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?

Come to Ireland!! We gave beautiful empty beaches (but definitely cannot guarantee the sun).

Sounds awful OP 😖

There are some horrible people on this thread.

I am an extremely nervous flyer and didn't fly for over 10 years. We have had some fantastic holidays. We have got the overnight ferry to Spain numerous times even interrailed. I forced myself into flying again 6 years ago and we flew to LA. I try and force myself to go once a year as we want to visit as many US states as possible. We flew back from JFK yesterday and no turbulence as such I just hated every minute of it. We are planning a road trip round Europe next year!

Must have been terrifying, I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to fly again!

Don’t beat yourself up about it. You’re doing what you think is best after a pretty traumatic time. Easier said than done but I would advise you to just try to relax now, put it out of your head and recover from the awful experience. You can rethink holidays and flights and travel plans etc at a later date, but right now, as you say, you’re still shocked, battered and bruised (literally) and probably best taking some time before making any more decisions regarding holidays.
I’m sorry you had such a terrifying flying experience OP, and hope you and the family will recover quickly and be able to have happier, safer trips in future.

I hate flying, and an experience like that would definitely put me off.

Next year maybe get a ferry or Eurostar, and drive south. You could be in the south of France in a day I expect, or better still have a couple of overnight stops to make it more interesting.

I think you need to fly again ASAP to get over the fear. Even if it's a short flight. You don't want your kids to pick up that flying is to be feared.

I would book a short hop down to Spain ASAP to get over the fear, leave your seatbelt on (yes skip that bathroom) and build up from there. Things happen in life and you will forget the bruises as much as it hurts right now. If your seat belts tight enough you shouldn't be being lifted out of your seat.

Sounds terrifying OP. I've only been on a plane twice in my entire life when I went to spain in the late 80's.

I’m just wondering what you mean by this , are you saying that you think the pilots etc have brain fog now since covid?

I hate the agg of flying, queuing/delays at the airport, sitting in the ground for hours, other passengers etc.

This has really put me off!

Turbulence is going to get worse due to climate changes. But some routes far worse than others, more quickly

I did not know this.

We drive to the south of France, weather is great. I'm sorry you had such an awful flight, could you drive op?

Give it a rest will you? It's boring. Are you in the wrong section?

@YellowphantGrey - I don't think you're lying. It sounds horrible and scary. But I think a bit of proportionality is needed here - nothing actually happened. Nobody was hurt. Pilot did a sterling job from your account, and made sure passengers all knew exactly what to do in the event that something happened- a vanishingly thin chance. It's crazy that people are saying they don't fly after reading this thread!

I live in a very popular tourist destination in Cornwall- July and august without fail every year there is a fatal accident - either M5, A30 or A38. This year there have been at least three lives lost that I know of, statistically much more likely to happen now than in the winter due to the influx of visitors. Happens every year but nobody bats an eyelid, or rethinks whether the West Country is too risky to travel to! Totally illogical when it comes to air travel

@YellowphantGrey 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.

I absolutely agree, I've already decided not to fly again. It's also much much better for the planet in terms of climate change. Loads of places easy to get to by rail in europe.

Whilst your experience sounds terrifying- I hate turbulence too - I think you've now lost credibility with the "hundreds" of night flights comment.

There're probably experienced cabin crew who haven't done that many night flights.

You mention 8 countries you've visited multiple times in an earlier comment. So you're obviously not an inexperienced flyer but I think if you had genuinely logged that many flights, not including all the day ones too, you'd have mentioned it before you did.

Just admit it was a throw away comment- rather than fact.

We got the ferry to France this year and it was amazing, totally stress free. I loved it.

Your flight sounds dreadful, I'm not surprised you don't fancy it again.

What about a cruise? There are some round trips from the UK.

And trains are an option as PP have suggested.

I need to know what routes to avoid! I would try to never fly around April as that seems like a peak storm month for the UK. Dh has landed in lots of terrible storms. He is always fine. But if your not fine with it, that's valid too. I swear if I had encountered half the things my sister has, I'd never fly again ( make a mental note never to fly with her as 50% of her flights serm to have go arounds). My bil flysheet weekly for work do that's reassuring he has survived thousands of flights.

This is the internet, lots of people make up things on it and don’t tell the truth 👍

Between ferries and trains there are lots of lovely warm destinations you can go to. I'm sure you will fly again but maybe not for the next holiday.

Indeed, and also, who gives a fuck. I don't waste my time filling up threads trying to pointlessly catch people out.

I had a flight that was bad like that when I was a kid. Now I'm older I'm over it although I try to avoid flying if I can get a train.

It won't ruin your life, you'll get past it. Maybe try a short flight first to Ireland or France or something. Otherwise as people said you can go all over Europe, just takes a bit longer. In fact Eurostar is better than flying because you can take whatever luggage you like and less hanging around. And then just get onward trains or drive to warmer weather.

Plus some train routes are stunning, there's gorgeous bits all over that you miss on a flight. And it means you can stop in all kinds of different countries you wouldn't otherwise.

I'd feel the same way OP, I don't know why some people are being such dicks about it

I've been flying for 50 years but try to avoid these days as just all around unpleasant + Environmental reasons

My advice is train to Provence / South of France, Eurostar to Lille then TGV south, its so much nicer than flying and doesn't take all that much longer. (You can also switch in Paris but then you have to switch stations, I highly recommend Lille instead)

You can also train to the Alps, really lovely and cheaper in summer with lots to do