Westernwind,
It was an Emergency Descent ... that's what they are, that's how they're flown.
It was rough because the crew responded to the Emergency Descent, and got down quickly (THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!).
You appear to have a real 'poor us' attitude going on. Why can't you say 'well done to all the flight and cabin crew involved' for executing and landing safely off a nasty little depressurisation and emergency descent.
And by the way, it probably was an air conditioning failure (its the aircon that keeps the aircraft pressurised and the air breathable). Also (as others have said), the bags on the masks are likely not to inflate.
Oxygen is not piped in aircraft, it is provided by chemical generators in the panel over your head. There is a generator for every 3 or so seats, which are activated by puling a mask down. The chances that none of them were working is ridiculous. As someone else said above, if you remained concious, then oxygen must have been flowing. At 35,000, your time of useful conciousness is only about 12 seconds without oxygen.
I'm sorry it was harrowing for you, but this all sounds EXACTLY as I would expect for this type of scenario ...
Last edited by AltFlaps; 9th Nov 2007 at 06:45.