As I board the airplane, I immediatly start to sweat. I sit down and start to fiddle with the air conditioning vent, but only hot air comes out. As the plane starts to fill the situation doesn’t improve. The man who sits down in front of me weighs at least 300 pounds, and as he lowers himself into the narrow seat, it leans back dangerously and makes a creaking sound. The person behind me is a 5 year old girl who must have had at least a case of soda today, judging by the way she keeps bouncing up and down and kicking the back of my chair.

As we take off, the air conditioning starts to kick in. Once drinks are served and we’ve reached cruising altitude, I take out my laptop and start to continue my novel. Just as I’m getting into it, the plane starts shaking uncontrollably, throwing things about the cabin. The fasten seatbelt signs light up, and the flight attendants make their way back to their seats. I look up just as the oxygen masks drop from the ceilings, causing panic amongst the passengers…