My Aloha Airlines tale
Mar 22, 2003 | 6:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 8
My Aloha Airlines tale
This report is approx 2 years old, but I thought that now that I found a place to post it, I could post it now.
Aloha Airlines flight 646
Airline: Aloha (Duh!)
Aircraft: 737-200 (N820AL)
Flying from HNL (Honolulu) to OGG (Kahului, Maui)
Flying Time: 30-minutes
It all started in HNL (Honolulu). Me & my family were there for the day during a trip to Maui, Hawaii for vacation. The day was swell, went to the memorial of the U.S.S Arizona, and went on a tour in the U.S.S Missouri. The weather was mostly cloudy, until we were leaving the U.S.S Missouri. Then, it got cloudy, with threatening cloud. Security at HNL was a breeze, but the wait to get onboard the aircraft was torture (until it actually came from Lanai!) The family before us got the surprise security check, and we boarded with no problem. We were originally sitting over the wing, but I insisted on moving back to be able to hear the roar of the engines. We departed with no problems, but halfway into the 30-minute flight, just when they were about to serve snacks I hear the whine of the engine decline, and the flaps rise. Suddenly, the next thing I know, we were plunging at a near 30-degree angle from 15,000 ft. My ears started to severely pop, and a gas filled the cabin (later revealed to be the mix of hot & cold air). We leveled out, and I look around. Next, the captain makes the announcement I feared from the start of the problem. Ladies & Gentlemen, we are experiencing pressurization problems. We will have to do this again, so hold on to your ears! About this time, a mother asks for a bottle for her babys milk. When we started the plunge again, the bottle burst, sending milk across the cabin! This time, it felt like we were plunging steeper and faster, because this time, my ears felt like they were going to snap. My brother gives me a piece of gum to relieve the pain, but it didnt work. We finally pull out, and made a soft landing at OGG, and I see a Delta 757 at the gate. When we pull up, fire trucks come up, and people with any discomfort were escorted off the plane first (Me!). We first lined up in the jetway, but then moved into the terminal across from the same gate I boarded the fight to Honolulu that same morning! My family, after 15 20 minutes, finally leaves for the home away from home. I escaped with temporary (I mean temporary, it went away by morning) hearing problems from the pressure, a bloody nose, and a headache. Many people actually thought they would die. This incident made the Maui & Honolulu newspapers 2 days in a row.
Service: 5/10
Legroom is cramped, limited choices of drinks
Crew 10/10
Friendly
[This message has been edited by TravelF-100 (edited 03-22-2003).]
Aloha Airlines flight 646
Airline: Aloha (Duh!)
Aircraft: 737-200 (N820AL)
Flying from HNL (Honolulu) to OGG (Kahului, Maui)
Flying Time: 30-minutes
It all started in HNL (Honolulu). Me & my family were there for the day during a trip to Maui, Hawaii for vacation. The day was swell, went to the memorial of the U.S.S Arizona, and went on a tour in the U.S.S Missouri. The weather was mostly cloudy, until we were leaving the U.S.S Missouri. Then, it got cloudy, with threatening cloud. Security at HNL was a breeze, but the wait to get onboard the aircraft was torture (until it actually came from Lanai!) The family before us got the surprise security check, and we boarded with no problem. We were originally sitting over the wing, but I insisted on moving back to be able to hear the roar of the engines. We departed with no problems, but halfway into the 30-minute flight, just when they were about to serve snacks I hear the whine of the engine decline, and the flaps rise. Suddenly, the next thing I know, we were plunging at a near 30-degree angle from 15,000 ft. My ears started to severely pop, and a gas filled the cabin (later revealed to be the mix of hot & cold air). We leveled out, and I look around. Next, the captain makes the announcement I feared from the start of the problem. Ladies & Gentlemen, we are experiencing pressurization problems. We will have to do this again, so hold on to your ears! About this time, a mother asks for a bottle for her babys milk. When we started the plunge again, the bottle burst, sending milk across the cabin! This time, it felt like we were plunging steeper and faster, because this time, my ears felt like they were going to snap. My brother gives me a piece of gum to relieve the pain, but it didnt work. We finally pull out, and made a soft landing at OGG, and I see a Delta 757 at the gate. When we pull up, fire trucks come up, and people with any discomfort were escorted off the plane first (Me!). We first lined up in the jetway, but then moved into the terminal across from the same gate I boarded the fight to Honolulu that same morning! My family, after 15 20 minutes, finally leaves for the home away from home. I escaped with temporary (I mean temporary, it went away by morning) hearing problems from the pressure, a bloody nose, and a headache. Many people actually thought they would die. This incident made the Maui & Honolulu newspapers 2 days in a row.
Service: 5/10
Legroom is cramped, limited choices of drinks
Crew 10/10
Friendly
[This message has been edited by TravelF-100 (edited 03-22-2003).]
