The oxygen masks tumbling down made for a flight to remember - for all the wrong reasons - aboard NZ414. Photo / Thinkstock
The plane: Boeing 737-300, now under investigation following sudden loss of cabin pressure at 33,000 feet (10,0058m).
Class: "Genre" might be a better word. Thriller? Horror? Fright Flight will do.
Price: What price landing in one piece?
On time: A little late - but better late than never, eh?
My seat: 9C. 9A and 9B were empty. I could have used them for a lie-down.
Fellow passengers: Yeah, they were terrified, too.
How full?: Very full. Of fear.
Entertainment: Oh, where to start?
- The oxygen masks tumbling down.
- The repetition of "this is an emergency, this is an emergency" over the tannoy.
- The steep dive from 33,000 feet to 6000 feet.
- The alarms ringing. The low-level approach to Auckland Airport.
- The relief of being on the ground.
Got to hand it to them, the entertainment was so good, there was applause and cheering when it was all over.
The service: Impeccable. We'd had our biscuits and they'd been cleared away before the nose dive to low altitude. Just as well, otherwise it could have been really messy.
Food and drink: Drink. I needed a drink, alright.
The toilets: When everyone's crapping themselves at the same time, three toilets are not enough.
Luggage: Enough emotional baggage to last me a while.
Would I fly this again?: No. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I hope.
* Morgan Kute is a pen-name. The author wishes to remain anonymous.
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