Chapter 19
Trev’s announcement does the trick and the two stag parties on board empty the SkyShop cart of all the women’s fragrance and duty-free alcohol, though Nick and Dave warn them not to open it during the flight.
‘Cabin Crew, that’s ten minutes to landing,’ Captain Skerrow announces to the cabin.
Soumia picks up the intercom before Trev gets a chance to reach it.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, we’ll shortly be arriving in Boston.
Please return to your seat and ensure your seatbacks are upright, tray tables folded away, window blinds are open, arm rest down and seat belts fastened low and tight.
All hand baggage should be stowed under the seat in front of you or in the overhead lockers.
Please take this time to familiarise yourself with the emergency exits, bearing in mind that the nearest usable exit may be behind you. We hope you’ve had a pleasant flight.’
‘I’ll do right, you do left.’ I indicate to Soumia as we begin our way down parallel aisles to secure the cabin.
We both pass slowly through premium, ensuring all our passengers are strapped in for landing.
The aircraft is going through a little turbulence.
I put my hand on one side of the overhead lockers to steady myself. Soumia does the same.
‘Can you just pop the bag right underneath the seat in front of you please, sir,’ I ask 1F.
I smile at Olly as I arrive at 4E and check his seatbelt, he winks back. I lock the forward toilet, turn off the galley electrics, and report Cabin Secure to Soumia. I fold down my jump seat next to my door, turn to Soumia and give her a thumbs up.
Soumia picks up the interphone and calls Trev at the front of the aircraft, ‘Hi it’s Soumia at door 2 left, that’s our cabin secure for landing.’ She hangs up.
I follow my training and begin my silent review.
In an emergency I’m going to shout, “Unfasten your seatbelts, leave everything, this way, this way.” I’m going to go to my door…
maybe I should hear him out… I’ll check outside for hazards and if it’s clear…
one drink with him couldn’t hurt… If there’s fire outside my exit, then I’m going to…
give him my number when he walks off the aircraft…
‘Are you OK?’ Soumia mouths at me across the aisle.
Soumia’s in the landing position, head back as far as it will go into the seat cushion, hands under her thighs and feet slightly apart underneath her.
I nod and smile my reply, then look out of my tiny viewing window on the door.
The aircraft is banking to the right as it lines up for the runway, bringing the street level closer to me.
I look down on the cars that resemble ants scurrying along a highway.
I can make out the flashing lights of an emergency vehicle.
This part of the flight is always the quietest. Nervous flyers hold the hands of their friends and spouses, or in some cases, complete strangers.
The job of the companion is to reassure the nervous they’ve nothing to fear as they, in turn, grip the armrest in terror.
Heads look out of the window at the foreign land that promises adventure, laughter, and sometimes, if they’re lucky, love.
The aircraft starts to pitch up as it gets closer to the runway. I twist my neck and look up the cabin and see that Olly is doing the same, staring down the cabin at me. Our eyes meet and he quickly turns away, embarrassed, I think. He stares out the window. I wonder what he’s thinking.
It’s a smooth landing. No bounces. The reverse thrust thunders and we’re pinned into our seats as the brakes do their job of slowing 14 tons of metal.
We turn off the runway and Jason begins the after-landing PA.
Soumia already has her phone in her hand; she impatiently fidgets with her scarf as the mobile searches for a signal.
She stops, looks at me, her smile beaming from ear to ear.
‘Congratulations,’ I mouth to her.
I mime I love you. She blows me a kiss; I catch it and pretend to rub it on my nipple.
We both cackle, startling the row of passengers sat in front of us.
The aircraft stops in the parking stand.
A few moments later the fasten seat belt sign is turned off.
Passengers stand to collect their belongings out of the locker.
I twist my buckle and release my harness.
I stand up, letting the crew seat retract, and throw my arms out to Soumia who immediately jumps into them.
‘I told you you’d get it,’ I say into her ear.
‘Thank you so much for helping.’
‘This was all you.’ And it was all her; the endless nights of studying, passing the exam, acing her interview. We fall away from each other’s arms. ‘What does the email say?’
‘It’s from Ivy. Says congratulations and that my roster will be changed to put me on the next senior course.’
Our conversation is interrupted by a mother who tries to hand me a soiled nappy. ‘You can put it in the toilet bin,’ I say.
I unlock the toilet from the outside. Passengers think nothing of handing their shit to you, literally.
Trev’s voice commands us from the speakers. ‘Cabin crew, doors to manual, cross check and report.’
I go to my door. I’m in charge of door 2 right.
I take my time to identify the disarming lever and lift the Perspex cover.
Placing my hand over the small lever I pull it down towards me into the disarm position.
I replace the cover and step back from the door and take a second, as the manual instructs…
BOOM… A huge bang like a car backfiring blast down the cabin.
The sound is deafening. It reminds me of the bomb the IRA planted in Manchester when I was a child.
I heard that explosion a mile out from the city.
I’m searching for something, but I don’t know what I’m looking for, my brain failing to catch up.
I stare at my door expecting it to shoot upward and release the emergency slide.
It doesn’t. My stomach dances and I dread turning round to look at Soumia’s door.
‘Callum. Callum. What the fuck was that?’ Soumia shouts at me, not caring that the passengers can hear.
I turn round and thank Elton Soumia’s door is still where it’s supposed to be. ‘We need to cross check our doors.’
Soumia’s pale and my hands are damp, my whole body is suddenly hot. I check Soumia’s door and turn to her; she’s already looking at me.
‘Disarmed and cross checked,’ I say.
‘Confirmed, disarmed and cross checked,’ she says.
There’s commotion coming from the front of the aircraft.
I look through the premium cabin and see light pouring in where the L1 door should be. ‘It’s Trev. He’s blown the slide.’
One of my hands holds the other in an attempt to stop it from shaking. It doesn’t work. The explosion of the pin being ripped from the oxygen cylinder and inflating the emergency slide in five seconds has sent adrenalin pumping through my body.
My mind is still on procedures. ‘Call Trev, give him the disarm command,’ I instruct Soumia.
A hi-low bing bong sounds throughout the cabin. Soumia has the handset to her ear. ‘He’s not answering.’
‘Phone the other stations, get their confirmation.’
Soumia puts the handpiece down to reset the system and then calls the other stations.
‘Soumia doors 2 left, doors 2 left and right in manual and cross checked. Doors one is unavailable at the minute, I’m going to continue the call.
Doors 3…’ Soumia waits for them to confirm their doors are disarmed, then does the same with doors 4.
‘Stay by your stations and wait for more information.’ Soumia puts the handset back in its cradle.
‘You best go to the front and see what’s happened, I’ll guard the doors. ’
I make my way through the premium cabin.
Passengers have already got their phones out to take pictures of the hole where the door should be.
In its place the grey clouds of Boston can be seen hovering over the airport.
I ask the passengers to excuse me as I climb over their luggage, a fake smile plastered on my face.
Olly touches my arm for my attention. ‘Are you OK?’
‘Yes, I’m fine.’ I pull at my tie to try and loosen it.
‘If you need anything, you’ve got my number,’ he says.
I don’t tell him I’ve binned it.
I climb over another suitcase and find Trev sat at his jump seat with his head in his hands.
‘Trev.’ I try and shout him out of his shock. ‘Trev.’
He looks at me, face as white as a sheet. ‘I’ve fucked up.’
Yes mate, I think you have.