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?

I've only left the country I live in twice in the last 10 years but both of those trips involved 6 flights each and, due to time differences, 5 out of 6 flights were night flights. I know several people who make the same journey more than once a year. You have no idea of the OP's circumstances.

Really, you don't have to justify yourself. Trollhunting is against MN rules and so bloody tedious, just report them or ignore.

I rarely fly, having had a bad incident a long time ago and it's just so much hassle these days.

I've explained it to them but they are insistent I'm lying.

Aren't there just! I imagine they have very boring lives, and little in the way of social skills, and being unpleasant to random strangers appears to be how they get their kicks.

They are best ignored.

Either way, your fear of airplanes and boats is affecting your life and sadly your child’s.
Do as you please, but this is bizarre.

Don't worry about them, and don't try to explain any more!

I’ve seen loads of flights have problems landing in Madeira in the Canaries. From watching FlightAware! It seems like the pilots are well aware of weather patterns in the area but still very frightening.

I agree, you don't need to explain. I however think that it is noble that you will be trying to cut down on your carbon emissions in the future.

I don't have a fear of planes? I've had two bad flights in two weeks and we've decided to give it a break next year.

It's not a bad thing, we are all well travelled and fortunate to be so. DS will still fly without me and his life, nor mine for that matter will be affected, other than ext years holiday may not be hot or sunny.

I came on for holiday advice yet I've spent more time answering questions off bored troll hunters than people who've actually helped.

I'll leave you to it.

Oh bore off. Just say you don't approve rather than leave multiple sarky comments.

Personally I have no intention of cutting down my "carbon emissions in the future"! I am hoping to semi-retire soon and I want to spend more time travelling, not less, while I am still able to. That plane is still going whether or not I am on it.

Not experiencing other places or cultures is so limiting.

@Luxurybags lol is it the bit where he flys the plane upside down after sniffing coke and downing vodkas to sober up

Yes that's the one.

What?

Oh I see, you're accusing me of lying too. Because the idea that someone might have a different experience to you is so overwhelming to your room temperature IQ.

Poor you. It's ok, I understand, low intelligence people can't fathom experiences outside their own bubble.

well, what if you drive and crash and get hideously mangled - OP maybe more likely to get hurt driving to Cornwall than flying to Greece. Perception is everything

I hear what you say - but "museums/walks/restaurants/theatre/spa". But that's what we do anyway - so that would t be a holiday. Plus the UK is so bloody expensive

I agree

I just booked a spontaneous trip and then came on MN... I wish I hadn't read this thread. OP your flight sounds awful! I hope you can recover from it and that this isn't a new norm for air travel. We recently travelled through Europe via the Eurotunnel and it was great. The weather in Como was low to mid 30's and in France high 20's to low 30's. I highly recommend it!

Madeira is in the list of the Top Ten most dangerous airports to land at in the world. It is highly challenging for even the most experienced of pilots - dear little Madeira

I would suggest the train to somewhere in Europe. Get the channel tunnel to Brussels and the trains from there are amazing.

And once in Belgium kids under 12 are free and adults 50%, on lots of trains at the weekends.

Or car and ferry…I love getting the channel ferry though still gutted there is no longer a hovercraft. We drove through France to Italy and the journey was part of the holiday.

@YellowphantGrey

Since Covid, I’ve only holidayed UK and France and had some amazing holidays. If you can bear to leave it a bit last minute, you can book wherever the weather looks good.
I’d avoid Dover, and go to some of the lesser known ports : is there a reason why you don’t like ferries?
We had a holiday in Scarborough/Whitby area and Lake District : got really lucky with the weather and it was magical. The money you save on flights, you can treat yourself to really decent accommodation.

Sounds awful and I totally get why you don't want to fly next year. We had a bad experience a few years ago only flying back from Spain but I was so scared we decided to take a break from going abroad for a bit.

However as scary as it was I know it's a means to an end to get a week of sunshine that we've rarely had in any uk holiday we've had over the last 16 years. We tend to alternate now but I do have to psyche myself up before a flight as I'm so scared. I always try and remember something a pilot once said about the most fearful thing they worry about during turbulence is spilling their coffee!

I definitely think trying to get a day flight helps. We flew to the canaries last year via a night flight and it's the first night flight I've had for years and I didn't like it. I can't even fathom why really, just felt eerie and the landing seemed to take forever.

Madeira is off the coast of Portugal and not in the Canary Islands. CAT can happen anywhere and is not related ro climate change. This sounds like predicted turbulence so im very surprised to hear you thought the cabin crew were crying. Im on one of the Canaries at the momemt, very gusty. No turbulence on way in. Fingers crossed for way out! Sorry you had a bad flight.