Flying by plane is a fast ad efficient way to get around, whether you’re commuting domestically for business or jetting off on an exciting holiday. With that comes its own set of unique dangers. While it is important to note these kind of things are a rarity, they do happen. One flight attendant recently recounted the terrifying moment her inflight experience was interrupted by an unexpected bolt of lightning.
The cabin crew member took to Reddit to share her story and give passengers an insight into what it is like for the safety personnel onboard.
It turns out, while the crew are geared up for all kinds of emergencies, there is little they can do when the plane comes into contact with nature’s electrical surges.
The online forum begs the question: “Flight attendants of Reddit, what passenger/horror story of your career?”
The anonymous crew member tells the tale of an aircraft she was operating on its way to Denver.
She says: “On approach to Denver we were struck by lightning. It was the loudest sound I’ve ever heard on a flight.
“I was on a Boeing 727 with an FA friend on the back jumpseat and all passengers turned to look at us …..we were hugging each other and crying terrified which, as it turns out, only makes the passenger panic 1000xs worse.”
The good news is that the plane did survive the incident unscathed and landed as usual.
In response to her tale, passengers flocked to comment, sharing their own scary experience with this rare occurrence.
Another Reddit user wrote: “My dad was a pilot, and I remember as a child we were on a flight that hit some pretty rough turbulence. I panicked a bit, and as he explained the situation and talked me down he said: “If you ever get scared on a plane, just watch the FAs [flight attendants]..they know what’s normal and what isn’t.
“Flash forward 20 years, where I travelled for work so much that nothing phased me in the air. I was on a flight (oddly enough, to Denver), heard a strange noise, and we suddenly dropped in altitude.
“It didn’t feel like turbulence and I got a bit worried. I remembered my Dad’s advice, figured it was probably a non-issue and looked at the FAs…they looked petrified. My stomach has never dropped like it did when I saw their faces.” (SIC)
Luckily, the likelihood of experiencing this kind of situation is extremely low.
In fact, according to The Federal Aviation Administration, commercial jet airliners in the US alone are only struck by lightning once every 1,000 flight hours.
That figure converts to roughly once a year, and with an estimated 36.8 million flights taking off every year globally according to IATA, the probability is in your favour.
Airborne weather and unexpected emergencies aren’t the only things flight attendants have to deal with 35,000 ft up.
Cabin crew member Heather Poole revealed that increasingly she finds herself having to try and stop passengers attempting to join the infamous “mile high club” while flying.
In her tell-all book Cruising Altitude, she says: “One thing I’ve noticed that more and more mile-high members are avoiding the bathroom altogether, preferring to do the deed in their seat.
“They’ll use a blanket to cover up, giggling and wiggling in the process, making a big public spectacle of themselves.
“As soon as one of us is clued into what might be going on, we’ll spread the word and each take turns slowly passing by their seat as we investigate the matter further.”
However, she points out that things can get serious if passengers refuse to stop their unsavoury behaviour.
“It’s not actually illegal to engage in sexual activity on an aeroplane,” Poole said.
“But it is a federal offence not to comply with crew member instruction.
“What this means is if a flight attendant asks you to stop doing something, you need to stop doing it immediately or otherwise face the consequences, like authorities getting called to meet the flight.”