“The Guide says there is an art to flying”, said Ford, “or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
― Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything
It’s taken me awhile, this time, to decide what I would write on for my Tuesday post on this FREE week. But an idea finally came to me yesterday morning! I might say, with only a day to spare. LOL!
This story begins with last month (September) when I took a flight to and from Louisiana. (Carrier names will remain anonymous, to protect the innocent) 🙂 I had a nice trip down and an enjoyable visit with my momma (who I will be moving up here to live near me).
On the flight back, we (onboard the flight) were all being happy little passengers, enjoying our trip when the loudspeaker came on and the pilot said, “Nothing to be alarmed about.” We all started to pay attention then!
Turns out there was a “minor malfunction” and we would be making an unplanned stop at the nearest airport to change planes.
O-K-A-Y.
He ended his communication with, “Again, there’s nothing to be alarmed about.”
I refused to allow myself to become alarmed because I knew God was with me (I take Him along with me everywhere I go.) And, as I consider myself a world traveler in training due to all the times and distances I’ve traveled in the air, I did not notice anything different in the mechanics or turbulence of the air flight itself. To my notice, nobody else became “alarmed” either.
I laughed about it when I told others of my experience because, as I said, “We were all just happy little passengers,” until the pilot told us, “Nothing to be alarmed about.” LOL!
I continued to think nothing about it until this month (October) I heard about an airplane with the SAME carrier who had a “minor” problem and needed to land unexpectedly. These travelers were not as fortunate as I was. Whereas they had a lengthy stay on the ground until they could board another plane, we had one waiting on us. We got off one and onto the other.
Because of these two instances of “minor” problems, in as many months, I have decided I will think twice before I board this carrier again.
Have you had any “like” travel experiences?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
Don’t get me started on my travel experiences, Janette … I wrote this one months ago regarding flying … https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/the-wind-beneath-my-wings/
There’s a very interesting program (I’d say it’s American) on tv which investigates airplane crashes … i make a mental note not to fly those airlines again, but I suppose I’d be grounded if I did.
Glad you survived your flight, though, and my heart goes out to the families who’s close ones didn’t.
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I hope I didn’t mislead you. None of the peeps on my flight died. The plane did not crash. Just had a “minor” malfunction and we switched planes. 🙂 My heart goes out to all who have been involved in crashes and their families, too. But you cannot not fly just because a plane crashes every now and then. It happens. You are more likely to die in an auto accident than you are in a plane crash.
Me? I’m spoiled by the speed of travel involved with flying. So I choose to fly when I can. 🙂
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I’ve flown in a variety of aircraft, including two helicopters.
on one of the last flights I took, there was a lot of turbulence and we were being flung around. If not for the seat belts, I feel sure I would have been thrown from the seat.
Haven’t flown for some dozen years and no longer have any desire to do so.
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I’ve been involved in turbulence, too. But that’s what those seatbelts are for. 🙂
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I actually enjoyed flying, although I have not done so in many years.Micki and I both wrote last year about having similar experiences on planes with faulty landing gear. I always worry when they tell me not to!
Once I was on a plane and we suddenly nose-dived.I grabbed my two sons,(who were very small) as everyone on board gasped.Thank Heaven, we leveled out very quickly.The pilot said afterward that nothing had happened, but a tower erroneously told him to get down.I never believed that for a second; I think we had a very close call.
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I may be naïve this time, Tonette 😉 but I think the pilot and crew keep their passengers up to date on whatever is going on. They want us to be prepared and work together in a worst case scenario. That’s what all the special equipment’s for that they show you and talk to you about before your flight. I don’t know why your pilot did not get on the intercom and tell you what was going on when it happened – or shortly thereafter.
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As I sai, he blamed the tower for misleading him but….since everything was alright, we’d never know exactly what happened….or could have.
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Set your imagination to rest,, Tonette. 🙂 something COULD or COULD have happened anywhere at anytime.
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I don’t like taking off and landing, but it’s a necessity of travel, so I do it. A bunch of years ago, I was flying to, let’s say the boondocks, on a smaller airline. One that had been union, but the union was striking and non-union pilots were flying. EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of that flight was filled with turbulence. I swore, if I ever got off that plane alive, I’d never fly when pilots were on strike again. We landed safely, and I haven’t. 🙂
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I’m sorry to hear you had such a bad experience, Laurie. I would wager most of the turbulence you felt on that “smaller airline” (what I call Puddle Jumpers) was more due to the size of the plane than to the pilot’s experience. I don’t like to fly on PJs for much the same reason. I would much rather fly on a big jetliner for their comfort and stability.
There might be a good reason you don’t like taking off and landing. Those are the two most dangerous parts of air travel. Me personally, I love the swoosh of taking off where the propulsion pushes you back in your seat and the plane goes, “VROOM!” That’s my favorite part of flying. 🙂
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