Sometimes it doesn't pay to fly on the cheap, something I learned the rough way. Me and my relatives (all seven of us) were at the tail end of a fun vacation in Florida. We had visited Disney World, Epcot Center, SeaWorld, and several other attractions in the area. But we were tired ...and happily heading to the airport to fly back home. As it would been very expensive for us to fly the major airlines, we booked with this small carrier, no-frills airline, flying into a smaller airport and everything seemed fine.
So we check-in and after not much waiting-- board the plane. Then we heard a loud boom! and crackling --- the skies opened up and a drenching rain started. We got worried--but the pilot said that everything was fine--we would be taking off soon. So, there we were -- the airplane is speeding down the runway---when suddenly the lights start to flicker, everyone is getting nervous. Then it happened--- another loud thunderous boom! and next thing we know the plane gets hit by lightning-- just as it begins to lift on take-off. All of us passengers let out a huge scream, and my life started flashing before me--this is not the way I wanted to go!
The pilot said, in as calm a voice as he could, that we were headed back to the airport. At the gate they only told us that the lightning hit had disabled the plane and that we had to disembark--nothing else. Then the crew dumps all the passengers luggage on the floor of the waiting lounge, and do a disappearing act. My aunt and uncle, who are seniors, get hysterical, with my aunt saying that she knew from the beginning that this cheap airline was a bad idea,and who was the genius that booked it. Tempers got pretty short and we all started arguing. Finding our luggage in that mess was a challenge, but we found them. Then it fell to me and my cousin to figure out how to get back to New York. The others were so tired that they decided to sleep on the cold hard plastic chairs.
After several phone calls we found out that there would be a bus leaving in the morning, that would get us to Orlando, where we could get a direct flight back home, but we had to move fast--because other people had the same idea of booking this bus. My cousin and me did not sleep the whole night--but we did it--even though we had barely any cash left, using our credit cards, we charged the bus and the seven return tickets back to New York on a major airline. Very early the next morning --we got on the bus and made it to Orlando airport and caught the flight to New York. Meanwhile the personnel of the airline that dumped us did not even bother to show up the next day, or even attempt to help us.
After that "wonderful" experience, I promised myself that no matter if it cost me a bit extra--the no-frills thing is not for me, I'll gladly pay for the peace of mind when I travel.
