Thinking about cancelling flight next week?

[Guitargirl]

I have a flight booked from London to Dubai next week which I booked months ago. I am not a massive fan of flying at the best of times but the events of the last few weeks have torn any resilience I did have about the flight to shreds.

The main aspects of the flight I am nervous about are:

1. Security at Dubai airport, I am transiting there for an onward flight and am worried about a Sharm-type scenario.

1. I have been reading about the warnings issued to commercial airlines since the middle of October about their flight paths and the risk of Russian Syria-bound missiles. Some airlines have chosen to re-route their flights, the airline that I am flying with has not.

I live in London and I travel by tube daily. I am not normally a wuss about these things but I will admit that I am scared. My travel is not essential. I would lose the money I have spent on a plane ticket and hotel but it's only money. The other thing I was thinking about was I could go and see a GP, explain my anxiety and then maybe try to recoup some of the costs via insurance.

Or, I could get a grip and get on with it. I don't know what to do!

WIBU to cancel? What would you do?

[Sallyingforth]

If we stop going about our normal business then the terrorists have won. Personally I wouldn't go to Dubai for political reasons, but if that doesn't bother you then go.

[manicinsomniac]

I totally understand how you feel (not about the terrorism thing, I don't think that is any more likely than it always is), but about the fear of flying.

I hate, hate, hate flying. I take valium and even that only takes the edge off so that I can appear calm to the children. I've always worried that if the weather was bad on a day I'm supposed to fly I wouldn't get on the flight and would waste hundreds of pounds.

YWBU to cancel. 99.9 recurring percent change the flight will be absolutely fine and, if you don't go, you'll see its safe arrival online while stuck at home wishing you were there.

[Titsywoo]

Hmm hard to say. There are a few things I am doing in the next two weeks that I am currently questioning (think gigs in London). I am battling with being careful and not letting terror win.

Will you spend your time there worried about the flight back? Is it worth it to you?

[LimboNovember]

hard to say but i would havet thought right now is quite safe with all the attention, its when the guard is dropped again in a few months...i would have thought dubai would be quite stict?

[SummerNights1986]

I must be honest, I wouldn't fancy getting on any plane at the moment...but I hate flying at the best of times. I'm going away next June (only a two hour flight) and i'm already feeling nervous about it.

[Guitargirl]

Thanks everyone. Am going to think about it over the weekend.

Am not actually staying in Dubai or even leaving the airport, am just transiting on to another flight.

It has also crossed my mind that if I cancel and stay at home, I am just as likely to get caught up in something here in London. But that way madness lies.

[SummerNights1986]

i would have thought right now is quite safe with all the attention

You would think. A friend of mine was in Sharm when the Russian plane came down and was flown back a few days after. There was no luggage at all allowed and she had money and her phone in her pocket and the clothes she was wearing and that was it.

She said there was a lot of fuss and they spent a long time swabbing people at several different stations (for traces of explosives?) and doing random pat-downs. With the key word being random.

She got on the plane without going through any metal detector (I shit you not). Apparently she missed it because her and her dh were taken off for a random extra swab just before the metal detectors and then brought back with a staff member apparently thinking they'd already been through. Also, with what she thought a cursory glance at her passport. So as she wasn't one of the randoms chosen for a pat down, other than having her arms and hands swabbed, she pretty much got on the plane unchecked - three days after what had happened.

Which is fucking scary. She reported it - I wonder if it actually made any difference though.

[LimboNovember]

summer shocking but heard lots of stories re lax security even after jet.

I am sure however rich places like Dubai have better security?

[LimboNovember]

guitar indeed.

All these stories about fate stepping in, the person who missed the train/flight and so on. There will be someone who missed the one before and got caught out.

Its so hard. There was "chatter" though mentioned somewhere in the extensive news coverage that it was too hot to do anything right now and too many police and to wait. Like they did for PARIS.

So I do believe it will be quite safe now. Having said that - another terror expert said with all the raids they are "shaking the tree" so expect some plots to be brought forward.

I am due to go to Amsterdam next year which worries me more, due to lax border and country controls, the vice, drugs, guns and prostitution may make it a target and of course its close proximity to Belgium.

I am also due to travel through Belgium next year.

[talkinpeace]

OP
I am no fan of the Gulf but a friend who travels there a lot says that security at Dubai is shit hot because its a hub not a holiday destination

and
good airlines changed their routes ages ago
another friend was on hols in Oman when the Russian plane was bombed - Oman Air had changed their routes after the August near miss (which was common knowledge among airline bods)

Be alert but enjoy

To cancel is to let the medievalists win

[hefzi]

I understand your concerns: but I suppose the question is where you are going to draw the line in your precautions. At what stage will you decide that it is safe to fly? What evidence will you need? Or will it be an arbitrary decision? What else will you be doing to keep yourself safe (and remember - our threat level hasn't changed for a while in the UK...)? Why does madness lie the way of worrying that something might happen to you in London, but worrying about transiting through Dubai is different?

I don't think it's a logical or rational decision to alter your plans, in terms of risk: it would be an emotional one. But I think you know that already.

[ADishBestEatenCold]

"she pretty much got on the plane unchecked - three days after what had happened"

I flew from one European country to another, the day after the Paris attacks and no-one looked at my passport in either place. In fact, I didn't ever take it out of my bag.

(my family say airport security were probably not interested in me because I "look boring" )

[talkinpeace]

Adish
If you were flying inside Schengen that is entirely to be expected
same as if you take an internal flight in any country

[Mari50]

I'm flying to australia via Dubai in a fortnight, wouldn't cancel my flight for love not money. Have no concerns whatsoever. Hate to sound trite but if something awful happens it'll be quick and I'll know very little about it, more than likely nothing will happen and I'll have a great holiday. I'm a terrible worrier about a lot of stuff but this hasn't even crossed my radar.
No way will I let some crazy radicals change my plans on such a remote chance. I would imagine emirates flights aren't high risk.

[Claireshh]

I was supposed to fly with my children on Wednesday on my own. I don't like flying but I wasn't worried about the plane being blown up. I was worried about an attack at the airport and being unable to protect both children. I cancelled my flight and drove eight hours instead.

The likelihood of further attacks is high at the moment. I'm just not willing to take risks that are not absolutely necessary.

[wasonthelist]

I have flown to Dubai a few times - it's very efficient and security is very impressive. I would jump on a plane there tomorrow.

[Mistigri]

I'd say Dubai is a pretty safe airport by international standards. I don't think I would cancel.

I flew from France via London to a southern African country last weekend (just after Paris) and then back home last night/ this morning. Security has been noticeably tightened, in Europe at least, with random tests of passengers for traces of explosive at Heathrow security last weekend (first time I've experienced that being applied to people rather than luggage, and I fly a LOT). And for the first time for years there were exit border checks at Heathrow this morning - there was a border control official (not an airline employee) checking passengers after they'd passed through the gate, just before boarding.

It's probably safer to fly right now than it has been at any point in the last 14 years.

[ADishBestEatenCold]

"If you were flying inside Schengen that is entirely to be expected"

Not whole journey, talkinpeace. Oh dear, it looks like my family were right then.

[talkinpeace]

Adsish
I flew from one European country to another, the day after the Paris attacks and no-one looked at my passport in either place. In fact, I didn't ever take it out of my bag.
If you were going through the UK it will have been checked

If you were flying within Schengen it wont : schengen covers a LOT of countries

[BadLad]

What airline are you flying? I would feel safer flying, say, Emirates, than British Airways.

[jellybeans]

Yanbu. But I am a nervous flyer and not sure I could ever get on a plane again. I would be ill for weeks before.

However I do commute in one of the busiest areas of the country. I am nervous at the moment. BUT what's the alternative. Give up my new career after 16 years staying home (I can't drive in) and even if I do that what sort of life is it if we can't do anything or go anywhere.

[BertrandRussell]

"The likelihood of further attacks is high at the moment. I'm just not willing to take risks that are not absolutely necessary."

So you drove for 8 hours. Right.

[Claireshh]

Bert I understand it sounds bonkers.

I know I was far more likely to have been involved in a traffic accident on my eight hour car journey.

I know the risk of something happening at the airport and us getting caught up in it was very low however I was still worried about it.

I was travelling because of a family bereavement and I also have fear of flying which my children are not aware of. I would have been incredibly on edge and stressed that I decided it wasn't worth it. I would have flown if I hadn't been travelling with my children.

[Moopsboopsmum]

I recently flew on Malaysian Airlines, in Asia, where security is very minimal with my young DS. I thought about cancelling but decided to man up and just do it. It was fine and we had a great holiday!

[BertrandRussell]

Claireshh- that is rather different to saying you drove rather than flew because you didn't want to take unnecessary risks!