"In the Unlikely Event of a Water Landing..."

My friend Margaret favors with me a(n apparently entirely authentic) account of one man's experience on Flight 1549, the Hudson River dinner cruise. It may be viral but it is still a personal account and I won't presume to reprint it here. One factoid does amuse, though:

None of us remembered to take the yellow inflatable life vests from under the seat.

Got it. Wonder if they remembered to leave their tray tables in the full upright and locked position. The writer, apparently a veteran traveler, also mentions that "I took my seat cushion as a flotation device and once outside saw I was the only one who did." Ah. Well, as Letterman would say, it might also serve as a tasty snack.

One thing worth noting, from this and all similar accounts: one reason this worked so well is the pervasive level of discipline, civility and good order among the passengers, who did not turn into a vulgar mob. There's much to be said for human capital, widely dispersed.