Describe Your Worst Flying Experience. Was it Worth It?

All of them are bad for me, but I really don’t like to fly. The time that was the most unnerving was during a landing when, at very close to the ground, the plane shot straight back up into the air. It scared everyone. A pilot happened to be sitting next to me and said either another plane was on our runway or a wind thing. This was a layover for me but I could not get back on the plane. I rented a car and drove the rest of the way home.

I once flew into the Colorado Springs airport on a last minute notice for a funeral, missed my connection on a commuter to the Pueblo airport and was comped by being flown in a 8-seater little prop bug. This was with snow on the ground being melted by pouring rain and a windstorm. The flight between the two airports was less than 20 minutes but that poor little plane was sucked up, slammed down and blown all over the place. I was alone onboard aside from the pilot who had no door between us and he would look over his shoulder now and then to see how I was fairing on the fold down metal seat. That was a day I wished I believed in a gawd to pray to for some comfort! Have I flown since then? I don’t think I’ll ever give up flying, have yet to cruise but would love the opportunity.

I guess this was called a “two seater. ” When I was about 21, my ex was in a small band and we , for some reason, had to fly to the gig.
I sat in a front seat and a couple we knew sat behind us. It was a Very small plane. Suddenly, silence. The sound of wind and nothing else. We had run out of fuel !! The sweet little girl behind me said, “let’s pray..” and I then saw the pilot push a button and the emergency fuel tank fired up. It happened so fast (and I was so brave and naive then) I don’t think it registered just how close we came to dying. Ignorance is bliss. I only wish I were as removed from reality Now as I was Then.

I was left seat in a rented twin, on final, 600 feet, ¼ mile from the runway. Funny how death will force you to think… reserve… fuel pump… heater… start engine… land… perfectly… cry a little, have a drink… best flight of my life!

My worst experience was Labor Day weekend 2001. I flew from Illinois to Seattle with a sinus infection. Take off was so painful. Child birth was less painful for me. srsly I spent the entire weekend with hardly any hearing. It felt as though I had cotton in my ears the entire time I was in Seattle.

The trip was worth it because we were visiting my brother in-law for his birthday, and my husband had never been west of Colorado, but I never have enjoyed flying. I haven’t flown since. I prefer a good ol’ road trip.

@jonsblond ROAD TRIP!! AAAAAAAAGH

When I was about 6 years old, I was on a DC-3 that flew through a thunderstorm. It was like an amusement park ride.

Back in the 80s, my wife and i flew to Las Vegas for four days and three nights. our flight to Las Vegas was great, no problems. on the return trip home, at about 35,000 feet, i was looking out the planes window and observed a Continental Airlines airplane about 25 feet beneath our plane. we were so close, that i could read the name Continental Airlines on the jet plane and i could see inside its windows and actually saw people inside. talk about a near miss.

I once flew from Brisbane to one of the Great Barrier Reef islands. The plane was a 4-seater. The weather was stormy. The pilot was on his first “solo.” The pilot looked like a very young 16 year old. The pilot referred to the manual that was on his knee during the flight. The pilot was pale, shaking and sweating (more than me!) I could see the sea through cracks in the floor. The pilot only landed after the 3rd attempt. After the pilot exited the plane, he fainted! It was not worth it. Threw me off kilter the whole weekend I was on the island. I took a boat back to the mainland.

My kid brother got his license at 16… I insisted he get 40 hours and twenty landings before he took the left seat (pilot) or passengers.

I wasn’t too fond of the cavity search I got on my trip to Hawaii shortly after 9\11. Yes it’s become a huge hassle and I generally opt for road trips now.

@Silhouette I agree with you totally. I have no fear of flying, but I’d rather drive coast-to-coast than submit to the bullshit now in place. I didn’t realize how bad things had gotten for civilian passengers until I retired last year.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land Yeah, it’s bad. Between the ridiculous security measures they now have and the minimum 3 hour prior to departure check in requirements, not many places I wanted to see are worth the flight.

A good way to not get searched… dress like an imam or wear a full burka.

@Theby Fainting pilots are never good…