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Essentially a passenger fell asleep about halfway through the short flight, and when she woke up she found herself in a pitch dark plane all on her own. The plane wasn’t even parked at the gate anymore, but rather had been towed somewhere to park overnight, and was locked.
The passenger’s cell phone was in the process of dying as she woke up, and the chargers don’t work when the plane isn’t turned on or hooked up to power. She tried to go into the cockpit and use the radio, but that didn’t work.
Without any options she eventually opened the main exit door, and tried to plan an escape. She realized it was a significant drop, though, so didn’t jump. She found a flashlight and then tried to use that to get attention, but had no luck. Eventually she managed to flag down someone on a baggage cart.
Amazing that she was left behind like that on the airline, one would think that the flight attendants would have discovered her before they left. I wonder if they charged her for the extra flight. Good thing she was able to get off that plan, no one can stay alive for days eating that airline food they provide.
When I read this yesterday I wondered how often this happens.
Because it happened to me years ago on a Northwest Airlines 747. I was in the Air Force and was travelling from Boston to Anchorage. The flight had stops in Minneapolis and Seattle. I fell asleep. The flight was late arriving in Seattle, so Northwest terminated the flight there. I knew nothing about it slept thru the announcement. You would think the crew or other passengers would have noticed a sleeping 20 year old. No one did and so I awoke to an empty 747 with no one around. Unlike the poor woman on Air Canada, I was able to get off because the cleaning crew came on. Northwest booked me for a next day flight to Anchorage. I spent the night in the Seattle USO. There wasn't mush said by the airline how this could of happened.
That woman on the AC flight had it much worse than my experience. There really is no excuse for an airline to be so lax on monitoring flights. Yes its the pax responsibility to stay awake, get on and off the plane. However things happen. My case I had extreme jet lag. I had actually started my trip in Frankfurt Germany with a 2 day layover in Boston. I was completely exhausted and not use to jet lag.
I'm glad that woman is ok, but I am wondering how often this happens.
That woman on the AC flight had it much worse than my experience. There really is no excuse for an airline to be so lax on monitoring flights. Yes its the pax responsibility to stay awake, get on and off the plane. However things happen. My case I had extreme jet lag. I had actually started my trip in Frankfurt Germany with a 2 day layover in Boston. I was completely exhausted and not use to jet lag.
While I certainly agree no one should have missed her I can see that it may not have been fault of the airline, but a contracted cleaning service. Airline staff could have easily been off the plane on to other flights before servicing was finished. Cleaning crews probably would have been the last in the cabin, but if they don't know the plane's flight schedule don't pay any attention to passengers.
When I read this story all I could think was there was no one looking for her? No mom or dad or boyfriend husband girlfriend best friend? Noone?? That's kind of sad. If I didn't turn up my husband would track my flight and find me
When I read this yesterday I wondered how often this happens.
Because it happened to me years ago on a Northwest Airlines 747. I was in the Air Force and was travelling from Boston to Anchorage. The flight had stops in Minneapolis and Seattle. I fell asleep. The flight was late arriving in Seattle, so Northwest terminated the flight there. I knew nothing about it slept thru the announcement. You would think the crew or other passengers would have noticed a sleeping 20 year old. No one did and so I awoke to an empty 747 with no one around. Unlike the poor woman on Air Canada, I was able to get off because the cleaning crew came on. Northwest booked me for a next day flight to Anchorage. I spent the night in the Seattle USO. There wasn't mush said by the airline how this could of happened.
That woman on the AC flight had it much worse than my experience. There really is no excuse for an airline to be so lax on monitoring flights. Yes its the pax responsibility to stay awake, get on and off the plane. However things happen. My case I had extreme jet lag. I had actually started my trip in Frankfurt Germany with a 2 day layover in Boston. I was completely exhausted and not use to jet lag.
I'm glad that woman is ok, but I am wondering how often this happens.
That's really strange. How hard is it for the crew to check all the seats before leaving? Why isn't that standard procedure? Checking to make sure everyone's off the plane? I find it very strange that they don't do that.
I can relate to your level of jet lag. With an extreme time change, one can go into deep sleep.
When I read this story all I could think was there was no one looking for her? No mom or dad or boyfriend husband girlfriend best friend? Noone?? That's kind of sad. If I didn't turn up my husband would track my flight and find me
Most passengers don't have someone meeting them. They catch a shuttle or grab a rental car, or take public transit, if that's an option. If a friend happened to have tried to call her later in the evening, they wouldn't have thought much of it, if they didn't get an answer. Maybe assumed shed' gone out to dinner, or had gone to bed early, or something.
I can't imagine being such a heavy sleeper that I can sleep through landing and the noisy passenger unloading.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
That's really strange. How hard is it for the crew to check all the seats before leaving? Why isn't that standard procedure? Checking to make sure everyone's off the plane? I find it very strange that they don't do that.
I can relate to your level of jet lag. With an extreme time change, one can go into deep sleep.
I would have assumed a final walkthrough was a normal part of the job.
Plus if you were a passenger on the plane and there was someone still sleeping when everyone got off, wouldn't you mention that to the FA as you exited? I would be worried they were dead, or at least ill, if they were sleeping through all of that.
I'm not saying it didn't happen, but it does seem very odd.
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Good thing she was able to get off that plan, no one can stay alive for days eating that airline food they provide. 
