Dark Side of the Ring - The Plane Ride From Hell FULL RECAP
A private 757 flight descended into a nightmare as intoxicated wrestlers clashed with their flight crew, erupting into one of wrestling's most infamous scandals. Read the full recap of The Plane Ride From Hell.
The Intro
After a sell-out European tour, WWF Superstars and management boarded a private 757 jet in London, England to return home.
Jim Ross noted that every class was a first-class seat, which was expensive, but convenient for talent to travel.
What was supposed to be a triumphant flight in decadence transcended into a nightmare at 30,000 feet.
After various wrestlers and personalities discuss how out of hand it got, Jim Ross closes it off by stating, “If I never had to talk about the f**cking Plane Ride From Hell again in my life, I would be very happy.”
The Episode
By the early 2000s, the WWF was riding a wave of unprecedented success with a roster of breakout stars and sell-out crowds all across the world.
Justin Credible and Mike Chioda both highlight how well business was doing at the time.
During the surge of popularity, WWF would acquire WCW and ECW to consolidate the rosters.
Tommy Dreamer noted WWF was the only place to be since they owned the competition. Everyone was just trying to find their way.
Jim Ross was the VP of Talent Relations during this period. His job in a nutshell was the overall management of the talents that appeared on television.
In addition to this mega roster, the WWF also brought back returning legends such as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.
JR believed having Ric Flair in the locker room was a big positive since the roster grew up idolizing him. Ross loved his job and the business was booming due to the quality of talent on the roster at the time.
As momentum grew in the US, it also did in the UK.
In May 2002, WWF travelled to Europe for a four-day tour.
Justin Credible brought up the passion of the UK crowds and how morale was high. He lists the top names on the trip such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair etc.
Jim Ross noted it was a long flight, so by customizing a private flight, they wanted to be as talent-friendly as possible. Unfortunately, it backfired.
A former flight attendant named Heidi Doyle was introduced who was working on this particular flight. She worked for a company named Sports Jet, which was a big private airline that catered to sports teams out of Phoenix. This flight had 50 huge leather seats as opposed to the usual 150 +. It’s the ultimate comfort in the sky.
Former wrestling manager Terri Runnels makes her introduction who was a passenger on the flight. She recalls sitting with Jim Ross, Vince and Linda McMahon. The front had a lounge, so it was very much a first class of the first class.
Heidi’s responsibility was providing wrestlers with the drinks and food. She noted Ric Flair was particularly chatty and felt like the captain of the team.
After an uneventful 8-hour flight over the Atlantic, WWF makes their first stop in Cologne, Germany.
Rob Van Dam is introduced along with Referee Mike Chioda. The flight attendants drank with the wrestlers in the hotel bar.
Tommy Dreamer brought up how one day you’re wrestling in Germany then suddenly in Scotland the next day.
By the time they got to London, it was WWF Insurrextion, which took place on May 4, 2002, at the Wembley Arena.
Jim Ross recalls it being a good show and that the talent was very pleased with the result.
As everyone boarded the plane, the crew received word they were on weather delay from Connecticut. They were delayed for 7 hours before the plane took off.
As opposed to the mini liquor bottles, this plane possessed full bottles. Heidi noted how two additional carts were brought out after the first was completed. She had never run out of one cart of alcohol before, let alone three.
Terri Runnel said, “imagine your variety football team and they just won a game except they can’t get out of the parking lot and there are cases and cases of beer.”
RVD noted that saying it was like high school was giving it too much as it felt more like the third grade.
The wrestlers started serving their own drinks.
Justin Credible pointed out how if the crew cut the wrestlers off, they would have found a way to access the booze.
JR speculated that the relief they were heading home allowed everyone to let their hair down.
Heidi doesn’t remember how long they were up in the air, but it was very evident they were dealing with many drunk individuals.
Mike Chioda noted, “Shoot, the boys can get drunk in one hour.” With all the booze and pills around, a lot of damage could be caused in one hour.
Justin Credible said it was always booze and pills in WWE. If you had a doctor’s prescription, you were fine.
Upon reflection, Mike noted that GHB was present. (Note: GHB was actually used to be available as a dietary supplement in the U.S., but it was taken off the market in 1990. Apparently, you can experience calming effects in low doses, but in higher doses, it often causes loss of consciousness and short-term memory loss. That’s why it also had a reputation as a date rape drug.)
RVD brought up how back in the day, H Bombing was common where a pill would be dropped into an unsuspecting wrestler’s drink then they would have their eyebrows shaved off. More disturbingly, some guys would drop them into female’s drinks and have their way with them after they passed out.
Jim Ross advised, “Never leave your drink exposed” because someone would try to sneak in an H Bomb.
Michael Hayes was supposedly H Bombed on the flight. He was in charge of Creative at the time. Jim speculated that something was off since Michael was not acting like himself and made poor decisions.
Bradshaw had gotten split open the night of the PPV. As Bradshaw was sleeping, Michael Hayes punched him straight in the face and re-opened the wound. Bradshaw was bleeding all over his shirt then slapped Hayes and knocked him out.
Jim Ross felt Sean Walman (X-Pac) was a lovely guy, but always following Hall and Nash. X-Pac wanted to be accepted so badly.
The voice of Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman is overheard discussing cutting off Michael’s ponytail when he was out cold.
Mike Chioda joked that Waltman holding up the ponytail was the equivalent of him holding up the title, which resulted in a big pop from the wrestlers. Mike also advised that you had to wear your hat and sunglasses on these types of flights because you never knew who was going to come by with shaving cream.
Curt Hennig, one of the all-time legendary ribbers, was also on the flight. Curt would always play with Brock Lesnar since they trained together in 2000. Hennig placed shaving cream on Lesnar’s head and then smacked it down. RVD recalls Brock chasing after Curt in a full sprint. Tommy Dreamer remembers Brock picking up Curt. Heidi pointed out that overhead bins were broken since the two were all over the place. One of the pilots would come to the back of the airplane. Jim Ross was also brought back, who pointed out that Brock and Curt were play fighting, but the problem was the fact it was in the emergency exit row. Brock picked up Curt and they slammed against the emergency door. Fortunately, all the wrestlers jumped up to intervene.
Heidi speculated that due to the fact these wrestlers were so large, the worst-case scenario would have been an emergency landing due to losing pressure in the plane.
Terri Runnels brings up how Brock Lesnar ‘exposed’ himself to her at the PPV that night. She was backstage and heard her name called. Brock and Dustin (her ex-husband) were in the room when he opened his towel and showed himself to her. Terri no-sold it, which Dustin also advised she do. The text was displayed that attempts to reach out to Brock went unanswered.
Jim Ross had concerns about Brock’s behaviour on the plane, but he doesn’t recall any reported advances. If it happened to Terri, he wouldn’t be shocked, but it wasn’t reported.
Dustin Rhodes got onto the PA system and sang David Allan Coe’s Pledging My Love to Terri Runnels. She was mortified. Jim Ross joked that Dustin couldn’t carry a tune. Heidi felt for Dustin since it was clear he was heartbroken. JR told Dustin to “sit your ass down.”
Justin Credible felt a great sense of empathy for the flight attendants since they were just doing their jobs and trying to get home, but were subjected to dealing with these wild wrestlers.
Hours into the flight, the midair chaos showed no signs of slowing down.
Heidi brought up Ric Flair making her feel uncomfortable. Tommy would bring up that sometimes as a joke The Nature Boy would put on his robe being completely naked underneath and then expose himself.
Tommy Dreamer jokes that his “well-endowed penis would spin around like a helicopter.”
Heidi brought up how she was in the galley, where the kitchen is located. Ric came back for a Coke and wouldn’t leave. He had her against the back door while spinning around his penis and wanting her to touch it. Ric took her hand and put it on him. Tommy rejects the notion that Ric did this by force. RVD recalls seeing Ric back there and attempting to get Heidi to touch him.
Heidi did not recall anyone helping her other than Goldust (Dustin Rhodes) who she remembered as the guy who had the microphone earlier.
Scott Hall gets brought up with Jim Ross noting that his issues were well documented and WWF did him no favours by putting him back on the road, but they had no idea just how serious his demons were.
Heidi offered Scott Hall breakfast, but he suddenly grabbed her by the shirt and said “I’m going to lick you.” He proceeded to try and do that, which Heidi felt was such a violation. Suddenly, he passed out.
The voice of Scott Hall appears with him speculating that Curt H Bombed him.
Heidi then retreated to the galley and refused to come out again.
After 14 hours on the plane, the wrestlers touched down on American soil.
The plane was completely trashed.
Apparently, Scott Hall wouldn’t wake up. Justin Credible was forced to grab a wheelchair to place Scott in it. Justin grabbed his passport and made up that Scott had a condition just to get him through customs. Jim Ross looked on in disgust.
Upon landing, Michael Hayes soon realized his ponytail was missing. Apparently, he was livid.
Heidi brought up how they cleaned up vomit, blood and syringes.
Jim Ross noted how if this occurred on Delta or American Airlines, the FBI would have been waiting for them upon arrival.
For better or worse, Jim Ross was forced to take ownership, but it was a black eye. “The good thing about a black eye is that it heals.”
Vince McMahon and Jim Ross would have an urgent meeting to discuss repercussions.
Jim is still embarrassed about this flight to this very day since it was his job to handle it.
Vince wrote the checks, so he had the last say. Vince had enough of Curt’s reputation as a joker, so he was fired first.
Scott Hall was released within hours of landing. Jim called Scott at home and believed. he wasn’t ready to be on the road until he got right.
Jim Ross admitted that “Dustin Rhodes is one of my favourite people in the world.” JR speculated that the divorce hit him hard. His choices were either to fine him or fire him. Jim’s call was to fine him.
Producers ask, “How was it that Ric Flair evaded any sort of suspension or anything like that?” Jim said, “Good question. For lack of a better term, he was a made man. He was such a high-level made man that he got a pass. Was it the right thing to do? I don’t know.”
Heidi was forced to consider her next steps. She called Sports Jet and they preferred this was kept private. Apparently, there was another individual on the flight who had similar things occur to her as they did to Heidi. The complaint filed was “negligence, negligent supervision, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment.”
Terri Runnels noted that if filed reports for every time something like that happened to her, she would be in court her entire adult life.
Jim’s sense of it was that the company wanted to address the matter and take it off the books and then move on. A settlement was reached. Heidi’s husband did not want the story to be told.
Tommy Dreamer noted that if she wanted people punished, then perhaps she should have pursued it to the fullest extent of the law instead of taking a payout.
Michael Hayes had his ponytail in a sandwich bag taped to the locker room door of the dressing room at Monday Night Raw. Jim Ross took it down and threw it away.
All of this took place on the same day the company was forced to rebrand its identity as World Wrestling Entertainment.
Jim believed the new talent learned from their predecessors and smartened them up.
RVD felt it’s often better not to know these types of stories about their heroes as some of them are freaks.
Tommy felt the stories were meant to portray sexual predators, which they are not. It’s 100% not appropriate in 2021. He’s hung out with Ric Flair and never once saw him try to force his will against anybody.
Heidi was very uncomfortable with appearing on the show but hopes that this at least sparks conversation with those who may have acted out inappropriately or have kept incidents such as these private. “The truth can be scary, and the truth can be ugly, but at the end of the day, the truth, it's the thing that makes us better, in the end.”