Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To think people should think before they get on a plane

218 replies

AndSpinAround · 07/08/2018 09:08

Yeah yeah I know some people are scared of flying, but right now I have no sympathy.

Yesterday DH was on a 7pm flight from London to Barcelona. We live in the outskirts of Barcelona.

Everyone got on the flight then one woman decided she didn't want to fly after all. She got off the plane. This means that everyones hand baggage has to be rechecked. Then just as they are about to go. Another woman decides she is scared and wants her and her family off the plane. The second woman had hold baggage so that had to be taken off, then all hand baggage checked again. Because of this the runway slot had been missed so they had to wait again.
The plane landed after midnight.

The last train for DH to get home leave Barcelona centre at 11.55. The flight was due to get in at 10.20, no problem. Because of these two he had to get a taxi to another part of Barcelona, then a night bus. He got home just after 2.30am.

He's knackered and can't work today.

These two woman should have thought before they got on the fucking plane.

OP posts:
PhewNowIKnow · 07/08/2018 11:27

@AndSpinAround I think you're being a tad ignorant if you believe your husband can tell the 1st woman was not anxious or not having a full on panic attack.

Anxiety and panic attacks don't all present in the same way. I was unbelievably terrified of planes (even those 36,000 feet above me) and flying but noone would ever have thought I was having a panic attack during a flight. Even my husband and children didn't pick up on the signs until I passed out. Not my best moment. I get horrific chest pains and hold my breath and I can't control my breathing. I can't talk, but people think I'm just daydreaming; I wish I was.

I've managed to totally cure my fear of planes and flying. My children all went to live abroad so it was either learn to deal with it or rarely see them. Now I'm the most relaxed one on the plane, but with unlimited amount of patience and compassion for someone who is scared of flying.

Also, I totally understand that he can't work due to being late in. It isn't just about the time you get in bed, it's about the whole day/journey and how exhausting it can be.

IDontEatFriedTurtle · 07/08/2018 11:29

If someone gets on a plane with 'flu and infects you all...you'd be pretty pissed of yeah? But that person had a medical condition! How were they to know it would impact so many people?? They weren't selfish, they were just in the middle of a medial thing.

Did the Op's husband catch a potentially deadly virus from the woman's anxiety attack? Must have missed that.

crazycatgal · 07/08/2018 11:30

People saying that getting off due to anxiety is selfish - would you say the same about someone who had to leave a flight due to a physical illness?

PhewNowIKnow · 07/08/2018 11:31

hold my breath and I can't control my breathing that was written badly. I meant I'm not aware I'm holding my breath and have a total (panicked) inability to control it and breath in when needed.

schnubbins · 07/08/2018 11:34

Same with people not feeling well.I was on a flight recently where a woman got on the plane.Door closed ready to take off and then she puked all over the place.Great commotion ensued with puffing and panting and yowling that went on for an hour. She would not get off the plane no matter how much coaxing was done by the flight crew and fellow passengers.She was brought to business class and made a miraculous recovery.We took off two hours late.

Mia1415 · 07/08/2018 11:34

might’ve been a problem with the left phalangee or worse still, no phalangee shock(sorry, been watching reruns of Friends grin

That was my first thought as well!

amicissimma · 07/08/2018 11:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ProfessorMoody · 07/08/2018 11:46

Fucking hell, what a disgusting post.

If someone collapsed due to a heart complaint, would you feel the same?

Had a hypo? An epileptic fit? Tripped and broke their ankle?

Mental illness is no fucking different to physical illness. If someone with anxiety has a panic attack and has to leave the plane, it is THE SAME THING.

Disgusting attitudes on this thread.

PorkFlute · 07/08/2018 11:48

So if you’ve had a heart episode you shouldn’t fly then as there’s more chance of it recurring?

ProfessorMoody · 07/08/2018 11:48

A medical condition isn't a get out of jail free card for fucking other people over

Last time I checked, my PTSD doesn't really know it's about to "fuck people over".

Bombardier25966 · 07/08/2018 11:50

I'd have more sympathy than if they knew they were prone and boarded anyway, knowing they were risking disrupting the lives of a whole plane-load.

You're suggesting that those with anxiety should not fly at all?

Would you say the same about a child with SN that might be prone to meltdowns?

PorkFlute · 07/08/2018 11:52

So do people on here really think that if you have a fear of flying you shouldn’t attempt to have it treated you should just accept that you will never fly. No holidays with your family ever. Even if you feel you can manage it. Just in case you can’t and you fuck people over.
Is that the advice you’d give to your child? Don’t bother trying to overcome your fears of flying?

Bombardier25966 · 07/08/2018 11:54

What we're seeing here is the usual hierarchy of illness and disability. Those with mental health conditions are bottom of the pile. Absolute bottom are those who exhibit symptoms that don't conform to a stereotype. Naughty selfish people who should stay at home in case their condition affects others.

It's understandable to be annoyed at a slight flight delay. It's disgraceful to see so much stigma about what can be an extremely debilitating condition.

ProfessorMoody · 07/08/2018 11:54

DH knows what a panic attack looks like, a full on one, and he said she wasn't like that. She just had a bad case of nerves

Ah right. So your DH knows how every single person who has a panic attack presents, and was inside her head to know that it was just nerves. You should have said.

I'm a nervous flyer and I take a chill pill before I get on a flight

Good for you. Some people can't take certain medications. Some people (like me) have severe medication phobia. Some people might take one and it may have no effect.

You say you suffer with anxiety yourself? Nah. I don't believe that for ONE moment as anyone who suffers would know how all encompassing and debilitating it is, and would never dream of using it against a fellow sufferer. Full of shit.

Baumederose · 07/08/2018 11:55

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ShotsFired · 07/08/2018 11:58

And BOOM!....Godwin's law in full effect.

Selfcentredbigot · 07/08/2018 12:01

Agreed, Bombardier. This is what mental illness looks like - it's unpredictable and inconvenient and it will sometimes impact on the people around you. As the OP presumably knows, given that she has said she "sometimes" (ie more than once) impacts upon emergency services by misusing them when she's having a bad day.

BarbarianMum · 07/08/2018 12:01

If you've had a "heart episode" then your travel insurance will reflect this. Should be the same for anxiety.

And there are lots of ways to have a holiday with your family that don't involve flying. Hmm

PorkFlute · 07/08/2018 12:07

Travel insurance has no impact on other passengers being inconvenienced.

Trazey · 07/08/2018 12:10

This is all very similar to last week's 'man got angry when his wife was assaulted in a cafe by person with AEN' thread.

Someone who may need to divert a flight should not, in my opinion, have the opportunity to do so. Just because you are anxious etc doesn't mean your rights trump others'. We don't have issues depriving epileptics (or is that 'person with epilepsy' now?) the 'right' to drive.

If someone can forsee or predict or if their condition is likely to have an adverse effect on a large number of people then they're being selfish in continuing with their actions.

PorkFlute · 07/08/2018 12:10

So aren’t you saying you wouldn’t encourage your child to overcome their fear of flying?

PorkFlute · 07/08/2018 12:12

So presumably that includes overweight people, smokers, people who have had heart episodes etc as they are more likely to have medical issues.

ShotsFired · 07/08/2018 12:13

You do it in appropriate conditions - fear of flying courses etc. Which are designed specifically for that purpose.

Not commercial flights full of hundreds of real life passengers.

PorkFlute · 07/08/2018 12:13

If the woman thought she’d would have to get off the plane then I doubt she’d have paid for a ticket and boarded. Clearly she thought she would be able to manage the flight.

Bombardier25966 · 07/08/2018 12:13

Someone who may need to divert a flight should not, in my opinion, have the opportunity to do so. Just because you are anxious etc doesn't mean your rights trump others'. We don't have issues depriving epileptics (or is that 'person with epilepsy' now?) the 'right' to drive.

So you'd stop all people with epilepsy from flying? Someone having an epileptic fit is far more likely to need a diversion than someone having an anxiety attack.

Swipe left for the next trending thread