Panicked British Airways passengers have said they will never fly again after having to reach for oxygen masks as a flight dropped 27,000ft in just ‘a few minutes’.
Mary Kluga, was one of many travellers left shaking with fear during the terrifying experience.
The 32-year-old was flying back to her home in Chicago from Heathrow when she was jolted awake by bumps which shook the plane.
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Oxygen masks then dropped down in front of the passengers faces with an eerie warning message that played on repeat over the speakers.
“I am already terrified of flying, so it was extremely scary for me,” Mary, from Chicago, Illinois, told Need To Know.
“We were about 30 minutes into our flight from Heathrow to Chicago when a few bumps woke me up from my nap.
“Not long after, the oxygen masks suddenly dropped and an automated message told everyone to put them on.
“The message played on repeat while we sat there with the masks on for about 20 minutes, mostly in silence but all very scared because we were confused about what was happening.”
The message stated ‘Attention, grab the nearest oxygen mask and put it over your nose and mouth immediately’.
The passengers on the flight on 5 Oct needed the masks after the plane dropped 27,000ft in just a few minutes.
The change in cabin pressure required the added oxygen for the travellers aboard.
Mary said: “One of the flight attendants was so kind and helped calm me down afterward.
“After that, the pilot and flight attendants kept updating us and explained that we needed to return to Heathrow, but first had to circle around while getting rid of excess fuel, and even deploy the landing gear to help create drag.
“This went on for four hours.
“We eventually landed back at Heathrow, spent the night there, and were rebooked on different flights.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to fly again.”
Mary had made the eight hour journey over to the UK for a family event.
Despite being a nervous flyer, the experience has left her wanting to avoid long-haul trips in the future.
She said: “I was extremely anxious about getting back on a plane so soon after everything happened.
“I doubt I’ll be flying long distances again for a very long time.
“I was already terrified of flying and dreading the flight so it was a very long, tiring and stressful journey back.”
The plane safely landed back at Heathrow Airport with passengers supported by the airline following the incident.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We do not underestimate how unsettling this will have been and the safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority.
“The aircraft landed safely after our highly-trained pilots returned to Heathrow following a technical issue.
“Customers disembarked the aircraft normally and our teams worked hard to support our customers and get their travel plans back on track as quickly as possible.”
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