Twenty years ago, at Newark, USA. Waiting to depart, as pax, in window seat.
Weather not rain, not snow, but sleet. Looking out at the wing beside me, it was best described as pebble-dashed. A deicing chap on a rickety moveable tower duly turned up and began to douse the 747 wing with fluid. Took about 8 minutes to do. Then he moved back and squirted the empenage. Another 8 minutes. And round to the other wing. By that time, my wing was pebble dash again! I was not a happy bunny, I rang the bell for the flight attendant and pointed out the window. "Not very nice trying to take off with all that ice" I commented. She had a look and sent for the first officer, who had a good look, thanked me for my concern and said not to worry, there were three de-icing rigs waiting at the end of the taxiway and we would get a thorough dousing before departure.
It came to pass exactly as he promised.. A bit like going through a really top line car wash, and we took off pronto, up through the murk and into the clear air in no time. Was I silly to fuss about it, do you think?