TRAPPED ON A PLANE

It seems at least once a year, this year being no exception, we hear in the news about an airplane stuck on the tarmac, the passengers unable to deplane, somehow finding themselves in an endless limbo of sorts. How does this happen? And maybe the better question, why does this happen?

Image via Wikipedia

Picture this; you’re headed to a beautiful sunny locale, where you will finally get to relax and enjoy the one measly week of vacation time your boss allows, when your connecting flight gets diverted to another airport unexpectedly. You land in a state that is so far from that state of relaxation you were dreaming of. Oh yes, the plane landed just fine, but you’re not in the right place. Not only that, but they are telling you that you have to just “sit tight” while they communicate with the airport, and they will give you more information as it becomes available to them.

An hour goes by, and still you sit, in that cramped, uncomfortable seat, next to that big smelly person that you’re pretty sure drooled on you while they slept. Not to mention that they take up a good 25% of your seat as well as theirs. But no worries, I mean, how long could you possibly get stuck here, on this plane? And now that you really think about it, this plane isn’t as big as you first thought it was. You begin to notice the awkward slanting of the ceiling. You know, where it curves downward to the window and floor. But, it’s not that bad, right?

And then another hour goes by, and they tell you, they are working on the solution to the problem. (Mind you, they never told you what the problem was, and how they were working to overcome it.)

The curve of the ceiling seems a little more curvaceous and low, suddenly. You wonder how big this plane is anyway. I mean, if you stood up right now, you’d bump your head, and you’re only 5’6”. In fact, this thing looks more like a bubble than a plane. Yeah, you’re trapped in a bubble. Oh my! How did this happen? How did this glorious piece of transportation that was going to bring you to paradise suddenly become a round, bubble-like prison?
Perspective is a bitch.