A New Jersey man recounts his scary turbulence experience when he had to fly from Miami during a storm. Viewers react to how he coped with the hellish flight and other anxious passengers.
In a video with around 10,000 views, TikToker Mike Panettiere (@mikepanettiere) sits in his car as he recounts the “flight from hell” from Miami to New Jersey. He says he originally planned to fly out a day later but was hoping to catch an earlier flight to miss a storm in New Jersey.
“I get a text that the flight was delayed an hour and a half,” he says. “No big deal.”
He heads to the airport in an Uber and decides to “garden,” TikTok slang for using marijuana, to ease his nerves before the flight.
Panettiere gets a text while going through security that his flight is delayed even longer. In that moment, he realizes his edible will “hit” before he boards the flight.
When he gets to the gate, an agent announces over the loudspeaker that the flight may be canceled. He calls his mom, who was going to pick him up in New Jersey, to let her know the flight may not go out.
“[She says], ‘What? What do you mean? What are we gonna do? You’re gonna have to stay till Tuesday,'” he recounts dramatically. “Now my stress and cortisol levels are through the roof.”
Luckily, a short time later, the agent announces that the flight will leave at 7:30 p.m.
Panettiere continues that other passengers began freaking out as they boarded the plane. One couple begs the flight attendant to let them sit together, as the wife has severe flight anxiety. He watches the couple switch seats with other passengers to sit next to each other.
Then, the pilot makes an announcement that they expect severe turbulence about one hour into the flight.
Is it safe to fly in a storm?
He says the first hour of the flight was smooth, but the turbulence intensified in the second hour of the flight.
“I kid you not, the plan was going like this,” he says, making wave motions with his arm. “And I am bugging out.”
While turbulence can be disturbing for passengers, it’s generally fine to fly during a storm, according to the BBC. In fact, pilots are trained to perform special maneuvers that make flying with turbulence safe. Should a severe storm impact flying conditions, the flight may be canceled.
Panettiere says his heart rate was so fast during the turbulence, getting a reading of 170 beats per minute on his watch.
He says the woman with anxiety starts screaming as the turbulence worsens, leading other passengers to begin freaking out, too.
“So now I’m hearing this and I’m bugging out,” he says. “She’s stressing me out to the max.”
He says the turbulence only lasted 10 to 15 minutes, but it felt like “two and a half to three hours.”
“I’ve never been on a plane where the turbulence is that bad,” he remarks at the end of the clip. “I recommend not gardening before a flight.”
How did viewers react to his flight story?
In the comments, viewers joke about his chaotic flight saga.
“I’m sorry but as a flight attendant myself…I am crying laughing at this story,” one says.
“I’m laughing so hard i work over nites shifts this made my nite lol sorry though this happen to u,” another comments.
Others share their own scary turbulence experiences.
“Miami to jersey is a different flight. I was sick MULTIPLE TIMES BACK BC OF TURBULENCE,” a commenter writes.
“My brother, sisinlaw & niece were on a plane from Cincinnati to RI. Turbulence inbound to RI in pitch black. Lightning, thunder, up and down. My niece? 2 rows back screaming: Get me off this plane!!” another shares.
“My scariest flight was alsoooo Miami to nj,” a third adds.
@mikepanettiere Buckle up… because I just survived the FLIGHT FROM HELL ?? I swear I’m not exaggerating — this was straight out of a movie ?✈️ #flightfromhell #storytime #traveling #fyp #turbelence ♬ original sound – Mike Panettiere
The Mary Sue reached out to Panettiere via Instagram direct message.
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