, sitting on the tarmac, 25th or so in line to take off, we were suddenly bumped to 3rd in line to take off. Seems the control tower was afraid that if we were on the ground too long, Pan Am may have ceased operations and they would have to deal with returning all those planes back to the terminal, so they bumped all the Pan Am flights to the head of the line to get them airborn. Once airborn, they would have to finish the flight, even if Pan Am ceased operations. Turns out that Pan Am lasted about two more days after that before they shut down.
