The crews are happy when the passengers are happy too. The service time is a good time to laugh and crack some jokes if your passengers are happy. Being a festive period, we were all happy. Ten minutes into the flight, I felt faint. I saw the yellow mask suddenly dropped through out the cabin! It was a slow decompression. I walked to the front of the cabin to grab the PA system whilst shouting out the commands.
“Grab your oxygen mask, pull it down, breathe,” at the same time pulling alternate masks for myself to breath as I walked along. I could hear the screams from the passengers, I was feeling dizzy, and we were falling.
And down we went. I should mention here that there are specific responses in different emergency scenarios. In this sort of situation, each crew must wear the oxygen mask first. To share with you, the many drills we had often reeled off during our briefing times could never compare to this real life scenario. Fear is a powerful force and with a heart pounding, I faced the situation with all the courage in me. Would that be enough? I prayed hard as I walked through the cabin. On getting to my seat, I grabbed the nearest oxygen mask, tried to catch my breath and got my breathing to near normal. As looked up into the cabin after a few breaths, suddenly more alert to my surrounding, I saw the passengers’ faces and the fright on their faces shook me to my bones- my well travelled friends brought me to tears, they were crying! I muttered a prayer as reality dawned afresh. We were holding on to a string of hope- that we would land safely. I looked in the cabin and saw a mother with a baby stood up to pass her baby to another. The few months old baby was losing breath, the mother was also steadily losing breath. She tried to stretch the baby to a woman rows of seat away from her so she could fix the oxygen mask for the baby to breathe. I grapsed the nearest oxygen bottle from where it was stowed and made my way down the aisle to the rear of the cabin. I got to the baby in good time and fixed the oxygen mask for the baby.
Walking back was a task. Passengers called out for me to help with their oxygen masks. Out off panic, most of them had forgotten to pull the mask first!
“Pull the mask down, pull over your nose and mouth, breath!” “Am not breathing!” was a chorus in the cabin and I helped many to pull down their masks as I walked back to the front of the cabin. Even for my frequent fliers- no matter what name they had called me in support of their co-travellers earlier, they need not ask for forgiveness. I was more than willing to offer my help however needed. All I wanted was to get everyone to safety, on time, losing no one. As I got to the front of the cabin, exhausted, I noticed we were at a stable level and cruising at the required altitude. I called the flight deck and after a quick response from them, I dropped the phone and went into the cockpit. They were fine. The Captain ran the plans to a safe landing with me and I stepped out. I walked through the cabin again assuring everyone we were surely landing safely. It was humbling seeing everyone look to the crew for that assurance and be strengthened by our words and attitude. Once I informed the crew about the instructions to follow after landing, we all went through the cabin again securing everything that had gone loose. The cockpit call out came through a few minutes later.
“Cabin Crew, Please take your seats for landing.” This was a relief!
The crew went to their seats and we sat down for the most gratifying landing so far in my life. Gratifying because a few minutes earlier, I was not sure where we were headed; heaven or earth? I do not know about any other place.
It was the sounds of clapping that got me sitting straight up. We landed safely! I went through the necessary announcements and waited for the seat belt signs to be turned off. It took a little longer this time but finally, the stairs were attached and the seat belt signs were turned off. Passengers undid their seat belts and made for their bags, singing in their best voices to God. As I opened the door, the business class passengers walked towards me, hugging and thanking the crew for the safe landing. The economy passengers were rushing forward too. The ground personnel ushered everyone to the arrival hall, assuring them again, and again. Tears were flowing down the faces of most of the passengers amidst laughter. It was a terrifying experience, truly unforgettable. I could only smile with them. I was relieved! The burden was heavy. I smiled at my exit door passengers who had accused me of bothering them on exit door procedures when they were used to travelling across nations and oceans. God bless them!
Finally, the bride-to-be walked up to me. Tears streaming down her eyes.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for not allowing me keeping my cake on my lap. Thank you for putting my wedding dress away. Thank you for everything.”
I busted into laughter, wiping her own tears off her face.
“There are procedures we follow each time, although we get bored from these routines, we must do them for ours and passengers’ safety. That is why we are here.”
We hugged and everyone got off the airplane. The flight crew came out and we all hugged and went through our final procedures. The cabin secured, we waved bye to the airplane. Definitely, it was grounded until fixed and checked for flying again by the regulator.
As we walked into the arrival hall, we were welcomed by our head of department and she ushered us into the crew room.
“Thank you, team. Well done. You made me proud. I am proud of you.””
We were all beaming with smiles now, proud of ourselves, since everything went well.
“Hmmmm,” she cleared her throat. “So, I need you to get some time to yourselves. Have lunch and we get you on the next airplane to Owerri.”
“What! No way! This is not debatable! Good bye, ma.”
Mojereola Mustapha
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