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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:
writersbeenblocked · 19/07/2019 19:21

God, wish I'd seen this a week ago! I'm a terrified flyer but have just flown twice in one week. I had a really bad experience six years ago which put me off for years but I flew last year and was fine. Oddly was more nervous this time! I didn't really have any coping mechanisms other than to plug in my earplugs and wear an eye mask, hold on to the arms of the chair, breathe and think of something else.

thesnapandfartisinfallible · 19/07/2019 19:29

I really don't understand people who enjoy turbulence. Do you also enjoy driving a motorway at 100mph in heavy traffic?

Yes...Blush

I love turbulence. Especially when the plane drops straight down, suddenly. Strangely enough, I hate rollercoasters though.

hazell42 · 19/07/2019 19:29

Flying is 99 percent boring.
Turbulence livens things up a bit
Only other thing to look forward to is the take off and landing and that only adds up to a couple of minutes
I look on plane journeys as fairly tedious coach trips.
Not interesting but the destination is worth it

Havingarethink · 19/07/2019 19:29

It's just the sudden drop I don't like, but even one glass of wine helps enormously. Not happy when it's severe enough to wake me up though as I can sleep literally anywhere.

Armadillostoes · 19/07/2019 19:32

@Notcopingwellhere I am sorry but I found your comment pretty silly. Surely it is just obvious and common sense that being bounced about can cause the sort of injuries you mention. Hardly something which requires an expert opinion! Any adult can work that out.

Yes, I have seen a member of cabin crew scald themselves due to unexpected turbulence, which was horrible and very bad luck. But that kind of incident is not what the OP and others are anxious about. The fear is of the plane crashing, which will NOT happen as a result of turbulence.

sidsgranny · 19/07/2019 19:35

I have a relative who's a retired pilot. He explained to me that a plane in the air is very much like a boat on the sea. The turbulence is a lot like the waves that a boat will go through. It's certainly helped me.

Solina · 19/07/2019 19:40

I do not like flying so I have read a lot of information and after reading a lot about turbulence I no longer get as scared as I used to. What I have learned is that turbulence is not really dangerous to the plane. They try to avoid it for the comfort of passengers but sometimes it cannot be avoided same as cars cant always ride smoothly on the roads. I had quite bad turbulence last summer on a flight but unfortunately they were unable to fly any higher due to the fully booked planes weight (would have used up too much fuel which is expensive). Not a pleasant journey but not dangerous. One other time they did try to avoid it by talking to the plane ahead but unfortunately it was a particularly bad weather day.

Like someone said, book a seat from the front of the plane and you feel it much less. Try and learn facts about the safety of the planes it might help.

user1498572889 · 19/07/2019 19:42

I’m also petrified of turbulence as well. I don’t like flying at all but I like hot weather and sand so every year I put up with a 7 hour flight. Some years I just cry and some years I have diazepam. 😁

User3468793 · 19/07/2019 19:44

Xanax! Gift of the gods.

I hate turbulence but it's more complex than a fear of the plane crashing, which is obviously impossible. It's more the feeling of being out of control...trapped in a situation which might get worse any moment and you don't know how long it will last or if it will suddenly start up again. I'm not afraid of driving on a bumpy road or on a windy day since I'm in control of the car, and I can anticipate the pothole or whatever coming.

For some reason I'm not anxious about turbulence on descent because I know the plane will land very soon and I'm already excited about the trip. So it's not the actual motion but the "trapped" feeling and the length of the flight ahead. Turbulence shortly after takeoff is the worst as it keeps me on edge for the entire flight.

I fly regularly but not extremely often (1 long haul every two years, 1-2 short hauls every year) so I decided it's not worth taking one of those flight anxiety courses, reading books or trying to do breathing exercises. I take 2 bars of Xanax when the plane is about to take-off and the entire flight is fantastic :)

BayandBlonde · 19/07/2019 19:55

Planes are built for turbulence, they 'enjoy' it.

From a pilots perspective turbulence is more of an inconvenience issue rather than a safety one.

They (planes) are designed to endure a huge amount of punishment, far more than a few hours of turbulence being thrown at it.

And dont forget, you've got planes in front and behind you, you aren't up there alone. The pilots are all chatting to each other about a what's up ahead, and telling the one behind.

I'm a frequent flyer and I do enjoy a bit of turbulence. It's not going to take the plane down Smile

MissConductUS · 19/07/2019 19:56

First, as PP have said turbulence is not really a danger to the aircraft. They are designed to deal with it.

DH was on a flight from the US to Australia many years ago. Over the pacific, about 6 hours out from Oz, the plane flew into a steep updraft. As they flew out of it the plane was in free fall for 5-10 seconds. This simulates weightlessness. Objects floated about in the air and everyone not belted into their seat went up to the cabin ceiling. When they came out of the parabolic arc everything came down again and many people were injured falling back into their seats.

DH was fine as he was belted in, and managed to get the colleague who was sitting next to him sleeping belted in also in time to keep him in one place. They thought about diverting the flight but kept onto Sydney as the best option for the injured, who mostly had fractures and sprains, nothing life threatening.

This is one reason why they tell you keep your seat belt fastened anytime you are in your seat, regardless of the conditions.

BlackCatFan · 19/07/2019 20:42

What scares me is vomiting during turbulence. I have a fear of vomit in general though, especially in small spaces. I have no idea how people cope with constant turbulence that goes on for hours, I can't even imagine that. I'm ok with it in short bursts, but anything over a few minutes I feel the panic rising.

For me, kalms help specifically the lavender ones. Also "breathing through it" when you feel the bumps start take slow deep breaths and count them until bumps subside.

StephanieSJW · 19/07/2019 20:49

Turbulence is a sign from Mother Earth that we are killing her. There is absolutely no need for you to fly all the way to Cyprus and destroy the environment.

MontanaSkies · 19/07/2019 20:50

I always find it helps to watch the cabin crew's faces - they always look quite chilled out and not panicked, even if they have to be strapped in for a while.

However the "potholes in the road" analogy doesn't comfort me that much - potholes can be really dangerous in a car if they're big and you hit them at the wrong angle - can cause the driver to lose control. I don't want to think about a pilot losing control after a really big bump!

rosesandcashmere · 19/07/2019 20:51

I love turbulence. But I appreciate not all do. Maybe google 'captain Keith flying without fear' he's great, an ex BA Captain. You need to try to remember how safe planes are. Also remember although air is invisible it's still a thing, it has lumps and bumps just like a road does. Turbulence is uncomfortable but not dangerous - if you stay strapped in. Worst thing that could happen is you fall over because you're not secured. Enjoy your flight!

rosesandcashmere · 19/07/2019 20:52

Also there's nothing to bash into up there. Not like a pothole. The plane can cope - safely - with a Lot More than the worst storm can throw at it. Pilots will try and avoid it, the stuff you feel is so safe they don't have to.

MissConductUS · 19/07/2019 20:59

Turbulence is a sign from Mother Earth that we are killing her.

As long as there has been wind, weather and mountains there has been turbulence.

thenightsky · 19/07/2019 21:00

If its really bumpy I watch the cabin crew. If they are still flogging duty free and wheeling their trollies I assume we are not going to die.

SinglePringle · 19/07/2019 21:03

I was once the only person under 30 on a flight full of oil rig Execs flying back from the North Sea / Scottish rigs to London. Single aisle, could see the pilot. Chartered flight of about 20 of us. Weather was foul on take off. Everyone was on the (large) Scotch.

15 minutes after take off, we were bouncing around the sky, left to right, up & down, side to side & diagonals in a propeller plane, whilst hearing the thunder and being hit by lightening.

It was terrifying AND calming...

If a tiny plane can withstand that, a Jumbo is probably the safest place in the world.

SinglePringle · 19/07/2019 21:07

Also, a PP mentioned there are aircraft in front of you & aircraft behind. It’s a motorway up there! All the flights are following a specific path and they sure as hell ain’t the only ones on it.

Download the Flight Radar app. You’ll see just how many flights are in the sky at any one time - and they don’t crash!! It’s extremely reassuring.

TheLetterOfTheLawTheLetter · 19/07/2019 21:15

I went through a phase like this, despite traveling loads.... for a good couple of years I felt absolute physical terror at any sight jolt, my body would go cold inside and my heart would stay racing.

I'm totally over it now and this is what helped get me through to the other side!

  • music, upbeat music, almost constantly. Things just never seemed so dreadful with my headphones on, from the point of taxiing they were in!
  • this was almost always accompanied by one strong g&t
  • I thought seriously about how this exact flight had taken place the day before and the day before that etc etc... And I knew that I would never have sat at home thinking and worrying that the flight that day could possibly go down
-on the train (usually to the airport) I would shut my eyes and realise how much I was being jostled about, I knew that if that was in a place I'd have been convinced we were going down, yet on a train I didn't even register it

So a combination of rational thoughts and mood boosting music and a sniff of alcohol

Good luck!

babysharkah · 19/07/2019 21:16

Terrifies me. Absolutely terrified me and we've got another trans Atlantic flight coming up and it's always really bad. I'd take Valium if I didn't have kids to think of.

PositiveVibez · 19/07/2019 21:18

Hate it. I sob quietly and tears roll down my face. I HATE it.

Not been abroad for years until we had a 'once in a lifetime' holiday to florida.

To 3 diazepam on the way there. 4 on the way home. Did absolutely fuck all to allay my fears and I will be conducting all my travels by ferry from now on.

I don't like roller coasters, which to me, is akin with turbulence. Yanbu OP and I Truly feel your pain.

Notcopingwellhere · 19/07/2019 22:20

@Notcopingwellhere I am sorry but I found your comment pretty silly. Surely it is just obvious and common sense that being bounced about can cause the sort of injuries you mention. Hardly something which requires an expert opinion! Any adult can work that out.

So why do most people happily sit with their seatbelts unbuckled as soon as the light goes off then?

Before I posted there were numerous posts saying “put a glass of water on the tray table, you’ll see how little it actually moves during turbulence”.

And you categorically stated that turbulence posed no risk. That was incorrect.

ZootSuit · 19/07/2019 22:34

I totally get where you are coming from OP. I used to be fine with flying but since having kids I cannot bear even the slightest bit of turbulence. Not entirely sure that the two are connected but that seems to have been when it kicked in.

It makes me so angry with myself because I am a calm level headed person usually, and it feels irrational to me. But I can’t help it, it just makes me feel terrified and I know it shouldn’t.

We went to Florida last year and no one could understand how I was that scared of turbulence but would happily get on a rollercoaster. We are doing it again next year and I’m already dreading it Confused

I think it’s to do with knowing what’s going to happen, and like a PP mentioned there is so much unknown with turbulence - how long will it last, will it get worse, etc etc.

There are some really good suggestions on this thread which I am going to look into so that’s helping me a bit!