When Missing a Flight is Good News

[SuperDuper! 230]

Miraculous' escape for French couple who almost boarded missing flight

AFP June 1, 2009 12:54 PM

A French couple who tried in vain to get last-minute seats on the Air France flight that disappeared between Rio de Janeiro overnight said it was "miraculous" they missed the plane.

"It's miraculous — we should have been on the plane," medical professor Claude Jaffiol told AFP at Rio's international airport.

"We were in Brasilia and we decided to cut our trip short and return to (the French city of) Montpellier," he said, his wife beside him sharing his sense of having avoided tragedy by the slimmest of margins.

Jaffiol explained he had been in the Brazilian capital for a seminar and had stayed for a few days of tourism, but decided to fly home earlier than planned.

Despite having "moved heaven and Earth" to try to get on the flight, they were turned away because it was full, he said.

"We've had an amazing stroke of luck. After awhile we were afraid, and our thoughts are with those who were in the plane," his wife Amina said.

She added that she would be taking her return flight to France with a certain "apprehension."

© Copyright © The Calgary Herald

[Ladylethal 12]

Yeah, one guy from Brazil noticed 2 hrs prior to the flight that his passport had expired and he and his french friend stayed behind.

Another Brazilian had purchased tickets for the 4 o'clock flight and due to a mistake he was placed in the 447 flight, but he insisted he had all arranged for the earlier flight and that he had bought tickets for that flight and went earlier instead. Lucky him for not accepting the change.

[SuperDuper! 230]

Yeah, one guy from Brazil noticed 2 hrs prior to the flight that his passport had expired and he and his french friend stayed behind.

Another Brazilian had purchased tickets for the 4 o'clock flight and due to a mistake he was placed in the 447 flight, but he insisted he had all arranged for the earlier flight and that he had bought tickets for that flight and went earlier instead. Lucky him for not accepting the change.

Wow, talk about the Good Karma in the bank paying off.

I wonder how these folks lives will change, now that they are living life in the Bonus Round. How can you be a mean and selfish person, if thatz the case, after a Lotto Winning Event like this?

Cheers

[Ladylethal 12]

Ah well, I don't believe in fate like that so to me is just coincidence, if they believe in it though, I'd think they'd act differently for a while.

[Marina-Del 10]

Yeah, key word there "for a while"!

I agree with the OP though...the people should be very blessed and should live their lives to the fullest forever, not just for a while. But sadly, it will probably be only for a short time and then the shock will wear off.

Thanks for sharing those stories with us! The one about the man realizing his passport was expired is truly amazing!! Someone was looking out for them!

[mawilson 2,133]

Now the question is, are they going to die in mysterious ways, Final Destination-style?

[Pooky 3,844]

Watch out for that BUS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ladylethal 12]

Isn't it too early to crack jokes about this?

[Dr. Obvious 49]

It was miraculous that the flight was full (which doesn't sound miraculous to me)?

Edited June 2, 2009 by Wacken

[almaty 19]

same here..sounds like a morbid claim of devine intervention by them