Flights that didn't go to plan - 10 flights we remember

Writer: Helena Bergström

Do you like to fly? Or do you think it's a necessary evil for travelling long distances? Either way, you want your flight to go smoothly and without unexpected disruptions. We tell you about a number of flights where things went a little differently than expected...

1. Greece: Emergency landing due to a sick passenger

We would fly directly from Athens to Stockholm - a pretty smooth journey, we thought. But we had no more than a few minutes in the air before a fellow passenger became seriously ill. The flight attendants shouted for a doctor over the loudspeakers and several paramedics rushed over. However, it turned out that we had to land as soon as possible, for the sake of the sick person, and we made an emergency landing in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

It took a while before the plane was cleared to take off again - this time with a final destination of Copenhagen. As a ”band-aid”, the staff offered free food, with the only dilemma that there was hardly any food to offer. Peter and I had to share a hamburger.

In Copenhagen, the cabin crew went off shift, and we passengers had to kindly wait for new staff. Much later than expected, we eventually landed in Stockholm - not only tired, but above all hungry.

2. Tunisia: Peter got to fly in the cockpit

How often are passengers allowed into the cockpit these days? Not often! But it can possibly happen if you are flying with someone who worked with the people flying the plane. In any case, this happened to us on a domestic flight in Tunisia a few years ago.

Our guide joked with me and said that ”the pilots need some help”. Then he led Peter to the cockpit, and when he came back he said ”Peter is going to land the plane”. Luckily, that's not quite how it happened, but Peter got to see the whole landing from inside the cockpit. Awesome!

3. Sweden: Almost down - then the flight had to turn up again

In my previous job, I sometimes flew domestically for the day, and this time I had been to Gotland on business. The plane was a noisy propeller plane and when we went in for landing in Stockholm, I prepared myself for the wheels to hit the ground soon. Instead, the plane turned sharply upwards at high speed.

When we were once again at high altitude, the pilot announced that ”there was an aircraft on the runway”. Phew... The pilot made a turn and then we went in for a landing, for real.

4. Italy: By the hair that we missed the flight

We had been travelling in Italy and were flying home from Bologna. We were not late to the airport, on the contrary we were on time, but at the airport there were extreme queues. When we finally got through security, we had to run to the gate.

Because we were in such a hurry, we forgot to double-check the gate number and when we finally arrived, breathless, it turned out that the gate had been changed. Now we had to run to the other end of the airport. I don't think I've ever had so much lactic acid in my legs, ever, and when we arrived they were just about to close. But, we made it...

5. Croatia: The suitcase was almost stolen

We had landed in Split and stood at the baggage claim waiting for our bags. Then Peter saw it: a woman grabbed one of our suitcases from the belt and rushed out to the arrivals hall. What on earth...?

We both thought it was all a mistake, but not wanting to lose the bag, Peter hurried after while I stayed at the belt, waiting for the next bag. Once outside, it turned out that the woman was almost jump off she went. When Peter caught up with her and said ”I think that is my bag”, she didn't look surprised or shocked. She just dropped the bag and ran away. We were left a little shocked. So she was going to steal the bag...?

6. New Zealand: Almost a fight in the aircraft aisle

It is a long way to travel to New Zealand And while travelling there, Peter's youngest son, Billie, caught a cold. When you cough, it's nice to cover your mouth, of course, but how do you tell a child to do that... when they're sleeping?

The lady in the seat in front (some kind of British upper-class lady) got angry in the middle of the night and snapped angrily at Billie, who didn't understand English, that he should ”use a napkin” when he coughed. We were abruptly woken up by a frightened boy and an angry British lady, and Peter snapped back. Now the lady got even angrier and started shouting. Peter, getting angry, did a fake cough into the air, at which point the lady went completely mad and shouted ”you pig!”.

Peter got up to go to the toilet and the lady sent her husband up and forced him to block the way. Now two angry men were standing opposite each other in the aisle and the other passengers realised that this could end badly. Some other male passengers got up and led the British man away, so that the whole thing could be averted ...

7. Turkey: Forgot mobile phone in chair pocket

Peter went on a press trip to Greece, together with two blogger friends. On the way home, the plane stopped over in Istanbul, and the three bloggers had to make their way through the large airport to find the next flight. On the way, Peter discovered that he had forgotten his mobile phone... in the seat pocket of the first flight!

He couldn't go back, so he had to look for ”Lost and Found” instead. Now things were getting stressful! Istanbul airport is big, and he was told he needed to get into the country, by queuing past passport control... When he finally arrived, he was told ”you're in the wrong place” and now he had to run again, sweaty and stressed.

”Turkish Airways” was not the right place either (panic!), and now he had to run again to get to the domestic hall. The first place there was also wrong... but then a small gap appeared. ”Is this the phone?” It wasn't and hope sank ... ”What about this one?” And yes, there it was!

8. Sweden: Flying with the King and Queen

We were invited by the Austrian Tourist Office to see World Cup in Åre together with them. Peter flew up the day before me and I, who needed to finish work first, therefore flew alone. Or myself and myself, I was of course accompanied by a lot of fellow passengers on the aircraft - including the King and Queen.

When I boarded, I didn't notice anything. It was when the stewardesses said ”Your Majesties, Ladies and Gentlemen” that I started to look around. Then I realised that the royals had been discreetly ushered on board last of all, and were now sitting at the front of the plane, in front of a screen. Kudos to them, though, for flying a regular plane with the rest of us mortals!

9. Iceland: At the airport ... when an accident happened

When I lived in Iceland, as an exchange student at the age of 17, I lived on the island Home Island. To get to Reykjavik, you either had to fly or take a ferry. The smallest aeroplanes, which I flew on several times, only took six passengers. You boarded by walking out onto the runway and climbing up a small ladder. The flight itself took no more than 20 minutes.

Once, when there was a handball match on the island, there were lots of people at the airport. I was there too, but I don't remember for sure if I was queuing for a flight to Reykjavik, or if I was waiting for friends to arrive. I just remember the shock at the airport when everyone realised that an incoming plane had crashed just before landing. Some of the seven people on board died instantly and the others were badly injured. A black day, and still a terrible memory even though it was 30 years ago.

10. Spain: The suitcases did not arrive

When we recently went on a press trip to Valencia, we each took a suitcase and checked it in. The trip was only four days, so we hat could have travelled with hand luggage only, but now we didn't. We flew with a stopover in Amsterdam, and it turned out that the bags stayed there ...

When we arrived in Valencia, we were helped at the airport, and we were told that the bags would be taken to the hotel when they arrived. At the hotel we got a free toothbrush and toothpaste, and then we just had to wear the same outfit every day.

On the very last evening, Peter's suitcase arrived at the hotel. But what about bag number two? No word on it... The next day we were due to fly back to Stockholm at 4pm, and at 11am we got the news: the bag was at the airport. It was allowed to fly back to Stockholm with us - without being opened once.

Have you experienced anything different on the flight?

Have you experienced anything different on your flight? Tell us about your experiences!