Flying a 'necessary evil'

Photo / Thinkstock

Women are told to take deep breaths or to pant during the birthing process. It didn't work for me then - drugs are good - but I recommend the techniques for white-knuckle flights into Wellington.

It was November 28 and a couple of colleagues and I were returning from Auckland after covering the 2011 election.

Flying is a necessary evil as far as I'm concerned and I'd checked with my husband whether it was windy in Wellington so I'd know what to expect. A bit breezy but not too bad, he assured me. He lied.

Our Jetstar flight was, amazingly, running ahead of schedule and the pilot happily told us he expected we'd be on the tarmac about 15 minutes early. He was wrong.

The lower we got, the bumpier it got. The long, slow descent into Wellington had me gripping the armrests and glad I no one was sitting next to me to hear the involuntary whimpers.

A group of young men laughed and whooped with each big jolt. I wanted to scream at them but I was too busy concentrating on breathing.

Finally the tarmac was in sight and it was nearly over. I thought. One wheel touched down, we bounced to the other ... and then the pilot booted it out of there.

A steward advised we'd had a "missed'' landing. The pilot eventually came on and said he'd circle for a bit before making a decision on whether to attempt a second landing or return to Auckland.

Thirty minutes later, we started the rocky descent again. Cue the breathing technique.

It was no better the second time but the outcome was better. We landed. Thirty minutes late but safe. Cue the clapping.