If some of my flights were complicated, even dramatic, this one was just funny: outright funny!
I had so many laughs, and I behave so badly, that it prompted my poor Mother to utter her terrible phrase: "I'll never bring you again", LOL.
I knew beforehand we ould be flying this horrendous airplane, as TWA didn't fly the Lisbon route everyday.
It was supposed to be a Rome/Milano/Lisbon flight. But when we arrived at the airport, we were informed that ALL gasoline services in Italy were on strike, and made to wait at the gate.
So we waited, hours and hours, and as there was also another strike of the airport shops, everything closed! Not nice at all!
I was in a group of Primary School (mostly very old) Teachers from my Mother's Organisation. Suddendly, one of them spotted a familiar face, none the less then the VIASA's flight Chief Steward!
He informed us the Captain realised he had (just) enough fuel to reach Lisbon, and we would fly directly.
Needless to say, the interior of the DC-8 was absolutely decrepit! So I spent all flight dismantling my seat, removing the arm rest, etc. And of course, speaking about the fuel, if it would be really enough to reach Lisbon! Most of the old bats were praying and praying! Until we spotted, just behind me, one of the most puritan, on a middle seat, with a South American moustached gentleman on his 50's, slowly and happily looking at a very sordid pornographic magazine!
All the other ladies, just whispering, "Poor Madame Preciosa, poor Madame Preciosa (her name, even more funny, meaning 'Precious'...)". To make a funny situation even funnier, and because of the 3 hours flight, suddenly she had to go to the toilet, so her efforts to pretend she wasn't seeing the sinful magazine were exposed. So she stood up, and the 'criminal' gentleman stood up, making a very polite bow, to make her pass! What a laugh it was!
Well, we did reach Lisbon, but barelly! After landing, 2 of the engines were turned off (or dry...?)
But the fact was, they gave us a dinner, and I still can remember, it was a beef goulash, one of the best meals I ever had on an airplane....
LOL