• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Security
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Legal
  • Technology and Science
  • Opinion
  • Columns
  • Exposé
  • World
  • Lifestyle
Mid-air panic: How our Abuja-bound flight from Paris made U-turn

Mid-Air Panic: How Our Abuja-Bound Flight From Paris Made U-turn

2 years ago
Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

34 minutes ago
Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

2 hours ago
US Bombs Iran’s Three Nuclear Sites

US Bombs Iran’s Three Nuclear Sites

9 hours ago
Nigeria’s Amusan To Compete In Jamaica As Athletics Season Kicks Off

Paris Diamond League: Nigeria’s Amusan Finishes Second In 100m Hurdles

19 hours ago
West Africa Wants Energy, Minerals Deals With Washington, But Decries Trump’s Ban

Nigerian Govt Debunks Claims Of Abandonment Of Citizens In Iran

20 hours ago
Sunday, June 22, 2025
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
Heritage Times
No Result
View All Result
Translate |
  • Login
  • Politics
    WAES2025: Liberian Leader Wants ECOWAS’ Door Open To Junta-led Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso

    WAES2025: Liberian Leader Wants ECOWAS’ Door Open To Junta-led Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso

    Tunisian Court Slams 15-Year Jail Term On Another Opposition Figure

    Tunisian Court Slams 15-Year Jail Term On Another Opposition Figure

    Zambia’s Former President To Be Buried In South Africa After Funeral Dispute

    Zambia’s Former President To Be Buried In South Africa After Funeral Dispute

    Uganda: Concerns Rise Over Ageing African Leaders, As 86-Year-Old Deputy PM Gets Nominated For Re-election Inside His Car

    Uganda: Concerns Rise Over Ageing African Leaders, As 86-Year-Old Deputy PM Gets Nominated For Re-election Inside His Car

    Iran War, US Trade War Top Agenda As G-7 Summit Opens In Canada

    Iran War, US Trade War Top Agenda As G-7 Summit Opens In Canada

    Guinea Revokes Mining Concession Over Firm’s Inability To Build Alumina Refinery

    Junta-led Guinea Sets Up Body To Conduct December Elections

    Burundi: Outrage As Ruling Party Sweeps All Parliamentary Seats

    Cameroon: Police Lay Siege At Opposition Leader’s Home

    Cameroon: Police Lay Siege At Opposition Leader’s Home

    At Tanzania Summit, African Leaders Call For End To DRC Conflict

    Rwanda Exits Central African Regional Bloc Over Row With DRC

  • Economy
    Nigeria: Civil Service Week Kicks Off With Launch Of State-of-the-Art OHCSF Entrance Foyer

    Nigeria: Civil Service Week Kicks Off With Launch Of State-of-the-Art OHCSF Entrance Foyer

    At West Africa Summit, Tinubu Wants End To Export Of Unprocessed Minerals

    At West Africa Summit, Tinubu Wants End To Export Of Unprocessed Minerals

    Sierra Leone Suffers Power Cut As Turkish Power Supplier Shutdown Amid $40 Million Debt

    Nigeria’s Power Grid In Crisis As 264 Transmission Towers Vandalised In 15 Months – TCN

    Niger: Military Govt Takes Over French-Owned Uranium Firm As Row Escalates

    William Ruto

    Kenya: Parliament Passes Proposed 2025 Finance Law, Denies KRA Access To Taxpayers’ Data

    Nigerian Govt Launches 14-Man Task Team To Tackle Building Collapse Crisis

    Nigerian Govt Launches 14-Man Task Team To Tackle Building Collapse Crisis

    West Africa Wants Energy, Minerals Deals With Washington, But Decries Trump’s Ban

    West Africa Wants Energy, Minerals Deals With Washington, But Decries Trump’s Ban

    junta

    Junta-led Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger To Attend West African Economic Summit In Nigeria 

    Mali’s Junta Takes Over Canadian-Owned Gold Mine In Tax Row

    Mali’s Junta Takes Over Canadian-Owned Gold Mine In Tax Row

  • Security
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Metro
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Legal
  • Tech & Science
  • Opinion
  • Exposé
  • Exclusive Videos
  • Niger Delta
  • World
  • Politics
    WAES2025: Liberian Leader Wants ECOWAS’ Door Open To Junta-led Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso

    WAES2025: Liberian Leader Wants ECOWAS’ Door Open To Junta-led Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso

    Tunisian Court Slams 15-Year Jail Term On Another Opposition Figure

    Tunisian Court Slams 15-Year Jail Term On Another Opposition Figure

    Zambia’s Former President To Be Buried In South Africa After Funeral Dispute

    Zambia’s Former President To Be Buried In South Africa After Funeral Dispute

    Uganda: Concerns Rise Over Ageing African Leaders, As 86-Year-Old Deputy PM Gets Nominated For Re-election Inside His Car

    Uganda: Concerns Rise Over Ageing African Leaders, As 86-Year-Old Deputy PM Gets Nominated For Re-election Inside His Car

    Iran War, US Trade War Top Agenda As G-7 Summit Opens In Canada

    Iran War, US Trade War Top Agenda As G-7 Summit Opens In Canada

    Guinea Revokes Mining Concession Over Firm’s Inability To Build Alumina Refinery

    Junta-led Guinea Sets Up Body To Conduct December Elections

    Burundi: Outrage As Ruling Party Sweeps All Parliamentary Seats

    Cameroon: Police Lay Siege At Opposition Leader’s Home

    Cameroon: Police Lay Siege At Opposition Leader’s Home

    At Tanzania Summit, African Leaders Call For End To DRC Conflict

    Rwanda Exits Central African Regional Bloc Over Row With DRC

  • Economy
    Nigeria: Civil Service Week Kicks Off With Launch Of State-of-the-Art OHCSF Entrance Foyer

    Nigeria: Civil Service Week Kicks Off With Launch Of State-of-the-Art OHCSF Entrance Foyer

    At West Africa Summit, Tinubu Wants End To Export Of Unprocessed Minerals

    At West Africa Summit, Tinubu Wants End To Export Of Unprocessed Minerals

    Sierra Leone Suffers Power Cut As Turkish Power Supplier Shutdown Amid $40 Million Debt

    Nigeria’s Power Grid In Crisis As 264 Transmission Towers Vandalised In 15 Months – TCN

    Niger: Military Govt Takes Over French-Owned Uranium Firm As Row Escalates

    William Ruto

    Kenya: Parliament Passes Proposed 2025 Finance Law, Denies KRA Access To Taxpayers’ Data

    Nigerian Govt Launches 14-Man Task Team To Tackle Building Collapse Crisis

    Nigerian Govt Launches 14-Man Task Team To Tackle Building Collapse Crisis

    West Africa Wants Energy, Minerals Deals With Washington, But Decries Trump’s Ban

    West Africa Wants Energy, Minerals Deals With Washington, But Decries Trump’s Ban

    junta

    Junta-led Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger To Attend West African Economic Summit In Nigeria 

    Mali’s Junta Takes Over Canadian-Owned Gold Mine In Tax Row

    Mali’s Junta Takes Over Canadian-Owned Gold Mine In Tax Row

  • Security
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Metro
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Legal
  • Tech & Science
  • Opinion
  • Exposé
  • Exclusive Videos
  • Niger Delta
  • World
No Result
View All Result
First with the News

Mid-Air Panic: How Our Abuja-Bound Flight From Paris Made U-turn

November 1, 2023
in Top Stories
0
Mid-air panic: How our Abuja-bound flight from Paris made U-turn
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Whatsapp

By Yushau Shuaib

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We regret to announce that because of a technical problem, we have to return to Paris for safety and security.”

Relatedreading

Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

That was the announcement by the Captain of the Abuja-bound Air France flight on Monday, October 23, 2023, that departed Charles De Gaulle (CDG) Airport in Paris after over two hours in mid-air en route to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Nigeria. Air France flies to over 200 international destinations in more than 90 countries across Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

The announcement for the U-turn was made after the plane had passed European airspace, flew over the Mediterranean Sea, crossed over North African countries of Tunisia and Algeria and was just about approaching Niger Republic in the scheduled six-hour flight.

As I looked around, I could see and feel the agitation in the minds and body language of the bewildered passengers. We were confused but everyone remained obediently calm and prayerful. An old Nigerian woman who was depressed voiced out loudly: “The pilots should park the plane in any nearby airport to fix the trouble!”

I joined an air attendant and other passengers on board to pacify the woman so that she wouldn’t suffer shock or any cardiovascular attack. Meanwhile, deep inside me, I knew that other passengers needed similar pacification going by their disturbing glances.

Those that were formerly watching movies and listening to music from the video screen on the seats had now switched their channel to the route map that shows the direction of the flight as it made a U-turn towards Paris. At that moment, I remembered those verses in the scriptures and scenes of horror movies on D-Day and what might finally unfold.

I could not shake off the negative, horrific thoughts from my head. I comforted myself by realising that I had said my early morning prayers to Almighty God. I nevertheless regretted that I couldn’t speak to my mother and other loved ones the previous days. I remembered old friends that I had wished to catch up with.

I again realised that everything about this world, including wealth, fame, families, position and power, were indeed nothing. There were top politicians, businessmen and celebrities in the business class and so, if anything happened, my name would not make the headlines. The editors may cast their headlines thus: “Top Politicians, Business Tycoons, Celebrities Perish in Ill-fated Airplane.”

I wished I had shared the pictures we took at the Golden World Award hosted by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) in Barcelona, Spain, where my Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), which publishers PRNigeria, and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) were honoured with Crisis Management Awards before the trip to Paris. With the award trophy in my traveling bag, it dawned on me that there are crises that award-winning Crisis Managers cannot manage.

I felt my seatbelt as if I was tightened to the stake in a firing squad expecting the executioners to pull the trigger. I queried myself for deciding to enjoy a few days transit in Paris for holidays with my wife just to satisfy the Schengen visa requirement offered by the French Embassy. Unfortunately, none of the pictures we took at tourist sites in Paris had been shared to anyone. The pictures, including our visits to the famous Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre Museum, etc., were saved on our phones.

Like a child, I consciously blamed no one but myself for looking for ‘trouble’ travelling by air every time when I could have taken the risk of road transportation which could have been safer in case of an emergency and by which someone’s body can be easily retrieved for a befitting burial.cTrivial conversation by passengers, revving of the plane engine, and sound of movement were so irritating to my eardrum.

I wished facemasks, ear-masks, nose-masks and even strong sleeping pills could be provided to relieve us of the excessive tension. The jerking by the plane prompted me back to the reality around me. I wished the air hostess could once again demonstrate the safety tips and instructions for emergency purposes which I always ignored or paid no attention to previously.

The jolt of the aircraft ran shivers down my veins as I quickly connected my device to Wi-Fi and Googled ‘air turbulence’. I was comforted to read that air turbulence might be a bit uncomfortable, but it is regarded as normal because planes are built to handle the worst scenarios.

I gathered that for a plane to fly stably, airflow passing over and under the wings need to be regular – though some weather events cause irregularity which creates air pockets; that with clear air, temperature inversion and turbulence, passengers’ safety is guaranteed once they fasten seat belt; that turbulence could create panic among passengers but do not cause a plane to crash because pilots are specially trained while aircraft are engineered to survive all types of turbulence.

Though I was not sitting by the door, I was shocked when I read that if a plane door was suddenly thrust open, anyone standing near the exit would be ejected into the sky; the cabin temperature would quickly plummet to frostbite-inducing levels, and the plane itself might even begin to break apart. I deliberately refused to look at the passengers sitting by the doors out of sympathy as I prayed for our safe landing.

For the first time in that moment, I was envious and jealous of those that hardly travel but rely on technology from the comfort of their homes and offices to attend conferences, receive certificates, bag awards, make friends and tour sites of attractions from internet-enabled devices and programmes.

The cabin crew members were busy attending to passengers’ needs with words of reassurance even as the flight was smooth. I watched with keen interest as the airplane tactically maneuvered in the cloud and sky till it remained about 30 minutes until landing when the pilot confirmed the same. The landing was a huge relief because of my experience during the flight. I could hear different names of God in victory songs and prayers renting the air.

When we alighted, the Air France personnel provided us with meal tickets and checked us into decent hotels for next available flights mostly through codeshare agreement with other airlines. The following day, we were booked and checked-in with Lufthansa Airline which took us to Munich and Frankfurt on transit before finally landing safely in Abuja.

Yushau Shuaib is the author of Award-Winning Crisis Communication Strategies
[email protected]

Tags: breakingHeritageheritage timesheritagetimesmediahtlatestnewsthe heritage timesthehtafricathtthtafricatop storiesYushau Shuaib
ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

Ugandan Government Moves To Halt Oil Imports Through Kenya

Next Post

Ugandan Court Slams $28,000 Fine On US Couple Over Child’s “Inhumane Treatment”

Related Posts

Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

June 22, 2025
Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

June 22, 2025

US Bombs Iran’s Three Nuclear Sites

Paris Diamond League: Nigeria’s Amusan Finishes Second In 100m Hurdles

Nigerian Govt Debunks Claims Of Abandonment Of Citizens In Iran

Nigeria’s First Female Fighter Pilot Celebrated In Ghana 

Next Post
Ugandan Court Slams $28,000 Fine On US Couple Over Child’s “Inhumane Treatment”

Ugandan Court Slams $28,000 Fine On US Couple Over Child's "Inhumane Treatment"

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

AfriHeritage Magazine Issue 2 AfriHeritage Magazine Issue 2 AfriHeritage Magazine Issue 2

Updates

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

June 22, 2025
Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

June 22, 2025
US Bombs Iran’s Three Nuclear Sites

US Bombs Iran’s Three Nuclear Sites

June 22, 2025
Nigeria’s Amusan To Compete In Jamaica As Athletics Season Kicks Off

Paris Diamond League: Nigeria’s Amusan Finishes Second In 100m Hurdles

June 21, 2025
JESIN GAMES - AfriTrivia JESIN GAMES - AfriTrivia JESIN GAMES - AfriTrivia
ADVERTISEMENT

Most Recent

Ofili: Nigerian Athlete ‘Moves To Switch Nationality

June 22, 2025

Amid Escalated Attacks In Benue, Nigerian Army Deploys 197 Troops To Gambia

June 22, 2025

US Bombs Iran’s Three Nuclear Sites

June 22, 2025

Paris Diamond League: Nigeria’s Amusan Finishes Second In 100m Hurdles

June 21, 2025

Nigerian Govt Debunks Claims Of Abandonment Of Citizens In Iran

June 21, 2025

Nigeria’s First Female Fighter Pilot Celebrated In Ghana 

June 21, 2025

WAFU B Cup: Nigeria, Ghana, Others Get Opponents

June 21, 2025

WAES2025: Liberian Leader Wants ECOWAS’ Door Open To Junta-led Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso

June 21, 2025

About

Heritage Times HT stands as a beacon of pan-African journalism, dedicated to amplyfing the rich tapestry of voices and narratives across the continent. With unwavering commitment, we illuminate the evocative essence of Africa, offering a fresh perspective that captivates our global audience.

Featured

AfDB Set For A New President, As Ould Tah Gains Continental Endorsement

How Dangote Is Turning Trump’s Trade War Into Africa’s Opportunity

Nigeria @ 64: Meet Young Luminaries Leading Social Transformation

Connect

Connect with us on social media and receive timely updates on the go.

Get Updates

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Heritage Times (HT) Media.

No Result
View All Result
  • Welcome
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Security
  • Exposé
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Legal
  • Technology and Science
  • Columns
    • Opinion
  • World
  • __________________
  • Make a Donation
  • Photo Speaks
  • Videos
  • You-Report
  • Whistleblower
  • Advertise
  • HT Events
  • About HT
  • Contact us

© 2024 Heritage Times (HT) Media.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In