What was your worst ever flight?

[smit0847]

Yes, this has probably been done before (I searched), but it's Friday, and I'm bored............

Describe the worst flight you have ever been on and why.

 

[Barondupon]

Air Botswana in late 80s. The king's goat was on board and allowed the run of the plane.

 

[ozmille]

Was a while back, on a flight from FCO to YYZ I sat next to a Polish girl who was terrified of flying and rocking back and forth the whole time praying out loud (well I guess it was praying I couldn't understand a word she said). And every little bump she would shriek and grab the armrest, even if my arm happened to be there. No fun as we had a lot of turbulence on that flight!

And to make matters worse... it was an AZ flight :shock:

 

[yohy?!]

A JQ flight a few years back when the bolt-upright-locked-in-place seats first appeared....very turbulent and claustrophic

 

[harvyk]

A few years ago, a PER-SYD red-eye (my last one on a B743). The guy in front reclined his seat whilst still at the terminal (he brought it to the upright position when told, only to recline it again once the FA was out of sight), and the guy next to me spent the entire time cuddling up to me whilst sleeping (he was about double my age, and I'm not gay). Needless to say I spent that entire flight pressed up against the window unable to use most of my seat. I woke the bloke up a few times, but he couldn't have cared less.

 

[JohnK]

I do not think that I have ever had a really really bad flight. Well nothing bad enough that could scare me from flying again.

- Many years ago on a TWA flight ATH-JFK flying over Italy we were told we diverting to LHR as there were problems with one of the engines. We were not allowed off in LHR and were on the ground for ~3 hours.
- And on a QF flight CGK-SYD ~8 years ago had turbulence for the majority of the flight and the flight path took us almost down to ADL before heading East.

 

[Warks]

Did fly through a really bad thunderstorm from Rhodes to Athens once but otherwise okay.

Flew from Paris (CDG) to LHR when Mrs Warks had a case of food poisoning and threw up into the sick bag as we were taking off. It was a BA flight as I recall and I remember ringing the bell and offering the bag of yecch to the FA who told me I could take it to the toiler and put it in the bin. I heard the FAs talking to each other "sick on take-off???" not understanding it had nothing to do with the flying. Luckily it was only a short flight but I felt sorry for the poor chap in the window seat who had to experience it all.

 

[Hvr]

Was a joyflight from CBR to CBR during an open day many years ago. The flight went out to the coast and around the mountains near CBR and I was sitting in the very back row.

The plane (a Dash 8) was buffetted by winds and turbulence to such an extent I called for a sick bag and very nearly used it. I believe others did use theirs.

Still it was for a good cause.

 

[BindiBratz]

A desert strip with some washaway one end . . . in avoiding that, just ran out of strip for landing and when pilot (realising what was likely to happen) endeavoured to power up to turn around, the plane ran into soft sand and nose dived. Three blades with ungainly bends . . . oops..!!! eventually rescued by chopper as no road access. Fortunately it was only the plane that was damaged.

 

[Simo]

Cebu flight from SIN to MNL.

1am flight, which was late and then they waited for last passengers for about 20 mins.

I asked why are we waiting and they said that they had booked in and didn't want to look for there luggage to offload.

Then there was a crying baby for nearly the entire flight and they never dulled the lights.

 

[Katie]

SYD-SFO July 1996, UA I think. 2nd OS trip. Felt like I vomited all the way to SFO. Felt like I was still moving when standing on solid ground two days later. Combination of pacific turbulence, motion sickness, and a nervous tummy.

 

[LadyC]

Travelling on aMexicana flight back in 2009 - LAX to Mexico City. One of the FAs was retiring after 20 years service so all the FAs decided it was time for a party. Lots of loud music, balloons, singing and dancing up and down the aisles as well as offering tequila shots o everyone through out the flight. I certainly felt very nervous and was very pleased to get off the plane - I'm not sure any of them would have been much help in an emergency :shock:

 

[UP4014]

PNG flight to the highlands springs to mind (take some chewie to stick in the rust holes), as does a flight in a Bell Jetranger to a mine sight where the pilot landed between some power lines, even a LAN Chile flight which when we took off all was fine in our destination of Peru but there had been a coupe between take off and landing.

But, another Jetranger takes the cake when at 60 feet after take off over water the engine cut out and plop. Lucky it wasn't deep but those things are top heavy and tipped on its side straight away. (All safe, but have avoided helos ever since)

i only use scheduled airlines these day and thankful to not have the need to use charters anymore. Also now stick to 1st world airlines. As I've got older I take less risk.

 

[amaroo]

I've had some rippers.....however, the worst by a very large margin was Compass Mk1.

 

[Magpie10]

CDG to DXB pilot ordered meal service to be suspended FA to be seated NOW and unbelievable turbulence for 20 minutes I had my meal and coke spurting out of can so much turbulence, travelling alone thinking I was going to die next to complete strangers! Can laugh about it now but not at the time!

 

[medhead]

Apparently, as a kid we sat in an aircraft in MEL for 7 hours. Christmas strikes.

That I can remember QF82 last October SIN-ADL would have to be the worse. If anyone has seen the movie Ghost Ship, you should have an idea what it means that we call it the Ghost Flight. That is only half joking.

 

[Justinf]

Flight wasn't bad, but I was on a JQ flight from SYD to Avalon and when we landed, the captain said we wouldn't be disembarking until one of the 2 parking spaces was vacant. For the next three hours we waited on the tarmac at Avalon as both flights that were using the parking bays were delayed.

 

[dajop]

MEL to CBR on a Rex Saab. Lovely day, smooth flight for most of the way but after coming across the range before descending into CBR we hit what I assume where thermals, and just dropped as well and there was a bit of rotational movement as well, one wing went one way, the other a different way. After that initial shock, all pax white knuckled the aircraft stablised but it was pretty much like that (albeit less severe) all the way in. As disembarking, overheard the FA talking to the pilot "do we have to go back through that again ..."

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

(Now defunct) Macair flight from CNS-ISA via 7 stops across the gulf to small indigenous communities on a Fairchild Metro III, with some interesting odours onboard. Those things taking off and landing in 45 degree heat was truly a miracle of flight.

 

[blu]

FRA-INN in Tyrolean Dash-8 about 2008.
We already knew of Innsbruck's reputation for difficult landings & the good reputation of Tyrolian crew in these conditions. Plane was about an hour late arriving at FRA because of bad weather (wind).
By the time we started our decent into Innsbruck the flight had become very similar to being on a roller coaster, because of gale force wind in the valley. The AC dropped at one point when the CC still had the trolly out. MrsB had the window seat and is convinced that the wing tip rotated almost to "12 o'clock position". There was a heartfelt round of applause once the wheels were down. The wind was that strong it was difficult to stand upright on the ground after leaving the AC. To this day MrsB refuses to fly on any prop AC.