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My Closest Call
James Wysong · November 2, 2004

One of the most frequently asked questions is: "What was the worst, or scariest, incident that has ever happened to you on an airplane?"

A long time ago I was a passenger traveling from Athens to Corfu on vacation. I was alone, because my girlfriend and I had broken up at the last minute, but I had decided to go on anyway.

The wind was ferocious that night, but we still took off.

If you have ever been on a Greek airline you know that almost everyone smokes, including the flight attendants. The bad turbulence had brought an extra thick cloud to the cabin air. We were bouncing around worse than I had ever experienced.

The flight attendants received a conference call from the cockpit and a worried expression grew on their faces.

I knew that look - we were in trouble.

Smoke was bellowing out of one of the only two engines, and announcements were made over the speaker, but of course they were all in Greek. I knew it was bad news with all the screams and people reaching for lifejackets.

The foreigners soon followed suit. The flight attendant's were unable to prepare the cabin for an emergency landing because the turbulence was too extreme. Everyone was either putting away sharp jewelry, praying, or crying. There were even a few people that were writing quick notes to loved ones.

"Oh my God!" I thought. "I am going to die in the Greek waters, or upon impact at Corfu."

Morbidly, I wished that my ex-girlfriend was there to join me. People that didn't have their seatbelts fastened rolled down the aisles. We saw the island of Corfu and cheered, in between turbulent screams.

How I yearned to be on that ground. I thought of the things in my life that I had, and had not yet done. I had never been to a Greek island, although it seemed that that one would be my last. I was too young to die.

The pilot tried to land at an airfield before the airport, but the wind did not agree; so we forged on to the airport. I had the plane memorized, and decided which exit I would initially try for if I was conscious when we hit. I also instructed my seat partners around me to the proper bracing procedures for emergency landings. They didn't all speak English, but they copied my instructions nonetheless.

We circled the airport and spotted the six fire engines with the flashing lights there to greet us. The turbulence was so bad that while we were attempting to land, I could have sworn that we were upside down. I prayed like I never prayed before. There was no way the plane could land in that position, but I guess the pilots had no choice.

An unusual silence hit the air- a sort of terrified calm.

We were at a ninety-degree angle, fifty feet from the ground, but miraculously, seconds before impact, the plane corrected and we hit landing gear first and bounced ten times blowing all the tires before we were safe.

Deafening cheers and applause rang throughout the cabin. Strangers hugged strangers; the older woman next to me dislodged her fingernails from my arm and kissed me.

We disembarked, and just about everyone, including myself, kissed the ground. I even had a cigarette though I wasn't much of a smoker, thinking that there were quicker ways to go.

We danced on the runway; a few people broke out their bottles of duty-free Ouzo, and we all drank a few hefty swallows. I was alone on a Greek island, had no hotel reservation, it was Midnight--I had never been there before, but damn it, I was alive and happy.

If you have a fear of flying, you are not alone. There are millions of fearful flyers out there. It may comfort you to know that air travel is the second-safest mode of mass transportation in the world. The escalator and elevator are the safest.

There are programs designed for those who have this fear, but unless you have a severe case, I would recommend working this problem out with a loved one who is an experienced flyer. Those programs can get fairly expensive, and after you have conquered the fear of flying, you most probably will gain a fear of your next credit card bill.

While on board if you feel apprehensive, notify a flight attendant. We are there to reassure you as well.

James Wysong has worked as a flight attendant with two major international carriers during the past fifteen years. He is the author of the "The Plane Truth: Shift Happens at 35,000 Feet" and "The Air Traveler's Survival Guide." For more information about Frank or his books, see his Web site or e-mail him.