The Saturday Morning Post: Adventures in Flying: Thud again!

When my parents were still alive, I would fly to Florida a couple of times a year to visit. The year they died, I flew to Orlando 11 times.  

I was returning from a visit one Thanksgiving week.  To beat the crowds, I would fly down the Friday before the Thursday holiday, spend a week and fly back the day after the holiday. Planes were a little less crowded.  I was changing planes in Atlanta, Georgia. You can't go to hell without changing planes in Atlanta. Things were going well.  We were seated and settled in and there was a Thud and the plane shook slightly from side to side.  There is often a thud when the baggage doors are closed, but the side to side shake was not normal.  When the ground crew went to back the baggage conveyor away from the plane, they missed reverse and slammed into the side of the plane. 

After a couple of minutes we were asked to deplane, and wait in the gate area. About half an hour later, the pilot took the microphone and said, "as you know the baggage handlers bumped into the plane, and dented it. The mechanics have checked it, sent photos to engineers at the manufacture, we have tested the pressurization, and they assure us it is safe to fly. We are going to go, if you want to go please board, if you are uncomfortable flying in this plane the gate attendants will book you on the next available flight."  

The seat next to me was empty on the flight home that afternoon.