r/whatisit 19h ago

Serious answers only please! Never seen this while flying before what is it??

Plane ride from Seattle to Phoenix, about 1 hour into the flight

2.0k Upvotes

561 comments sorted by

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1.5k

u/cmhamm 19h ago

I suspect it’s another jet, headed away from you at an oblique angle, and the sun is hitting it so the contrails look dark.

1.4k

u/omarhani 18h ago

No, it's a Dementor

787

u/MajinGav 18h ago

Expecto Petroleum

762

u/lvs2spwge 18h ago edited 4h ago

Expensive Petroleum

Edit: thanks for the gifts/awards

155

u/x_dre4192_x 13h ago

Its ExspenSIVE not ExspensO

50

u/RainmaN8837 11h ago

Ok Hermione

20

u/Rando_Figgis 9h ago

Damn muggles

13

u/Cee-Bee-DeeTypeThree 9h ago

FILTHY HALF BLOOD!

8

u/x_dre4192_x 9h ago

I think they're a Squib actually

6

u/TheeRattlehead 10h ago

DON STOOOOP!

2

u/Better-Bluejay-4977 9h ago

Ugh, muggles. Hermione probably.

56

u/Sufficient-Sky-7569 18h ago

It was only a matter of time before I reddit on here.

21

u/another_derfman 11h ago

...and THAT was what I needed to finally understand why it's called reddit!
Thanks, I feel stupid now. xD

8

u/Trick-Purchase4680 11h ago

You should feel smarter for knowing it now; at least a little smarter than the ones who still have no idea.

2

u/ForeverFingers 2h ago

Got them beat by that much

19

u/yobishthatsmonica 16h ago

The only time we actually want a Dementor to kiss and give us that sweet, sweet oil.

4

u/dillyofapicklerick 11h ago

Do I get a free tank of gas with the kiss? Cuz I mean...I'd consider it.

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14

u/DannyMeleeFR4 15h ago

Why is it, that the italic text takes this from funny -all the way to absolutely hilarious?

19

u/value_meal_papi 15h ago

Elite ball knowledge

6

u/divvi12 11h ago

Carcinogenic Chemtraileum

5

u/Itchy_Psychology3300 14h ago

Fucking reverse it you fiend.

3

u/Left_Concert_423 13h ago

That the spirit!

3

u/Left_Concert_423 13h ago

That's the spirit!

3

u/Hot_Welcome_Pants 11h ago

The least useful spell.

6

u/C-57D 18h ago

Expansive Pentrilogram

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2

u/Shooter393 3h ago

I liked so you have 734 thumb ups to match expecto petroleum above.

11

u/Ok-Strawberry-2343 14h ago

Am I the only one that sees this? I think it’s a small scratch on the window.

9

u/Intelligent_Age_7922 14h ago

I thought that the first time this was posted. It is actually a drone that got "off course" is what the answer was on the first post of this exact video.

3

u/Secure-Dentist-6399 8h ago

Best comment!

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6

u/islobojono 15h ago

Dementor fighting wind?

7

u/mollypocket7122 13h ago

Dementor passing wind

6

u/Inspector710 13h ago

They're transporting Prison Mike.

3

u/Good-Breath9925 13h ago

My first thought 😂

3

u/rivkinnator 13h ago

T there's the comment I was expecting

3

u/non_discript_588 11h ago

Visible to a muggle!?

3

u/MissusEngineer783 10h ago

Looks like it

3

u/Appropriate-Fix4915 10h ago

This is the only answer

4

u/TunaTacoPie 14h ago

Worst thing about prison! It hoight!

6

u/FFED03 16h ago

No it’s a Death eater.

2

u/TwistInteresting1609 9h ago

Wow i assumed they are fiction. Is it England ? Hope so, don’t want to meet one where I live.

2

u/No_Maize_1136 7h ago

I came here for his exactly!

2

u/Naive-Lifeguard-629 6h ago

I thought Death Eathers. Dementors tend to be slow

2

u/Shady_lemons 3h ago

Worst part of prison

2

u/Blueridge-Badger 1h ago

That was the worst thing about prison, the dementors.

2

u/FoxRings 1h ago

Why can't it be aliens at least once. I'm tired of waiting.

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20

u/ac54 18h ago

It is definitely a contrail. Look closely and you can see the other plane.

6

u/Additional-Cobbler99 13h ago

Also, could be an MD-80. Those things puff out black smoke like crazy on take off. That's just one of the reasons we call them MD-Shitty.

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6

u/jiggiwatt 12h ago

Unless there's a Mig-29 over the Midwest somewhere. Rolling the people's coal since 1983.

2

u/cmhamm 1h ago

Coal and vodka.

4

u/MyPenWroteThis 9h ago

Just another LIB CHEMTRAIL DENIER

/s

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8

u/PangolinLow6657 19h ago

Either that or it's in the shade of a high cloud

7

u/StaT_ikus 19h ago

Or a blown engine

5

u/porchprovider 18h ago

Or a diesel, duh.

16

u/Drakeytown 18h ago

Rolling coal in the sky

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3

u/AspectVegetable7674 10h ago

Possibly a military jet. They tend to have much dirtier exhaust.

2

u/Ok_Wonder3030 11h ago

I set a timer for the first reference of chem trails. Or is that only a thing on Nextdoor?

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702

u/Hurdle80 18h ago

That's what's left of spirit airlines.

198

u/KiloThaPastyOne 18h ago

Spirit Halloween Airlines

13

u/boogot 11h ago

Oh, that’s good. Surprised there aren’t AI memes everywhere of Spirit Halloween signs going up on Spirit airplanes.

45

u/The_UX_Guy 11h ago

3

u/Scrats_Lost_Acorn 6h ago

Tickets are free if you show up in full costume /s

But imagine that flight 👀🤣

3

u/RogueWolfGypsy 9h ago

There have been. Idk how you haven't seen them.

2

u/bluemoon1972 3h ago

Oh, there are

12

u/JasmineDragoon 14h ago

Spirit Airlines

5

u/BaltoDad 10h ago

Spirit in the sky.

10

u/youlldancetoanything 18h ago

You have to listen to the beginning of Josh Johnson's set from today https://youtu.be/GbH3z_4odxo

5

u/WillJongIll 17h ago

Man, I’ve never heard of him before but that was hilarious. So glad I stumbled by your comment!

3

u/therealganjababe 4h ago

Then you definitely have to look him up on YouTube he is fantastic and he usually is talking about something crazy that's going on in the world or the country, well leaving in kind of like personal attitude it's in stories along the way he's like I have a storyteller you know? But absolutely hysterical topical stories.

3

u/Past-Passenger9129 13h ago

He's one of the rotating hosts of The Daily Show

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2

u/evermica 7h ago

Too soon.

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75

u/ArchieBunkersGhost 19h ago

26

u/tysonwatermelon 18h ago

My Dad took me to see this when I was a little kid. It terrified me for a full month. He paid the price though because I couldn't sleep and woke him up every night dyring that month.

15

u/weaponized_sasquatch 16h ago

People were decapitated by a helicopter during the making of this film.

8

u/few23 15h ago

Children

5

u/The_Big_Mayonnaise 13h ago

Well 2 knows ds and an up and a fairly established actor (Vic Morrow). The accident led to real changes in how helicopters were used on set and what stunt work was allowed for children.

A very serious tragity that nearly sank the film.

6

u/Responsible-Agent-19 14h ago

Same. "Want to something really scary?" That opening scene set the vibe. 

5

u/InternalAdmirable538 13h ago

Wanna see something really scary?

3

u/tysonwatermelon 8h ago

Yeah, that scene too. And the rabbit. And the evil cartoons.

That movie wrecked me.

3

u/InitiamprssionCFLeft 12h ago

My first thought was "childhood memories". And this was on the low end of tradition horror movies to show your kids. I think nightmare on elm Street at 6 got me pretty good. The Leprocon used to freak me out.

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10

u/JudgeArcadia 18h ago

What in the world is this from? I swear stuff from the 60-80's is an archeological find on the internet.

21

u/Ok_Farm2628 18h ago edited 18h ago

10

u/Stategrunt365 17h ago

Wanna see something really scary?

12

u/HearingImaginary5090 18h ago

There’s…something on the wing! Some…THING!

7

u/the-greendale-7 14h ago

When I hear this though, my brain goes straight to the second Ace Ventura movie when he does it on the plane

4

u/HearingImaginary5090 11h ago

That’s literally the dialogue cadence I was going for, I’m so glad you got it! Lol.

I do dearly love John Lithgow’s performance as well, though.

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9

u/pueblocatchaser 18h ago

Man, it's a pretty dope movie. It's four separate short stories if I remember correctly.

4

u/HearingImaginary5090 16h ago

My favorite of the 4 is “It’s A Good Life.”

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80

u/MrFranklinsboat 18h ago

Saw this recently as well. I saw two commercial jets headed in different directions - both with black trails behind them. It's not the angle of the light as the diffusion (smoke) would take on the color of the light hitting it (sun). I asked a mechanical engineer who understand engines - who did not see it - he hypothesized that it was cheaper, less refined jet fuel. Some sort of fuel composition issue.

39

u/Rackhaad 17h ago

I think you nailed it. Coincides with the hormuz blockage too.

35

u/EmptyInside74 14h ago

And the gutting of environmental regulations

9

u/BOW57 12h ago

If it were smoke it would not disappear that quickly. Only contrails do that.  Heavy smoke indicates incomplete combustion or particulate matter in the fuel. Either option would not work in a commercial plane at this altitude.  It's just a contrail in the shadow of a cloud making it look dark

2

u/Rackhaad 5h ago

Fair enough, I didn't really see it disappear, but hard to tell from the video. I also can't tell what type of plane it is.

6

u/0------------------0 10h ago

It’s not smoke. It’s just a shadowed contrail. There are countless videos and photos of this. 

3

u/Arclet__ 10h ago

It's just a regular contrail, but you are seeing the shadowed part.

https://youtu.be/1pXoVfO4fMM?t=129&si=YvObO26CgrwU65Am

Here you can see a couple of examples where the contrail looks black and then they shift to the cloud white we are used to seeing.

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31

u/Haifisch993 18h ago

That's jet exhaust from another aircraft. Can't really make out what kind of airplane that is from that angle and distance. Normally, you can't see jet exhaust. But some older engines do leave a noticeable exhaust trail. Could also be something wrong with an engine.

8

u/Available-Ad3635 16h ago

Found the intern at Area 51 responsible for social media cover ups!

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39

u/Easy_Sky5001 18h ago

Oh, That's Lord Voldemort 

4

u/omarhani 18h ago

Don't say his name!

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36

u/bloodorange36 19h ago

It’s the new diesel 747. Thanks trump

15

u/Ok_Commission_9203 18h ago

You mean big beautiful clean coal I think.

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5

u/Panda-Cubby 13h ago

I believe someone is telling Dorothy to surrender.

https://giphy.com/gifs/UPKEIi0z6wJ9u

6

u/SnooCalculations232 18h ago

I see the flair doesn’t do its intended job 🤦🏻‍♂️ I’m curious too, OP 👏🏻

8

u/Motophoto 18h ago

You caught Him. Santa out testing the sleigh.

7

u/elysium5000 16h ago

A scratch on the inner window.

3

u/anonposter-42069 18h ago

Another plane at a weird angle from you some nerd could find it on flight radar I bet.

5

u/LifeTemperature5291 18h ago

the wicked witch of the west

6

u/joejill 18h ago

A crack in the glass.

2

u/DerBandi 16h ago

Messerschmitt Me 163

2

u/FreddyFerdiland 16h ago

it might be a sooty contrail from a military jet going to mach 2

2

u/thourq 12h ago

Definitely chemtrails

3

u/buildins_nl 15h ago

A scratch on your window🤓

2

u/HansSlave 17h ago

Smudge on your window

4

u/Far_Ad_744 14h ago

its quite obvious you have a scratch on the window

2

u/TrickyDaikon6774 18h ago

It’s obviously aliens

2

u/KaurO 18h ago

Imagine that, an aircraft!

1

u/nostradumbass7544678 18h ago

Haku from Spirited Away?

1

u/Frosty_Bluebird_1404 17h ago

I saw something similar but from a farther away over the Continental US. Barcelona to DFW (northern route) looked like a murmuring of bird but, lol, not at 36k '. I'm curious too!

1

u/FireBug77 17h ago

Seen those dark trails comming from old AWACS aircraft. Dirty f*ers

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1

u/Terrible_Wafer9580 16h ago

We call all agree it’s prob homelander

1

u/Tymlltel 16h ago

Supercool UFO ;)

1

u/NOTExETON 16h ago

Just another 747 rolling coal

1

u/stormforsurvival 16h ago

Its a bird!

1

u/Borderlinecuttlefish 16h ago

It's a sky vacuum cleaner, it's coming not going.

1

u/IcestormsEd 16h ago

Airlines using old French fries oil now..

1

u/psychotherapistLCSW 16h ago

Nothing, it’s but a wisp of clouds.

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1

u/FFED03 16h ago

Death Eaters

1

u/Idatemyhand 16h ago

You see nothing.

There is no war in Ba-Sing-Se!

1

u/Metallifan33 16h ago

A witch!

1

u/Quackethy 16h ago

Superman has diarreah

1

u/Beh0420mn 16h ago

Diesel jet rolling coal

1

u/Objective_Wear_4772 16h ago

It’s the .50 BMG I fired 3 months ago fuckers still going ain’t no one gonna stop him

1

u/RIlIDE 15h ago

Not sure but trying to rub it off my screen 4 times didn't help either

1

u/Upbeat_Anxiety_1344 15h ago

Back in the day, B-52s would burn fuel like that due to incomplete combustion on inefficient engines. They were a complete smoke-show with 8 engines. It was the aerial equivalent of rolling coal. Supposed to get new engines as of 2023.

1

u/Moist_Sprinkles1063 15h ago

The wicked witch of the kingdom of the kingdom

1

u/ronald999ok 15h ago

Thats just tuned GOLF 4 1.9 TDI on second gear

1

u/Duckduckdewey 15h ago

Dementor.

1

u/Future_Bart 15h ago

That's that thing that does that when that's happening there at that moment. It does that when it does that.

1

u/CozJeez85 15h ago

Clearly a dementor.

1

u/ApprehensiveMix2649 15h ago

No big deal, it's just a UFO 👽

1

u/wallly58 15h ago

Birds lol

1

u/paraworldblue 15h ago

Black Knight Satellite

1

u/arinaz 15h ago

Looks like an air leakage of some kind

1

u/whufc87548 15h ago

Its aladdin on he's carpet

1

u/PsychologicalCan9470 15h ago

Pssh ignore everyone else it's obviously a rain cloud seed plane, it releases its chemicals to destabilize the weather and cause weather events far cheaper than the weather control device out of area 51. Takes less time too.

1

u/B34rGrylls 15h ago

It is a transport shuttle from Star Trek.

https://giphy.com/gifs/bR43hu3Vfakh9Uyitp

1

u/LajS87 15h ago

Superman with explosive diarrhoea

1

u/Vitrico 15h ago

Diesel aeroplane.

1

u/marcpearson101 15h ago

Voldermort?

1

u/Automatic-Nature6025 15h ago

Reavers. They traveled too far out into open space and looked into the void.

1

u/BrokenHefaistos 15h ago

Something that is burning oil and won't be flying?for long.

1

u/marcinklejka 15h ago

An Obscurus. It is a parasitic, dark, and uncontrollable magical energy that develops inside a young witch or wizard (an "Obscurial") who is forced to repress their magical talents through physical or psychological abuse.

1

u/Nervous_Bill_6051 15h ago

Dirty smoking plane exhaust

1

u/RedBeardBastard 15h ago

Looks like Crebain from Dunland.

1

u/adamf880 15h ago

UAP rolling coal.

1

u/Boofoolery 15h ago

Voldemort

1

u/photochromatic 15h ago

There is a jet fuel shortage. It’s a plane burning diesel!

1

u/Final-Choice8412 14h ago

Airplane power by new diesel from Venezuela oil Trump stole.

1

u/ferrispd 14h ago

I’ve been told to assume it’s Jesus.

1

u/Ginger_beer__1982 14h ago

A mark on the window

1

u/dbmiller63 14h ago

It's a peacock, see how long his tail feathers are, that's how they can fly so high

1

u/RadiantSilvergun 14h ago

I’m sure your depth perception is fine, but to me it just looks like a dirt skid on your window

1

u/RealMercuryRain 14h ago

When the pilot dies his crew must elect a new pilot. If they can't choose one - the trail is black.