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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be absolutely petrified of turbulence ?!

150 replies

optimisticpessimist01 · 19/07/2019 17:11

It panics me to the point where I start crying and feel sick, and I convince myself that the plane is going to crash and we are going to die. It doesn't even have to be severe turbulence, just a quick shake of the plane convinces me we are flying to our death. Dramatic, I know.

I also worry so much about it for months leading up to taking a flight. We are doing 5 hours to Cyprus soon and I am terrified in case we get turbulence

I'm at my wits end and I'm worried I'm going to get to the point where I don't even want to fly anywhere anymore

AIBU to ask how I can stop this silly feeling that I have and make flying enjoyable again?

OP posts:
dontlikebeards · 19/07/2019 17:20

Watching this with interest.

BarbarAnna · 19/07/2019 17:24

I think it is frightening. It’s not a completely irrational fear like some fears. I hate flying and feel a bit panicked with turbulence although not as extreme as you. I usually have a glass or two of wine but that’s probably not the best advice!

VickyEadie · 19/07/2019 17:25

I feel your fear, I really do.

About 3 years ago I boarded a plane at JFK bound for Manchester. A large group of teenagers, on a trip with their school, also boarded and were quite noisy at first. I thought (and bear in mind, I'm an ex secondary teacher) "Oh fuck - NO chance of getting any sleep with the row they're going to make!"

I was right - at least about not getting any sleep. The turbulence started almost as soon as we were airborne and went on for hours. I honestly thought to myself "This is it - I'm going to die". The only upside was that it scared the teenagers witless to and they were silent for the rest of the journey.

What I did eventually tell myself, however, was this: the pilots are experienced and very, very used to turbulence. As it began as soon as we took off, if they'd believed it to be too dangerous to fly, they'd have landed again, no question - because they don't want to die, either.

Turbulence is scary - but it's ever so common. Planes tend to crash for reasons other than turbulence.

Chuffin · 19/07/2019 17:26

YANBU I’m the same.

Once was crying so badly on a flight had to have hostess with me the whole time, I was begging her to let me off?!!!!!

Hence why the trusty Valium is my friend now on all flights,

MorrisZapp · 19/07/2019 17:27

Me too. If smooth flying was guaranteed, I'd fly all the time. But even the tiniest wobble sets off a panic response in me.

icanfeelitcomingg · 19/07/2019 17:28

Google the BA Flying with Confidence course. They teach you what all the sounds/moves of the aircraft mean etc. Gets great reviews.

Shmithecat2 · 19/07/2019 17:28

I quite like it Blush

Everley · 19/07/2019 17:30

I’m absolutely terrified of flying. Hypnotherapy has helped a lot, but I’m still very scared. I once read an article about fear of flying that was written by a pilot, they said that (minor) turbulence is just like driving over potholes. No idea whether that is factually correct but helps me to rationalise it.

Original poster
optimisticpessimist01 · 19/07/2019 17:30

@Shmithecat2 what is it about turbulence that you enjoy? That's not me being judgmental that's me trying to get tips haha

OP posts:
RiddleyW · 19/07/2019 17:30

On a programme I watched recently one of the characters tells another who is frightened during turbulence to shut his eyes and imagine he’s in a truck bouncing down a pot hole ridden track. I had a bit of turbulence on a flight recently and did this and it worked really well!

Hadjab · 19/07/2019 17:31

Turbulence is actually one of my favourite things. I can’t really help to allay your fears other than to point out that you’ve experienced turbulence and you’re still here...

namechangeninjaevervigilant · 19/07/2019 17:31

The Speakmans were talking about this on This Morning this week. They compared turbulence to driving on a cobbled street - it’s bumpy and uncomfortable and in an ideal world we would all choose not to do it but in the end it doesn’t do any harm. That made me feel so much better about it and I hope next time I encounter it I will feel more relaxed.

Just keep your seatbelt fastened and try not to spill your wine!!

Teaandbiscuits88 · 19/07/2019 17:32

I read this online somewhere once, when googling about overcoming a fear of flying.

If you get turbulence on a plane, put a drink in a cup on the tray in front of you and watch it move. You’ll notice that it doesn’t leave the cup. Now imagine doing the same in a car - if you put a cup on the dashboard while driving over a rough road the water would go out in seconds.

The idea is is that a plane hitting turbulence is just like a car going over bumps in the road but you’re more aware of it in the air when in fact you’re probably moving less.

That was nowhere near as coherent as when I originally read it but it did help me on a flight recently! I also look at the flight crew - if they look relaxed and are carrying on as normal I know everything is fine.

GoldenPlatitudes · 19/07/2019 17:32

I take a valium and wine. Works a treat 😳

Madvixen · 19/07/2019 17:34

I'm terrified of flying but I'm kind of ok with turbulence (it's take off and landing that reduce me to hysterics) but it's only because I found a couple of things that really helped me with the turbulence.

  1. ask the crew for a small glass of water. Put the glass on your tray if it's turbulent and watch the water. It moves very, very little despite the turbulence.
  2. imagine two giant tyres under the wings and think that the plane is simply driving down a bumpy road.

The tyre thing has actually been the most helpful for me. I look at cars now and remember that a plane is held up by the air just like a car is, the plane just doesn't have tyres.

ItsJustTheOneSwanActually · 19/07/2019 17:34

I like it too - it's gentle jiggling sends me to sleep.

Pilot friends told me once if they hit turbulance and the plane drops and they hear the passengers scream they find it most amusing. Apparently 'it's just air'.

So if they're not scared....

Iamclearlyamug · 19/07/2019 17:36

I feel your pain as although I'm usually ok (ish) with turbulence, I am a very fearful flier especially on take off - when I flew out to Turkey a few weeks ago I cried, shook and hyperventilated until the seatbelt signs turned off.

PP have used a very good analogy with the potholes - this is literally what it is.

If you're on Facebook I highly highly recommend the 'fear of flying forum' you will find help, advice and a wealth of knowledge from current pilots, cabin crew and even engineers - it really helped me :)

noenergy · 19/07/2019 17:36

I'm the same, absolutely petrified, no matter how much i try to stay calm and know that pilots have a lot of experience in dealing with it.

It doesn't help that a recently read about a flight where the turbulence was so bad where passengers were injured.

user764329056 · 19/07/2019 17:37

I love turbulence, similar to the feeling of being on a roller coaster, and always feel really safe somehow but can completely sympathise with those who worry about it, am the same with open heights, feel like I am going to be sick, I think any fear is difficult to deal with/overcome, maybe the answer for the turbulence could be a sedative for the flight? Am pretty sure a GP would prescribe for that purpose

RiddleyW · 19/07/2019 17:37

I also once had a quite a lot of turbulence when flying with a 4 year old and he wasn’t fussed at all. I was all sweaty palmed and trying to remain calm and he was really chirpy “we going up and going down!”

Haworthia · 19/07/2019 17:37

Someone described turbulence to me as like a boat being buffeted over waves in the sea. It didn’t seem so scary to me after that.

Armadillostoes · 19/07/2019 17:37

I am sorry that you find it so traumatic OP but it really, really is NOT remotely dangerously. In objective terms you are at no risk because of it. Does that help at all?

Funkyslippers · 19/07/2019 17:38

I read that turbulence is good as it helps the plane to steady itself. It doesn't usually mean there is anything wrong

ShirleyPhallus · 19/07/2019 17:39

There’s a great book called “flying with confidence” which I’d really recommend. The first half is written by a pilot who explains exactly what the plane does, why the noises, how it stays up, what turbulence is etc.

He compares the air under wings to water and the bumps are like a ship sailing.

He also makes you repeat the mantra “turbulence is uncomfortable but never dangerous” all through the book

Funkyslippers · 19/07/2019 17:39

I'm not too keen on it though but I find reading a good book or doing a puzzle while it's happening helps