Cancelled next years holiday abroad

[YellowphantGrey]

And feel awful about it.

Trying to convince myself a UK holiday will be ok bur I know it won't.

We've just returned from disaster holiday after two horrific flights. Holiday itself was fine but the flights were absolutely horrific. People in tears, screaming, crying, my kindle screen broken, DH hurt his back, people throwing up, all from 2 hours worth of severe turbulence on a 4 hour flight and Pilot had to speak several times. It was a night flight and all lights went out and emergency floor strip lights came on. He ended up having to fly lower to try and avoid and was prepared to divert when it started becoming clearer.

On the way over, it was an hours worth of turbulence and not as bad but still took some quite big drops, everyone lifted out of their seats on each drop. Couldn't land and had to retry which was successful second time round.

We decided today after we are all bruised and shaken that we don't really want to fly again but I'm also worried my DS will now be restricted in life and we should be forcing ourselves back on a plane.

Any ideas what to do? I don't think any sort of scared of flying course would help as even the cabin crew were crying yesterday! Apparently turbulence is set to become more frequent, common and extreme.

Cruises are a definitive no as well.

I suppose we could train or drive?

Trying to convince myself a UK holiday will be ok bur I know it won't.

Why not?
I sympathise about the flight but this comment makes me question everything else about your post

Drive to France? You get that different country/ language/ culture/ food/ climate vibe but it's really not very far unless you want to go far. Le touquet etc and that area is so easy. X

Not a fan of Cornwall plus we've done most of it, same with Scotland as my parents were Scottish so spent a lot of time there as a child.

We feel like we've done most of the UK and struggling to think of somewhere we really want to visit again

Friends have been interailling this year so might investigate that further to see if it would work for us

This is getting more common now , I heard of so many flights in past year with bad turbulence- leading to injuries. That I googled a while ago to see if there is a change- and there is. It used to be very rare to experience bad turbulence but statistically it is increasing significantly due to climate change. And the injuries and risk of death are higher now.

It sounds like an awful experience to go through. I’m on holiday now and hoping for a smooth flight home

Mainly because we've done most of the UK holiday destinations, the weather is generally rubbish and customer service is shocking!

There's places all over the world we would revisit and have done, but nowhere in the UK.

Presumably because the weather is less reliable and, if the OP is anything like me , it just doesn't feel like a proper holiday somehow being surrounded by the same culture and familiar sites and not escaping the reality of life in the UK for a few weeks.

Bloody hell @YellowphantGrey that sounds terrifying. I would have hated that and dh would have had a panic attack.

How old is your ds, was he asleep for any of it?

For the first time a few weeks ago we came back on a night flight and I'm not sure why but I didn't like the 'feel' but dc slept so that was good- thankfully a smooth flight though.

I agree to cancel next years holiday as you all need time to recover.

Could you book a uk holiday for 2 weeks as chances are you should get some dry days?
Although I see what you mean about holidays meaning hot weather as that's why we go abroad for the guaranteed sun.

So sorry for you though, big hugs x

I’ve been on a flight where the landing was so bad two of the cabin crew cried. Scared the life out of me.

Look at trains. Or drive to South of France? A road trip holiday can be really fun

I'm not mad kern on flying. Its only going to get worse too. How about Minorca? Its just a short flight so if the shit hits the fan it's soon over.

I'm much better if it's just me and ds. He takes it all in his stride so that calms me.

Honestly I have been on flights where some people are screaming and crying too. I have bern in plaine going Singapour that dropped so fast the drink left its cup completely. No one cried on that. People around you panicking doesn't help. Like I say I hate flying but I like to travel. My sister has been on multiple aborted landings that touched down. Engine fire and emergency landing at take off. She still flys. I take anxiety meds and drink. It helps

Cabin crew crying? Which airline was this?

DH is a pilot and (touch wood), has never encountered anything like this, and he’s for over 10,000 hours in the air, including some pretty dangerous military stuff!

Another Easyjet flight had to emergency land last week due to injured cabin crew.

A one off I could accept but two flights has pushed it for me!

Because of the weather i imagine.
the beauty of an abroad holiday is that you can pretty much rely on sun. I love being able to just pack a few bikinis and dresses. Not the multiple options for all eventualities in the uk.

I'm too scared to read it myself but did it say there were 'more common' areas or times of day for the severe turbulence?

Thank you.

Easyjet. I think she was injured as she took a pretty hefty stumble but they were also strapped in to their seats. Pilot made several announcements and said he hadn't encountered turbulence like this for a while but wasn't worried and would grade it as serious. Co pilot made several announcements for people to remain seated and belted.

They played the automated message for emergencies twice too and on descending for landing, asked people to familiarise themselves with the emergency card thing you get in the back of the seats.

I've done hundreds of night flights but never had it completely black with emergency floor lighting on either, normally it's the mood lighting!

This link references the flight that popped in to my mind, where people suffered skull, brain and spinal injuries from turbulence. It also references the increase in clear air turbulence.

https://theweek.com/transport/why-2024-is-a-bad-year-for-air-accidents

I knew you were going to say the Canaries. That’s the place I’ve experienced the worst turbulence too. Not as bad as yours but it does give you the heebie jeebies at the point where all the crew are in their seatbelts for ages too . one of them was facing us and it didn’t help to see that she looked very on edge and tense.

it’s never been as bad as that flying over the Atlantic to the US so maybe it’s just an issue round this time of year en route to the Canaries?

I’m afraid it’s very difficult to predict all turbulence. Some will be missed

This is an article from the BBC which explains it well.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240524-severe-turbulence-climate-change-singapore-airlines

edited to correct info

Well this is the kind of thread I want to unread. Sounds terrifying.

He's 16. Wasn't asleep for any of it and tried to put a brave face on but cried when we landed.

I'm not phased at all by flying but this has me thinking twice!

Oh god I’m definitely not going to Tenerife now !!!

Train or ferry to Spain/france.

This

It’s still fresh in your minds, understandably a horrible experience upset you but it’s a relatively unusual one. By next year I’m sure your memories of it will have faded and you will all be ready to try again and can book something else. Or maybe just try a UK holiday just for next year as a trial if you’re really determined not to fly and see how you get on.

With kindness - your post is a tad dramatic.