MAX AIR FLIGHT 809: Between Royalty, Beauty… and Turbulence

MAX AIR FLIGHT 809: Between Royalty, Beauty… and Turbulence”

By Egbema Egberi Media special correspondent 

Max Air Flight 809 was set for 8:00 AM, and I was early—too early. I had enough time to demolish a decent airport breakfast, make eye contact with a grumpy airport cat, and even mentally prepare myself for turbulence. The weather outside wasn’t smiling, but hey, I was.

Until I saw my seat: 9B—the middle seat. The cursed no-man’s land of airplane seating. But fate, it seems, decided to spice things up. On my left was His Royal Highness, regally wrapped in traditional fabrics and silence. On my right, a beautiful lady, effortlessly graceful with her headphones in and window-seat authority. I was the humble commoner sandwiched between royalty and radiance.

I smiled, adjusting my seatbelt like a seasoned traveler—cool, calm, collected… and completely at the mercy of the weather gods.

As we taxied for takeoff, the captain’s voice came through, smooth and confident, like he’d just sipped warm tea. “Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. We are cruising from Abuja to Benin. Weather conditions are not too friendly, but nothing to worry about. Expect a few bumps. The weather in Benin is clear.”

Few bumps? Sir, that’s the aviation version of “This might sting a little.”

I glanced at the beautiful lady. She nodded casually, unfazed. That calmed me. If she’s not worried, I shouldn’t be. But when we hit altitude and the first shudder jolted the plane, I realized she was probably just better at hiding her fear than I was.

The seatbelt light pinged. The turbulence had entered the chat.

The pilot returned with another update. “We are currently flying through some clouds, but we’ll be out shortly.”

Meanwhile, I was praying like a pastor on fast-forward. The HRH beside me hadn’t moved a muscle—was he even awake? Or had he entered a royal trance? The lady turned to look out the window just as the clouds thickened. I leaned over and whispered, “Excuse me… mind if I take some shots of the apocalypse?”

She laughed and gave me room to capture my soon-to-be viral “man-facing-doom-with-dignity” videos.

Suddenly, the plane dipped—not crash-dipped, just one of those “Whoa-was-that-normal?” dips. Someone at the back screamed, and the lady grabbed my arm instinctively. I looked at her, then at HRH, who blinked once, like a wise owl.

And then, just as quickly, the ride smoothed out.

Silence.

Then, laughter—nervous, relieved, contagious laughter. Even the baby in Row 15 giggled. The captain, clearly unfazed, returned one last time. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are now descending into Benin. Beautiful weather outside. Sit back and enjoy the view.”

Enjoy the view? Sir, we just escaped the sky’s version of a horror movie. But sure, let’s enjoy the view.

We touched down gently, like a leaf on water. Applause broke out—yes, actual clapping, like it was a Nollywood wrap party. The lady smiled, unbuckled her belt, and said, “Nice flying with you.”

“Likewise,” I said, still wondering if HRH ever blinked again.

I stepped off that plane a changed man. Not because I faced turbulence, but because I survived it—with style, in the company of a queen, and under the watchful silence of a king.

 

✈️ going down, the world needed to know I went down content, between royalty and beauty. 👑😍📸

But then, just as quickly, peace. Smooth skies. Clear landing. Applause. Relief. Maybe even a spiritual rebirth. 🙏🏽😂

Thank you, Max Air, for the exceptional professionalism and to my seatmates for the unexpected adventure. Honestly, I feel like I survived an airborne Nollywood episode.

#MaxAir #FlightChronicles #AbujaToBenin #MiddleSeatSurvivor #TurbulenceTales #SkyRoyalty #TravelHumor #AviationDiaries