Air Arabia Crash

A moment to remember because it was my first flight experience and my First luxury stay... :)

      I have heard of flight crashes and cancellation and my first flight experience turned out into a night mare and I got a chance to share them only today because some one dear reminded me of it today.

      It was around 1.00 AM on 28th November and there was a thirty minutes delay in the flight and I was waiting in the the boarding area thinking of the crying faces of my parents and brother, by the time they called us in it was 2.30 AM in the morning and I nervously boarded my first flight (Air arabia flight No G9 followed by some numbers which i forgot already). I wished to get a window seat but I dint, and I regretted to have not accepted the request of the person who wanted to exchange the tickets at the counter as she is scared of windows.

      To my side was seated a plump guy who was acting like I was his date and he was trying to impress me with all his fancy actions. All I felt was to laugh at him and to tell him I'm a mother of a dead princess. But I kept quite thinking of her and wondering If I can go where she's rite now.

       Airplane moved for a solid five minutes and made me comfortable and then a slight movement and off it flew. People said that take off and landing are the two worst things in a flight journey, and so far I dint have any trouble and it looked comfortable.

       I some how struggled and peeped outside the window through the fat guy and could see the lighted buildings as a tiny spec, and later went off I my view.  All I saw was lights far away very far away. I was actually craving for a better view from the window but the one on the window seat was already snoring, and I cursed him for being such a jerk. Might be he dint sleep at all and was tired.

      After solid 5 minutes of air journey, there was a thud sound and a flight jerked a bit. Since I was seated in the front I heard it clearly. After few seconds, the plane lost its balance and I felt it going down to one side, then a series of jerks and it got balanced and later started drifting to one side again. I was a bit scared, and since it was my first flight I assumed it to be common movements of the aircraft, but heart was pounding a bit fast and I could not close my eyes. I forced to see out but all I saw now was darkness,

      Might be 5 minutes or even lesser time had passed since the time the sound was heard and there was an announcement that there's some technical difficulty and we were asked to wear our seat belts. With in seconds the pilot spoke stating it was a bird hit on the dome and that we cant fly with it and are returning back to Banglore to check on it. I was surprised and clueless as to what to do.

      Landing was even more worse than I thought. Not sure if it was because of the technical difficulty or it's that way always. I nearly had my heart in my throat, it was that worst. I felt like I was in some plain crash movie, it was that bad.

     some how I reached save and sound on land, and we were requested to stay seated and technicians were coming to check on the flight. After solid 10minutes Pilot again shared an anouncement that the hit is so bad that they need it to be replaced and that we'll be informed about our journey in the airport.

     We were asked to get inside the service bus and taken to the airport. I got a chance to stand rite by the wheels of the aircraft and was wondering how this thing flies.

      At the airport all passengers had thousands of questions to which some airhosters and service technicians were answering. There were two queues one for who wish to stay in banglore, and other for those who wish to go back to their houses, I dint know what was going on, and all passengers were of different origin and languages and I was one man out not knowing what to do. My only companion came into rescue and called me asking to me call my parents and just inform that the flight is cancelled (coz he dint want them to panic) and to stay in banglore itself but make sure its safe stay. I was just wondering were I can find a hotel near the airport, and luckily I was informed Airarabia is arranging for the stay. Satisfied and happy I collected my luggage ( some one broke the handle of my trolley and I was having hard time carrying it).

         It's the mathan hotels in some god forsaken region in banglore. I don't have words to explain how the stay was because it was fear of being alone, tiredness, luxury and sleepiness. But I can confirm I was obsessed with the luxury in that huge room and I even dint answer his call once to feel the air of the room in me.

         I was a bit crazy and scared too because I doubted they are going to charge the room on me and I had only 500 bucks with me and 200 dhirams. Luckily had my credit card and consoled myself I could manage my bills if there's was a hefty charge. I had called my Brother to come over and stay with me, and by the time he reached my replacement flight was ready. While I was waiting for him to reach I took a hot shower ordered Vegetable fried rice and chicken manchurian and wasted almost half of it because I could not eat it, was feeling full and slept for a while.

          At 2PM I got a call from the reception that the flight has been booked for 7PM and the transport to the airport will be ready by 3.15 and we were to vacate the room and be there by 3.00 PM. my brother arrived at 2.30 and I just went down and had a chat with him and assured him I was alright and could manage and that he doesn't have to assist me the airport again. At 3.00PM I met the receptionist and handed over the keys to the room and with nervous heart was waiting for him to hand me a hefty bill. Luckily he said, " madam Air Arabia is paying for the stay, and you have to pay for the lunch that you had ordered", and he handed me a bill of 1150 for the damn food I wasted. With a heavy heart I swiped the card and paid bills and settled myself in the bus they had booked after a wait of 2hrs for my luggage to be carried in safe and to find a place to seat my butt.

            The bus stated from the hotel at 5.30PM and I knew that either we were going late to the airport or that the flight time is not 7PM. Like I guess we reached the airport at 7.15PM and when I inquired I was informed the Flight was at 8.30 and we need to board in quickly,

             At the luggage deposit I was again held by a foolish receptionist who dint have a clue what was written on my ticket, she was arguing with me that I had to pay for the luggage as it was over weight. I had to explain to couple of people that I had paid already for the over weight I was carrying and later she offered me a Window seating for which I forgave her foolish acts and accepted her friendship.

              It was 8.45PM and we still weren't allowed to board the flight and people started grouping and arguing with the air attendants who were helping. They simply said that the pilot was held in traffic and he's coming. It was the most lame explanation one could give in such a situation. It was 9.45 and the sick Pilot has still not arrived.

               What did they think about the passengers I was not sure. We weren't so dumb to believe that he's held in traffic at 9.45PM. At last the crew arrived at 10.15PM and all welcomed them with claps filling them with shame and they just held their faces to the floor and walked past us into the entry area.

                I was actually scared to board the flight of fear for another crash. With a little push from inside I boarded and seated next to an Arabic male who was around 45 yrs. I told myself I'll stay awake the entire trip and sitesee outside through the window, but by the time the flight took off I fell asleep of the tired wait. When I woke up after an hour due to hunger the air assistants where distributing some noodles. My hunger happiness was devastated when there was an announcement "due to the flight cancellation and delay all the food has spoiled and only few preserved noodles are available for the kids who are travelling. Elders please bear with us and we have coffee or tea for you. I just felt like slapping them and saying I am a kid.

              All I did was accept their coffee and sipped it and went off to sleep. When I woke up I was flying some where near Dubai.

I'll continue the other experience later...