Flight "Turbulence"

On Thursday, two program colleagues and I traveled back to Kabul from Faizabad. The UN flight schedule clearly listed the flight at 1p. However, our tickets and a call to the ticket office said to report for check-in at 10:30a. So we did and they said the flight was at 11:30a. At 11a, it was announced that the flight would be an hour late departing at 12:30p. At 12:15p we were told it had just departed Kunduz and would be here in a half hour. Right "on time" we departed Faizabad at 1p. Whether they intentionally try to throw people off schedule to avoid planned "incidents", I don't know. But sitting in a one room airport terminal for 2 1/2 hrs, while not horrible, is still a little frustrating.

On board, the views were again stunning - snow capped peaks this time of the Pamir Mtn range. And the flight was quick and smooth. It was the same flight attendant as Saturday, and since I greeted her by name, she stopped by my seat to ask me where I was from. We spent most of the flight chit-chatting - or rather she talked. The flight is operated by the charter company she works for. Her contract has her working 50 days on, 35 days off. She has been doing the Afghanistan gig and everyday flies all over the country on different looped routes from Kabul. She has also worked in other countries and sometimes she has been contracted on flights for oil and gas moguls. She reports that it is very interesting work and those people have more money than they know what to do with. She is from Alberta, Canada, was only home 3 months in the last year and gave me her tips for surviving Kabul, i.e. pedicures in Kabul and Dubai, buy silk long underwear and get scented candles or room sprays to cut the mustiness in winter. She and I are cut from different cloth, but it's quite possible I'll see her often if she sticks with this job, so it's good to have friends (I so want to say "in high places").

But Leanne showed her tough as nails side all too soon. Upon landing at the Kabul airport, she started into her arrival monologue and no sooner had she started to say "Do not turn on or use your cell phone until you are in the terminal", my Afghan colleague had called our radio room to let them know to have the car there to meet us. Leanne demanded he hang up, and when she opened the flight door she pointed Ayub out to the big, burly, western ground crew member. Ayub was pulled aside and given a talking to. I didn't hear the whole thing, and was of two minds whether to lend assistance or stay out of it (chose the latter), but I guess Ayub, whose English is really good, gave him a bit of lip and it did not go over well. Our office received a call this morning that MC staff will not be permitted on UN flights until we submit a letter of apology. This was his first UN flight and granted, in the US you can use your phone as soon as you are taxing in to the terminal...yes, it is all about security and while you are glad that they are so adamant about security, it is a shame it had to happen.