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Original poster

Would it bother you flying on Friday the 13th?

49 replies

laneyc · 23/08/2023 22:04

We'll be flying on Friday the 13th and I'm starting to freak myself out with the superstition! Already nervous about flying anyway so this isn't helping.

Every time I tell people what date we're flying the reaction has been the same "oooh I wouldn't want to fly on that day!" it's unlucky etc.

Would it bother anybody else or am I just being an idiot?

OP posts:

Missingmyusername · 23/08/2023 22:18

Yes I’d fly - just a normal day! I’m not particularly superstitious.

GrumpyPanda · 23/08/2023 22:20

Good for you - half way decent chance of an empty middle seat 😀

OrigamiOwls · 23/08/2023 22:23

It wouldn't bother me. I'm not very superstitious tho.

Qilin · 23/08/2023 22:26

No, wouldn't bother me. I'm not superstitious in that way

anunlikelyseahorse · 23/08/2023 22:27

Are flights cheaper on Friday 13s? Or is that an urban myth?
You'll be fine.
I've just googled why Friday 13th is seen as bad luck, it seems 13 is an unlucky number due to Judas being the 13 guest at the last super.
Friday was seen as a 'bad' day as it was generally when hangings would happen. When the 13th day, fell on a Friday, the two portents mixed together intensified the 'bad luck'.
But in fact another google search shows that 'unlucky' events happen regularly throughout a year, it's just we notice them more if they fall on a Friday which happens to also be 13th.

Winglet · 23/08/2023 22:28

There is a name for this fear - triskaidekaphobia. I’m the opposite, my birthday is the 13th so I find it lucky. I’m sure you’ll be fine.

StillWantingADog · 23/08/2023 22:28

Well we flew from nz to la once on Friday 13th and crossed the international date line so the 13th became the 12th, and we then had the 13th again! So a weird one but was fine.

supersonicginandtonic · 23/08/2023 22:28

Anybody else on skyscanner looking at flights on Friday 13th to see if they're cheaper?

SisterAgatha · 23/08/2023 22:29

I think it’s lucky and I am a VERY superstitious person. There are only so many Friday the 13th’s so I’d consider it lucky that it was my luck to get one. Same for the poster who had their wedding on that day! How fab!

I am the same for magpies etc. happy when I see them. Because think of all the times you dont see them. So it’s fortunate when you do!

Weirdly I don’t feel this way about many other superstitions ie birds in the house or knives crossing

Bonjovispjs · 23/08/2023 22:29

When did you last hear of a plane falling out of the sky on Friday 13th? I can't remember any and superstitions are nonsense anyway.

Tilllly · 23/08/2023 22:35

Put it out of your mind and enjoy your holiday

One thing that hit me during 9/11, was seeing the number of planes across the bottom of the screen, being told to land, and realising how many planes are actually in the sky at any one moment

Friday 13th is deemed bad because Jesus was crucified on the Friday and Judas was the 13th at the last supper
But Jewish custom has 13 as a symbol of strength and good luck

You're good to fly 😊

Original poster

laneyc · 23/08/2023 22:37

I'm a very superstitious person. My mum and nan were also the same so I think that's where I get it from. And we have known unlucky things to happen in our family on Friday the 13th..

OP posts:

golddustwomen · 23/08/2023 22:41

I fucking hate Friday 13th due to 2 separate horrible incidents happening during my teenage years. Couple of years apart, both Friday 13th. Massive coincidence but it's genuinely created an irrational fear of Friday 13th in me.

Aquamarine1029 · 23/08/2023 22:42

laneyc · 23/08/2023 22:37

I'm a very superstitious person. My mum and nan were also the same so I think that's where I get it from. And we have known unlucky things to happen in our family on Friday the 13th..

Like what?

laladoodoo · 23/08/2023 22:43

Well. I have been cabin crew for 15+ years and I'm still here, flying on Friday 13th and everything! You needn't worry.

FettleOfKish · 23/08/2023 22:43

Wouldn't even cross my mind. I'd know I was flying on the 13th, and I'd know I was leaving on a Friday, but my head likely wouldn't put the two together.

Original poster

laneyc · 23/08/2023 22:44

@Aquamarine1029 My mum had a really bad crash a couple of years ago

OP posts:

TenOhSeven · 23/08/2023 22:49

Assuming this is for a holiday, I could be sitting in row 13 of flight UL13 taking off at 13:13 on Friday the 13th and I'd still be happy I was getting to go away!

dudsville · 23/08/2023 22:50

It wouldn't bother me, but I'm not superstitious or anything else i place in the box of beliefs I do not hold. Like others up thread i frequently have flights in sept 11th as it seems to often coincide with the cheapest flights, funny that. I don't recall any specific flights on a Friday the 13th, but i do just carry on living each day normally as I'm not superstitious so i won't have recalled it. If you do happen to be superstitious or hold similar beliefs then you may well not have a good time on your trip. So you have two options - challenge your beliefs or change your plans.

dudsville · 23/08/2023 22:52

I'm sorry to hear that @laneyc. I presume you believe there's evidence that the date had anything to do with that, but i think that belief could be challenged.

cocksstrideintheevening · 23/08/2023 23:11

No it wouldn't bother me but I have friends who won't fly together as a family so if a plane crashes there will be a parent surviving for the other child. I couldn't live like that.

xyz111 · 23/08/2023 23:13

laneyc · 23/08/2023 22:04

We'll be flying on Friday the 13th and I'm starting to freak myself out with the superstition! Already nervous about flying anyway so this isn't helping.

Every time I tell people what date we're flying the reaction has been the same "oooh I wouldn't want to fly on that day!" it's unlucky etc.

Would it bother anybody else or am I just being an idiot?

If it was a thing, airlines wouldn't fly on 13th. But they do, as nothing happens. Although some airlines are superstitious as some don't have a row 13! Probably because some passengers wouldn't sit there.

BarelyLiterate · 23/08/2023 23:21

Airlines operate on Friday 13th in just the same way as they operate on any other day and there is nothing to suggest that levels of incidents on that day are in any way abnormal.
It”s just a normal day, and no more likely to experience disruption caused by weather, strikes or technical issues than any other day at that time of year.

Namechangedforthis25 · 23/08/2023 23:25

honestly wouldnt have ever thought of this

Aren’t there a couple of Fridays 13th a year? And thousands upon thousands of flights a day - leisure and business. Have you heard of anything happening?

and isn’t air travel meant to be the safest form of travel

so doesn’t that give you your question

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