Sticky Window

U.S. team videographer Noelle Jouglet was having trouble lowering her window shade as the USA’s plane was sitting at the gate in Shanghai, which was much needed, as the sun shining into the plane was making it even hotter. Team doctor Chris Amann, being a gallant gentleman, tried to force it down for her, but being a sort of large, muscled guy, he actually pulled the plastic window frame straight out of the moorings. But at least the window flap was now down. Jouglet sort of propped the plastic frame and shade perilously in the opening, which was fine until plane finally taxied out (with people still standing in the aisles by the way) and the flight attendant asked her to raise the shade for take-off. Jouglet pulled the entire contraption out of the window and handed it to the stunned flight attendant, who ran down the aisle to get help as the plane continued to head for the runway. A man quickly returned and had slotted the shade into the frame, enabling Jouglet to just pop it back in, avoiding perhaps one the most embarrassing pilot announcements ever heard. “Hi folks, we need to taxi back to the gate here…Apparently, one of the members of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team staff ripped out a window. We apologize for the inconvenience. It will be another hour while get a replacement part.”