Your memorable flight/s of 2025

[Volando]

As the year comes to an end, I've been having a look at my flight log and reminiscing about some of the more memorable ones. Thankfully those that come to mind for me were memorable for good reasons!

Here's my top flight of 2025. No champagne, no flat bed. Just an authentic and fun flying experience!

Sounds Air S8131 from Wellington to Picton. Sounds Air is a small to medium size operator in NZ, probably fourth in scale behind NZ, JQ and Air Chathams. This short domestic flight across Cook Strait was operated b y one of their 4 Cessna Caravans. At WLG they have a small check in counter at one of the gates in the turbo prop wing of the terminal. An American waiting for an NZ ATR flight nearby was completely flummoxed by the lack of security screening for non-jet flights in New Zealand. We were invited to board the small aircraft a few minutes before departure time. The sole pilot gave a brief safety explanation and also mentioned that if he couldn't get visual with the runway at Picton due to low cloud, we'd divert to Blenheim and they'd bus us to Picton.

The approach to Picton is steep and twists between nearby hills, with a final left hand turn to line up with the strip at the very last minute. Lots of fun for me as a former student pilot and true av-geek! There's not really a terminal building at Picton. People meeting the flight were just standing on the other side of a farm gate. Check in for our return flight back to WLG that afternoon was in a modified living room of what was probably once a cattle farmer's house!

 

[AIRwin]

Both relating to lavatories:

• EK (Economy) - Cabin crew told me off for jumping over the empty row in front of my window seat so as to bypass the aisle passenger, and then poor service from him thereafter (DYKWIA since I was still Platinum then)
• AC (Premium Economy) - My very first time to Canada but it was in a middle seat next to someone who ordered 1 drink after another (but he was a quiet drinker so I was glad it made him get out of his seat frequently to use the lavatory)

 

[Scarlett]

My most memorable flight only became memorable after the fact and for all the wrong reasons: landing at DCA in the early evening a couple of days before a similar flight was crashed into by the US Army helo.

Yes, there are a lot of lights around DCA.


Memorable for the right reason was NAS (Bahamas) to PLS (Turks & Caicos) on an interCaribbean Airways ATR42. Who knew so many shades of blue existed!

 

[RooFlyer]

Memorable flight was Austrian Air flight from VIE to DBV . On approach to Dubrovnik , sudden turbulence, then severe, then my first (and so far only!) go-around. Not keen for a second one.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Had a go around pretty late in the piece landing into SYD last month, East-west runway.
Gave me a second opportunity for some beautiful views over Bondi and the heads.

 

[Volando]

Had a go around pretty late in the piece landing into SYD last month, East-west runway.
Gave me a second opportunity for some beautiful views over Bondi and the heads.

That reminds me I had a go around landing in Sydney on the morning of the AFF master class!

 

[jase05]

Hard to really narrow it down as we had half a dozen QR J flights that were absolutely fantastic but for some reason I think the LH FRA-IAD flight is up there partly because I didn’t think I’d get to fly in a 747 again and partly because of the amazing staff. Yes the interior was showing its age but the seats were still comfy, food and beverages were great and staff were superb. We got diverted to BOS due to a storm and sat on on the tarmac for an hour or so but with plenty of German beer and great staff it was still fine.
Another honourable mention to MS who had really lifted their game from previous flights. Even though only J recliners the food was magnificent and staff friendly and good at their job. Flight made even more memorable due to the couple across and back from us having a cat in a container resting up on the centre console for the whole time even during takeoff and landing. Maybe it was hungry but for the first hour it didn’t shut up. and much to other passengers shock when meals were served the lady let it out to sit on her lap and allowed it to eat off her meal tray at the same time she was eating.