Ever had a bad flight?

I was reading today about the plane crash at Koh Samui airport in thailand. It was a Bangkok Airways flight and the pilot was unfortunately killed whilst several others were injured.

I flew with Bangkok Airways in and out of Koh Samui earlier this year. Infact, I found out about the crash after receiving this email from them:

Dear MR. Kevin Muldoon,
Subject Letter of condolence

Due to the recent accident on Bangkok Airways’ flight PG 266 at Samui Airport on August 4th,
I, on behalf of Bangkok Airways, would like to express my sympathy towards our passengers
and crew members who have been affected from this accident. We have put all our efforts
to assist all our passengers during this unfortunate event.

Please be informed that today, Samui Airport reopened for flight operation with the first departure
on PG 100 leaving Samui at 14.00 hrs and arriving at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 15.00 hrs.
The first departure from Suvarnabhumi Airport is PG 153 at 14.00 hrs with an arrival in Samui at
15.00 hrs. For more flight information, please visit our website (www.bangkokair.com).

Lastly, Bangkok Airways’ management would like to reassure that we continue to take safety
as priority in all aspects of our operations for your confidence every time you fly with us.

Sincerely yours,

Captain Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth
President
Bangkok Airways

Although I was shocked to hear the news today, to be honest, I wasn’t surprised. Bangkok Airways are a great airline. Their very cheap yet their service would put most UK Airlines to shame (Ryanair/Easyjet etc). However, the weather there can be very turbulent.

I flew between Phuket and Koh Samui on a similar flight in 2007 with my friends Dave and Michael. Before then I would have considered myself a good flyer, having flew over a hundred times over the last 5 or 6 years, but that flight really shook me up. The flight was only about 40-45 minutes long but it was violently turbulent the whole time as we were going through a thunderstorm. It kept bumping up and down and more than once I grabbed onto the side of my chair.

I remember talking about afterwards and my mate Dave said that he didn’t enjoy it either but felt a bit better when he saw me!! I had a flight to Singapore about a week later and another to Melbourne a few days after that so I just had to grin and bear it. I’m not so bad with flying again and the aftershock of that flight seems to have worn off a bit though I still hate turbulence now (but it would never stop me travelling). So I can only imagine what it would be like for the people on that flight.

Anyone else had a really bad flight which made them uneasy with flying or put them off from flying again altogether?

Kevin