Airline mishaps: What's going on up there?

November 2, 7:12 AMAlbuquerque Pop Culture ExaminerCarla Bastos

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Is it just me, or has air travel become like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates--you never know what you're going to get.

First there were the two wayward Northwest pilots who seemed to take a leisurely flight 150 miles past their destination last month (with 144 passengers aboard).

But, during the past week, hijinks ensued for several more airborne (or airbound) folks, giving pause to frequent flyers everywhere.

There was the Southwest flight that, moments before takeoff, returned to the gate to kick a mom and her baby off the plane because flight announcements could not be heard over the child's screams.  To my knowledge, that's a first.  Was it the right thing to do?  Maybe.  I'm sure the other passengers thought so.  Southwest Airlines later apologized to the woman, refunded her ticket price and gave her a $300 travel voucher.

The week's weirdness award goes to Saturday's British Airways flight on which six people fainted.  (Yes, it was Halloween.)  There appeared to be no rhyme or reason for the incident.  Upon the flight's arrival in London, emergency teams in protective gear searched the aircraft to find the culprit.  Nothing suspicious was found--no hazardous materials, nothing.  The six people were treated on the plane and allowed to continue their journeys. 

Hands down, the "Danger, Will Robinson!" medal goes to the Midwest Airlines plane that landed at LAX and nonchalantly taxied nearly into the path of a Northwest plane taking off for Honolulu.  (Poor Northwest--they just can't seem to lay low.)  The two planes passed within 82 feet of each other, less than half the separation required by aviation rules.  The Midwest flight had been told to hold at a taxiway 200 feet from the parallel runway, but instead continued until a controller saw where it was headed and ordered it to stop.

Without a doubt, incidents like these happen every day.  These were just the ones that made the news last week.  But, after Northwest's embarrassing episode, passengers are more aware--and nervous--perhaps than ever before. 

It was recently learned that the NTSB has an anonymous "hotline" of sorts that allows pilots to call in and talk about mistakes or dangerous incidents on their flights.  Some of these include fatigue, distraction...and, as we've seen, God only knows what else.  It's a scary thought to imagine just how many calls are logged, and just how bad it really gets up there.

There's an outlet for passengers, too.  If you've experienced an air travel-related problem like this, the FAA has a website specifically designed for concerned passengers to report such experiences.

The conclusion of the matter?  Air travel is much like many other things we all do every day.  It's a necessary but at-your-own-risk undertaking... and you never know what you're going to get.