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A flight from Aden to Madagascar in december 1989, with the Aeroflot. As the engines starting increasing for take off, they suddenly stopped. We stayed there for about an hour in sweltering heat. Suddenly the engines started again and all the air vents above our heads were just blowing smoke. We couldnt see two rows before us. We took off and then it cleared.
In those days South Yemen was independent and just coming out of a war so the airport had lots of bullet holes throughout, and carcasses of tanks and fighter planes were on the side of the runway. It was also the place selling the cheapest booze on our flight from Moscow and the plane was full of Malagasy students going home. Afer take off, they put down all the seats back reat so that it made a bg platform and they were all drinking and dancing and singing. Complete havoc.
As we had the first sight of Madagascar, they all went to the right hand side at once, the plane jerked, the pilot screamed some stuff in russian, the air hostesses started running pulling people, throwing them to the other side. Complete chaos
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 20:11 - Sep 15 with 2004 views
Flying out of the old Tenerife aero port on Dan Airways in the 1980s terrible turbulence the whole way home terrifying… the steward advised they had run out of sick bags as soon as many people were throwing up …all toilets closed … unbelievable smell ..overhead lockers opening 4.5 hour journey from hell…
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 20:20 - Sep 15 with 1978 views
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 17:35 - Sep 15 by PlanetHonneywood
Was that at the old airport or the new one?
The former was a scary landing at the best of times!
The approach to the old airport really was scary. I swear If the plane windows opened you could have reached out and snatched items off the clotheslines on the high-rises!
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 20:34 - Sep 15 with 1941 views
Flight to Rome with BA about 15 years ago. Seats were above the wing sitting opposite an air stewardess. On take off, up we went, and a panel next to the stewardess came lose and cracked onto my knees and shins.
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 20:20 - Sep 15 by W4Hoop
The approach to the old airport really was scary. I swear If the plane windows opened you could have reached out and snatched items off the clotheslines on the high-rises!
I loved arriving at old Hong Kong airport - you could see what folks were watching on tv in their apartments. I had same air pocket experience coming home from Kenya as earlier poster - as a kid Mum told me to look at crew and if they’re fine you’ll be fine. Crew were terrified & feck knows what the drop was but took while for stomach to catch up
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 21:36 - Sep 15 with 1883 views
My eldest does a lot of flying to work destinations around the world. Last year he had a gig in Taipei Taiwan and me being the aviation geek that I am follow his flights on Flight Radar.
His EVA flight was approaching Taipei and was down to a few thousand feet when I noticed another aircraft sitting on the runway. I thought it was just a delay in the app as I’m never sure how accurate these things are however his aircraft was coming into to land then I saw it pull up and go around.
Called my son soon after and asked him if anything happened on the landing he told me the plane was about to touch down then flew up at a steep climb.
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 17:35 - Sep 15 by PlanetHonneywood
Was that at the old airport or the new one?
The former was a scary landing at the best of times!
It was the new airport. I did fly in to Kai Tak a few times though. No alarms but each time was great fun. I managed to bag a window seat on the right hand side of the aeroplane a few times. Magic.
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 21:56 - Sep 15 with 1847 views
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 20:20 - Sep 15 by W4Hoop
The approach to the old airport really was scary. I swear If the plane windows opened you could have reached out and snatched items off the clotheslines on the high-rises!
I'm sure I read somewhere that if a plane crashed on the approach through the Kowloon high rises, up to 5,000 people would be killed instantly. 9/11 was just under 4,000 if memory serves.
Looking out the window on the steep right bank at apartments seemingly touchable. Scary stuff. I went over to the Kowloon side, it was crazy, my head was spinning from it all. No idea how anyone could live under the approach and not go mad. Enjoy...
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 21:56 - Sep 15 by PlanetHonneywood
I'm sure I read somewhere that if a plane crashed on the approach through the Kowloon high rises, up to 5,000 people would be killed instantly. 9/11 was just under 4,000 if memory serves.
Looking out the window on the steep right bank at apartments seemingly touchable. Scary stuff. I went over to the Kowloon side, it was crazy, my head was spinning from it all. No idea how anyone could live under the approach and not go mad. Enjoy...
Nowhere the standard of some but a air tours flight back from Florida many many years ago ,flight was delayed due to somebody having a heart attack on route to Florida , plane arrived 5/6 hours later , then they found half the toilets didn’t work , do 747 with half the bigs not working for the trip home , sat down and nobody can complain about the leg room in the loft after enduring that for 10 hours , friend who’s 5.7 got up free being asleep and found his legs didn’t work and collapsed in the gangway . Got back to Stansted down the steps and literally kissed the tarmac beneath us
Second flight back from Belgrade yes that Belgrade being stuck in a plane for 4 hours with mullery was something I would g wish in anyone
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 19:57 - Sep 15 by PlanetHonneywood
Can't believe I forgot my Air Amazonia out of the Bolivian jungle back to La Paz in 2002.
Over the Andes on a plane that I've sat around bigger dinner tables. I had a panic attack, needed oxygen duringbthe flight, and my screams from the back to 'land this f....r', caused two Japanese passengers to start crying.
All prompted by seeing ice on the windows inside the plane and the co-pilot scraping ice from the pilot's window with an ATM card.
As the Romans would have once said - "fook that"
I hate flying after a very turbulent plane ride when I was little but have to take to the skies weekly now for work. I've been lucky with not such bad experiences but have had a couple of last second go-arounds (not a euphemism), mainly at City Airport as it has such a short runway. I'm kind of used to it now so almost enjoy others bricking it instead - only issue is that if the pilot fails two landings in a row then you have to fly to another airport; no third attempt.
Landing at Heathrow a couple of years ago our wheels nearly touched down before the engines fired up and we climbed sharply, as I looked out the window there was a bloody plane exactly where we were supposed to be landing. Most annoying thing was it added a further 20 minutes to an already late flight
Shit but local
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 22:26 - Sep 15 with 1767 views
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 19:57 - Sep 15 by PlanetHonneywood
Can't believe I forgot my Air Amazonia out of the Bolivian jungle back to La Paz in 2002.
Over the Andes on a plane that I've sat around bigger dinner tables. I had a panic attack, needed oxygen duringbthe flight, and my screams from the back to 'land this f....r', caused two Japanese passengers to start crying.
All prompted by seeing ice on the windows inside the plane and the co-pilot scraping ice from the pilot's window with an ATM card.
Ah, that flight. Just as well they didn't land, you'd probably have been the main course.
Great holiday Island If you happen to be Into a good all Year climate and Fauna & Flora. That runway at both ends has a sheer drop into the ocean. We've been there five times and each landing has been brilliant.
My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic.
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 01:15 - Sep 16 with 1599 views
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 15:55 - Sep 15 by BazzaInTheLoft
Sat next to this dude on a flight who had a long bag slumped in the empty seat next to him.
Got chatting but it got awkward when I asked him what was in the bag and he said 'none of your fcking business'.
When he got up I took a peek inside though.
[Post edited 15 Sep 15:55]
This gag is older than the Mary rose
And Bowles is onside, Swinburne has come rushing out of his goal , what can Bowles do here , onto the left foot no, on to the right foot
That’s there that’s two, and that’s Bowles
Brian Moore
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 11:30 - Sep 16 with 1207 views
Flight from Houston to Lafayette Louisiana in an ancient 30 seater which appeared to have more rust than paint and probably held together by yellow string. Took off in a raging thunderstorm which is standard practice there or you'd never fly at all. Immense thunderclap .Plane suddenly dropped about 60 feet and lights went out. Quick prayer and check if toilet on board. Survived, chastened and pallid.
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 11:46 - Sep 16 with 1191 views
Worst was Xmas 2010. We were due to fly LHR - Sydney via HK, with Cathay Pacific. On the Sunday before Xmas. On the Saturday, Heathrow was hit by 4 hours of snow. Sunday flight cancelled. Monday and Tuesday, too. So, we headed back to Derby, threw the cases in a spare bedroom. Nothing in the cupboards for the festivities. So, went to supermarket, spending the best part of £200. Thursday morning, we get a call at 10:15. There's a flight leaving at 2pm. Can you get here for 12:30. Wife dragged out of shower, cases thrown in car, scorchmarks on the M1. 45 minutes down the road, wife remembers the son has to rescue the dog and look after him. Friend has to rescue all the food we bought. Arrived LHR at 12:25. Couldn't find a decent Xar park, so threw it in first with spaces. Checked in around 12:50. Flight needed de-icing and, eventually, took off after 4pm. Got to HK. 9 hour wait for flight to Sydney. Not long enough to see any of HK; too long for waiting around an airport. Eventually got to Sydney 8am Christmas Day. Aussie son picked us up. Lunch with his MIL,3 hours north. Both of us were asleep by 8pm.
Apologies for the long post. But I could probably get a 20 minute stand up routine out of the experience.
[Post edited 16 Sep 11:50]
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 11:49 - Sep 16 with 1189 views
Worst flight is probably coming home from Greece after a family holiday in 1990. Very turbulent and 100 mph headwinds meant we had to make an unscheduled fuel stop in Munich. Not allowed off the plane and stuck on the tarmac for about 2 hours before taking off again and completing the journey. To this day it’s my only time on German soil although I never got to actually touch it.
Worst journey overall was on a direct train from Inverness to London about 10 years ago. Delays all the way down and a power outage meant no lights and aircon in our carriage. 12 hours for the most part in a packed, dark, stifling hot smelly train carriage with no openable windows. Oh and the restaurant car was out of service too so no refreshments. Think I might have been given a free bottle of water at some point and I did get a full refund of about £80 in rail fare tokens.
That train journey on the way back from Plymouth last season was pretty desperate too although at least we had beer.
[Post edited 16 Sep 11:56]
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 17:20 - Sep 16 with 993 views
Went on holiday to South America, about 10 years back with British Airways, The route was Heathrow to São Paulo. The aircraft was a trusty old 747, and I was in standard class.
I got on the aircraft and its rammed to the gills. A partner of mine was travelling with me, so I wasn’t going to be lonely.
I found our seats easily enough and started to get into my seat, only to find that my seat was covered in fresh sick, and stank, and so was my partners with more of the bile etc on both seat belts.
The stewardess loudly told us both to sit down, and I said no, the other passengers were restless as we wouldn’t sit down, and the plane was ready to go.
Anyway, I finally got the stewardess to come over as she wouldn’t, and she told me close up face to face almost to sit down or else, I refused.
I then told her of our predicament, and off she sauntered (cabin doors were shut by then) when she came back and gave me and my partner gloves, cleaning equipment and a mask each to clean our own vomit covered seats. (Remember this wasn’t our vomit).
Well, that ain’t happening and more discussions were had between the staff. The stewardess made a call to the flight deck, and out pops the first officer, takes a look, goes back to the flight deck, and ‘bing bong’, ladies and gentlemen, apologies but we have a technical issue we need to rectify before we take off for São Paulo.
Some 20 minutes later and the sick starting to pen and ink a bit, we are still stood in the aisle, when it is announced that due to this situation the flight will be further delayed as specialist cleaners will need to be summoned from the bowels of Heathrow to come and rectify the problem.
Only it’s a Saturday, and no one is around. An hour later, some guy comes on board to check the situation again, and goes off and 20 mins later comes back with 4 guys who remove the seat backs and then seats, and clean / change the seat belts etc.
10 minutes later Stores had found 2 clean seat backs and bases etc, and it was time to fly.
The flight left Heathrow fully loaded 75 minutes late.
No apologies from the ‘worlds best airline’ when I wrote to them
I just wonder how much that delayed flight must have cost them? Dirty Feckers!
I will never fly with BA again after that. Clean my own seat indeed!
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 18:10 - Sep 16 with 938 views
Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 17:20 - Sep 16 by RangersDave3
Ok, 1 from me…….
Went on holiday to South America, about 10 years back with British Airways, The route was Heathrow to São Paulo. The aircraft was a trusty old 747, and I was in standard class.
I got on the aircraft and its rammed to the gills. A partner of mine was travelling with me, so I wasn’t going to be lonely.
I found our seats easily enough and started to get into my seat, only to find that my seat was covered in fresh sick, and stank, and so was my partners with more of the bile etc on both seat belts.
The stewardess loudly told us both to sit down, and I said no, the other passengers were restless as we wouldn’t sit down, and the plane was ready to go.
Anyway, I finally got the stewardess to come over as she wouldn’t, and she told me close up face to face almost to sit down or else, I refused.
I then told her of our predicament, and off she sauntered (cabin doors were shut by then) when she came back and gave me and my partner gloves, cleaning equipment and a mask each to clean our own vomit covered seats. (Remember this wasn’t our vomit).
Well, that ain’t happening and more discussions were had between the staff. The stewardess made a call to the flight deck, and out pops the first officer, takes a look, goes back to the flight deck, and ‘bing bong’, ladies and gentlemen, apologies but we have a technical issue we need to rectify before we take off for São Paulo.
Some 20 minutes later and the sick starting to pen and ink a bit, we are still stood in the aisle, when it is announced that due to this situation the flight will be further delayed as specialist cleaners will need to be summoned from the bowels of Heathrow to come and rectify the problem.
Only it’s a Saturday, and no one is around. An hour later, some guy comes on board to check the situation again, and goes off and 20 mins later comes back with 4 guys who remove the seat backs and then seats, and clean / change the seat belts etc.
10 minutes later Stores had found 2 clean seat backs and bases etc, and it was time to fly.
The flight left Heathrow fully loaded 75 minutes late.
No apologies from the ‘worlds best airline’ when I wrote to them
I just wonder how much that delayed flight must have cost them? Dirty Feckers!
I will never fly with BA again after that. Clean my own seat indeed!
That's disgusting. Both the situation and their reaction to it.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 10:57 - Sep 17 with 619 views
Think I've been fairly lucky with flying - no real major incidents other than a flight to Buenos Aires a few years ago which had fairly bad turbulence; clearly one passenger who was not a great flyer, spent their time screaming throughout while I'm trying to get some shuteye!
20 years or so ago sitting next to an insufferable West Brom fan when they had just got promoted to the PL. Wish I hadn't bothered to strike up a conversation about football......
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Worst flight / service / food etc on a plane? on 12:47 - Sep 17 with 415 views
Mrs Sheen and I went to Zimbabwe on honeymoon in 1992. Air Zimbabwe was winging us over Congo when an enormous lightning storm began, with hideous turbulence. Summoned back to her seat , Mrs S passed a stewardess belted in her flip seat, crying and wailing. I’m normally a very calm flyer but I was concerned about crash landing in a remote forest in Congo, as if there was a good place to crash into from 30,000 feet.
Can’t blame Air Zim for Congo’s lightning but it was a little disturbing when we took off for an internal flight on ancient 727 later and the No Smoking/ Seatbelt sign fell out of its frame.
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