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AIBU?

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Original poster

Plane landing

396 replies

Atadconfussed · 04/01/2023 16:28

Trigger warning flying for those that may not be keen … x

Am I being unreasonable to think that the below was a bit concerning / any pilots want to enlighten me?!
have flown a lot when younger / pre children but felt this was different

budget airline flight, approx 300 passengers Boeing 737
landing very wobbly on approach ( think close to runway)
huge bang on landing / touch down landing gear
worst bit!!! Very very intense what felt like attempts to break without slowing …. Loudest reverse thrust noise ever and the cabin shaking so so much
I felt pinned back in my seat and awaited a huge issue!
afterwards everyone was studded … one women crying and a few choice words heard through the cabin….
Thoughts please

OP posts:
Dagnabit · 04/01/2023 19:41

blueshoes · 04/01/2023 18:31

You landed and ended up facing backwards? Wow, that would have been rough.😆

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It felt like it 😂😂

SurelyYoureJokingMrFeynman · 04/01/2023 19:41

blueshoes · 04/01/2023 18:37

I have never landed in KaiTak. Don't fancy it. I also heard there are tall apartment buildings on either side. So no margin for error (or wind).

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Yep, definitely not for the faint-hearted.

You'd just be recovering from the shock of seeing straight into people's flats, when you realised the thing bobbing at the wingtip was the mast of a boat.Shock

But the pilots brought them in safely day after day, so you just had to remember that.

Kinnorafron · 04/01/2023 19:43

SoupDragon · 04/01/2023 16:31

I've had a few landings like that so I don't think it's totally unusual.

Me too - doubt it was out of the ordinary. And there isn't a 737 that takes 300 PAX, so either you had fewer PAX or it wasn't a 737.

Kinnorafron · 04/01/2023 19:45

JohnPrescottsPyjamas · 04/01/2023 19:27

My DH is a Ryanair pilot - he’s also flown for other airlines too so he has comparisons - and if it’s any comfort, they take their safety culture very seriously. He and his colleagues are very regularly assessed and updated on policies/SIM checks and the company have stricter operational procedures for their crew than many other airlines. Bear in mind also how many aircraft Ryanair have in their fleet ( they’re the largest airline in Europe) and therefore how many are in the air at any time. When did you last hear of a serious incident involving one of their aircraft?

I apologise if that came across as an advert for the airline but I personally found it very reassuring as I’m actually petrified of flying myself!

Also Ryanair has one of the youngest fleets (of planes) of any airline.

larkstar · 04/01/2023 19:47

I don't think it's that unusual. I did have one hard landing and - although I didn't connect it to the landing at the time - I had a week in France ruined by unexpected back pain. When I returned I looked up on google to see if hard landings were linked to back problems - at that time - maybe 8 years ago I found half a dozen threads in different places where people had noted the same thing. I recently tried looking for threads on the same issue and struggled to find them. Ever since that time I have always sat slightly up off my seat and tried to prepare to cushion myself using my arms as I get pushed back down into my my seat on landing - fortunately I've not experienced any really bad landings since.

@PuttingDownRoots I was amazed to see a plane from Ryanair arrive when I was at Limoges a few years ago - the fog was so thick - when we were lead out to board we couldn't even see the plane from the terminal only 80m away I guess - it arrived and left on time.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 04/01/2023 19:48

blueshoes · 04/01/2023 18:37

I have never landed in KaiTak. Don't fancy it. I also heard there are tall apartment buildings on either side. So no margin for error (or wind).

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I remember traveling to KaiTak a year or so after a plane overshot the runway and ended up in the water in bad weather - that added to the fun of flying past office workers having their lunch.

Redwineandbrie · 04/01/2023 19:49

I was crew for 24 years & it sounds like they had a shorter turn off on the runway so had to apply brakes with more force. Happens quite a lot at certain airports & to be honest it sounds like a safe landing to me!

Kinnorafron · 04/01/2023 19:50

Anotherbloomingchristmas · 04/01/2023 17:00

The worst landing I had was when they were testing the autopilot.
Really fast and shaky.
Also always feels worse at the back.
I've just paid £17 to sit at the front of my next flight.

Over the wings is generally the smoothest ride.

Kinnorafron · 04/01/2023 19:53

All Ryanair are 737-800 with 189 passenger seats (except for the 737-700 training plane they keep at Dublin - or used to at least).

Asdf12345 · 04/01/2023 19:55

I was on a real rollercoaster of a flight into Dublin once that had people screaming and praying.

I quite enjoy those flights, but then I fly quite a lot.

Redwineandbrie · 04/01/2023 19:55

Kinnorafron · 04/01/2023 19:50

Over the wings is generally the smoothest ride.

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The front is the smoothest, the further down the aircraft you go, the bumpier it gets

SeaToSki · 04/01/2023 19:57

I remember landing at the old Hong Kong airport -Kai Tak. You flew literally between sky scrapers on the last bit of the descent, you could wave to people in their living rooms. I always felt that a strong bit of crosswind would push you into the building and held my breath (like that would make a difference!!) I think one plane landing there did actually overshoot the runway and ended up in the ocean.

MissConductUS · 04/01/2023 19:58

Atadconfussed · 04/01/2023 16:50

Oh gosh yes Ryan air and yes Bristol!!!

Some airports have short runways (looking at you, San Francisco) which require a quick stop. I fly a lot and this is not unusual.

ThePoetsWife · 04/01/2023 20:00

SeaToSki · 04/01/2023 19:57

I remember landing at the old Hong Kong airport -Kai Tak. You flew literally between sky scrapers on the last bit of the descent, you could wave to people in their living rooms. I always felt that a strong bit of crosswind would push you into the building and held my breath (like that would make a difference!!) I think one plane landing there did actually overshoot the runway and ended up in the ocean.

Yes!

SaintLoy · 04/01/2023 20:01

DashboardConfessional · 04/01/2023 16:46

I have that almost every time I land at Bristol. Specifically the bang, roar and G-force in your seat.

Me too. Ryanair B737 and easyJet A320. I'm used to it. Part of the fun of flying, along with the takeoff.

Coolblur · 04/01/2023 20:04

DobbyTheHouseElk
*Yes!! Come to think of it, Bristol landings are scary. One time we were landed by the control tower, the Pilot said, the control tower is taking over now. This might be a bumpy landing. Fog I think, can’t remember. The flight after us was diverted to Manchester.

The airport is renowned for poor weather.*

The pilot didn't mean it the way you've interpreted it. You weren't 'landed by the control tower' after air traffic control took over (flying the plane), that isn't possible. The air traffic controller in the control tower would have issued a landing clearance, as they do for every landing aircraft, as well as issuing other instructions and information to the pilot to assist them in achieving a safe landing.

LlynTegid · 04/01/2023 20:05

OP, make that your last flight with Ryanair. Unless you have to fly to a funeral or to see a loved one who is terminally ill and there is absolutely no alternative, even going to the next airport and taking a train part of the way.

This year will mark 30 years since my last flight with them. Before Mr O'Leary was CEO.

Kazzyhoward · 04/01/2023 20:06

Sounds pretty normal really, had loads of "hard" landings like that.

Worst was a "Air Sinai" flight landing at Cairo airport, never experienced such violent shaking, you could see all the plastic bits move in their housings (window surrounds, wall and ceiling panels, etc) and several of the overhead lockers burst open (violent movements must have released the catches) with contents falling down. We were very relieved to get off that one!

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 04/01/2023 20:08

ChaliceinWonderland · 04/01/2023 19:28

Ex airline stewardess here, unless the phones ring and the dollies answer there is no need to worry, I flew 8 years never had any disasters...

Yep I was on a flight with an emergency landing and I could see the cabin crews face as she picked up the phone. Never more convinced I was going to die than in that moment but all was fine (even if they did remind us where the exits were again 😫)

themessygarden · 04/01/2023 20:09

Flew into Kai Tak a few times too and it was the manoeuvring of the plane over the bay as it lined up for the runway, dipping and turning one way and then another. i found it hair-raising.

Always hate flying across the Bay of Bengal as it is some of the worst turbulence i have ever experienced.

Cherryblossoms85 · 04/01/2023 20:09

Wait until you experience an aborted landing...

WisteriaLodge · 04/01/2023 20:09

Crappy pilot but then budget airlines have pilots with few flying hours. Hopefully they'll get better!

I'm sick of all the assumptions on here, budget airlines do NOT mean budget pilots, in fact the opposite is true, Any UK registered Airline MUST comply with the same rules as BA and Virgin, they're not given an easier ride because they're a budget Airline FGS. EasyJet and Ryan Air have some of the strictest pilot entry requirements and training in the industry.

Kevinyoutwat · 04/01/2023 20:09

I had a landing like that with Ryanair once. Luton airport. Horrendous. Bounced from side to side down the runway.

Dontevenstart · 04/01/2023 20:10

Atadconfussed · 04/01/2023 16:50

Oh gosh yes Ryan air and yes Bristol!!!

Bristol can have the hell of a crosswind (one of the reasons they built a runway there was to practice landing in rubbish conditions - great place for an airport!) and Ryanair will be Ryanair! Sorry you had a bit of a rubbish experience but at least you all got down in one piece.

Elderflower14 · 04/01/2023 20:11

Madeira Airport is quite dicey to land at....!!!