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?

Where was the 2025 holiday to? If we know the destination we might be able to find alternative ways to get there, or somewhere similar.

It was to Morroco but have rebooked to mainland Spain as its a shorter flight.

I've never been to Morroco but it's too similar a flight route and don't think I can face it.

DS and DH are off to Italy and Amsterdam so have flights to get over it. DS isn't phased though and is absolutely fine now

Should I get the mods to close the thread to stop replies?

Perhaps that would be wise as you seem to get very wound up?

I meant the cancelled one rather than the rebooked.

But southern Spain by train is really easy. Eurostar to Paris, TGV to Barcelona, stay the night there then a direct train train to Grenada or Cartagena, or change at Seville for Cadiz. Morocco would then require a ferry ride, but only a short one (and from Barcelona you'd change at Madrid for Algeciras).

Ah, sorry I thought the rebooked was 2026 but it is the 2025. Anyway, that doesn't affect route options if you'd prefer to go overland rather than fly.

That does sound an intense experience OP and I don’t blame you feeling the way you are right now. You were very unlucky. I’d do what other mumsnetters have said and not decide on a hard ‘no’ to flying ever again at this point. I’m not sure how old your child is but I wouldn’t worry about the long term effects of him not flying. Car park the whole thing for a few weeks and reassess in the new year maybe?

That sounds really awful, and I can understand it putting you off flying again.

Perhaps, in time, you will feel differently. I think such events are quite unusual but, once experienced, I can see it would be a real turn off.

Dear God. If you are a nervous flyer PLEASE use the Eurostar. It’s as fast for many destinations, convenient, and you can work or read a book in comfort.

just keep an eye on your stuff if you are changing at Gare du Nord.

Amsterdam is faster by train if you are somewhere around London.

I’m a nervous flyer and that sounds horrific! It would put me off initially but I would fly again. I’ve just got back from Tenerife and the flights were great. You were very unlucky. My very first flight at 18, we got in the air, something went bang, and we had to land and change planes. If that happened now I wouldn’t get back on and I’d see it as a sign 😂

When my Dd was young we decided to go see Santa in Lapland. Not a good start because the pilot was sick although they managed to get a replacement. The crew were fantastic and the pilot invited Santa's sleigh to hitch a lift because Rudolf was tired 😅 cue a huge bang as the sleigh landed on the roof accompanied by the plane dropping, all well rehearsed of course, kids loved it but parents were scared! Got to Lapland and the runway was sheet ice, 3 times we tried to land and 3 times failed😬 the pilot said we will try once more and you might hear a bang and brakes screeching, which we certainly did but at least we made it, again the kids loved it, adults terrified. We had a fantastic day but my DD asked if we had to fly back and couldn't we just get the bus, I asked where she thought she was and she replied 'somewhere in England'😅 a once in a lifetime trip and it didn't put her off, she's quite a travelller now, but def one of the scariest flights we've had

Or you could just turn off notifications and let the rest of us argue

Take the train next year. They are said to be great by everyone. South of France, maybe?

We did a road trip around Europe this summer and next year we are doing a train trip to Scandinavia. I also hate flying and are also doing it for environmental reasons. Give it a go!

I don't like flying and I've been in a couple of horrible incidents, including flying around Ireland for four hours in Storm Eileen earlier this year, unable to land at any airport we tried to touch down at, before heading back to Luton (but of course we took off because it enabled Ryanair to not pay any compensation). This summer we took the ferry to France and went to the Olympics followed by a week on a brilliant campsite (OK - we live in the south and have a camper van). I don't think my kids feel they lose out by not flying. Check out Yelloh sites in France (lots of accommodation options.)

As someone else has said, there are brilliant trains in Europe. But we've also had great holidays in Suffolk, Devon and Derbyshire in recent years.

The cancelled one for next year 2025 was morroco which has been changed to Spain. 2026 is America which we've done a few times before but going to Salem and surrounding areas

I'd love to do more train based, especially through mountain areas.

The overnight train to Swedish Lapland is an interesting one- especially if you brave the winter.

@YellowphantGrey

Sorry OP I forgot to say some crucial info.

The air crash happened when he was a teenager.
I travelled with him when he was just getting back in to flying regularly (he had flown before our business trips but mainly for holidays once a year). I was mid 20s, he was early 30s with 2 young DC.

Since then he got some quite hefty promotions where he had to travel extensively - he was based in Far East and had to fly across the region and back to the UK regularly.

Please don't let these 2 flights put you off indefinitely.

We have UK holidays and the best time to go weather wise seems to be straight after schools finish in July. We did well here this year, I was more tanned than I’ve been for years! Sea is still cold though!
That flight sounds absolutely vile. How horrible for you all.

everyone lifted out of their seats on each drop

even with seatbelts on?

I love UK holidays! But then I'm grumpy when I'm hot and places are too peopley, so Spain AI type places are my idea of hell.
Europe v achievable by train though, also romantic way of travel, journey part of adventure?

This!

You are a cheeky mare, why bother to be so nasty?!

Totally unnecessary.