Small Diversion
In February, a huge winter snowstorm was pelting the East Coast. I was flying between San Francisco and Boston. Logan Airport was closed in Boston and the 737 had to be diverted to an airport in New York. The approach was in whiteout conditions. Engines were screaming with every jolt and jump, and lights flickered on and off.
I was sitting next to a guy who had a panic episode and began grabbing at his seatbelt, trying to escape. I grabbed the collar of his shirt with my right hand, and began shaking him violently and screaming at him to hold on. It was a bit like my water rescue training. It was like my old water rescue training.
As the pilots deployed every braking device that the plane has, some loose items in the cabin were thrown about. I am pretty sure that I would have saved the guy’s life if he had gotten out of his chair. The plane was de-iced for two hours and we then flew without incident to Boston.
