Scared to fly after Air India crash - should I cancel?

[Springhare76]

I am an extremely nervous flier at the best of times and can barely hold it together for an entire flights (crying, panic attacks etc). I try to cling to the fact that it's so unlikely to crash but after the recent Air India crash I am more terrified than ever as what happened is basically what everyone says can't happen. God rest their souls. Anyone else cancelling their flights this summer?

Get a flight radar app and look at how many planes are up in the sky. Tonnes of planes everyday with no problems.

Yes. What happened to the air India flight was horrific. But they were unlucky.

Statistically you’re far more likely to die in a car accident, be hit by a bus, fall down the stairs in your house. And yet you presumably live your life on a daily basis?

One of the reasons why these plane crashes make it to the news is because they are so rare.

How many other people do you think died in the world that day? And none of those made it to the news did they?

I hate flying, but statistically it is far safer than any other mode of travel, and the world does those on a daily basis without the panic and fear and unrealistic scaremongering which surrounds it.

And as crass as it might sound, if you die in a plane crash it’s going to be quick. Less likely so if you die in a car crash.

No I’m not cancelling my flights. Why would I?

But please cancel yours and get some help for your anxiety. It’s not fair to other passengers to have to endure a flight with someone who can ‘barely hold it together’, cries and has panic attacks for the duration. You KNOW you have this anxiety…it’s your responsibility to deal with it. I’m not unsympathetic, but I have had to witness a passenger on a 9 hour flight crying and behaving in a highly anxious state (flailing around, shouting, jumping up and down, hitting themselves and others). It was very distressing for everyone, made worse when their partner kept telling us all that she ‘always does this’ and then shouting at her to ‘just shut up and sit the fuck down!’ Honestly it was a horrendous flight…and this woman apparently ‘always does this’ and still books flights. 🤯

Don’t be ‘that woman’.

The stats are very compelling, images off flightradar are impressive but unfortunately I can testify that for some nervous flyers the "numbers" approach doesn't work.

As an alternative it is maybe worth thinking through the line someone else has already mentioned - the crew.

They fly day after day, some often multiple times a day over a career that might well span multiple decades and usually retire quite happily at the end of it..for them getting on an aircraft is like starting another day at the office.

If you still insist on stats I can attest to the car v flying comments - personally I did > 30 years as an airline crew member (all that time on Boeings), never had a colleague killed or injured whilst flying (odd paper cut aside) but did have colleagues injured and in a couple of cases killed in road traffic accidents.

Whether the above helps the nervous don't know, but offer it up for consideration.

Morning, think someone else mentioned airports offer courses for anxious fliers, I know people that have successfully been on these. Have a look at either the airlines or nearest airport offer help.
Or even local flying schools, they are run by experienced pilots and just being around the environment, getting your senses used to the sights, sounds and smells might help. X

It's a funny reply. Look at the statistics, but don't forget about that little thing called 'luck.'

This approach won't work on nervous flyers, and shows a complete lack of understanding of phobias.

OP, I am scared of flying. I have to fly soon and feel sick. Sometimes the GP gives me valium. Over the last few years, I've needed it less because I'm more accepting of the way things are. I'm nervous again, now. But ultimately, I'm more afraid of trapping myself in fear. So I fly.

Where from? GP's won't prescribe this for FOF any longer.

I've had diazipam and beta blockers for situational anxiety, but still have some blockers left over. Have the rules changed?

@EveInEden

It's a funny reply. Look at the statistics, but don't forget about that little thing called 'luck.'This approach won't work on nervous flyers,

Agreed, it certainly doesn't work on all of them.

I don't think OP is flying with Air India but I would have to respectfully disagree with you. If they are lax about cleanliness, timekeeping (some delays are normal, when 5 hour delays become normal then something is very wrong), passenger comfort and service standards then what else are they lax about? A travel blogger I follow is a vegan and was repeatedly presented with non vegan food by Air India. Each time, the flight attendant claimed it was vegan, he thinks due to cultural issues that cause them to avoid what they perceive as confrontation. They had no idea if he was vegan due to an allergy, health reason or moral reason and could have easily killed him. According to him they didn't seem to care when he pointed that out. So yes, I'd 100% advise anyone to avoid an airline like that because if they don't care about all of this then what else don't they care about?

OP - stick with reputable airlines (any UK or European based airline for starters) and you will be fine, as many millions of people have been week after week. Please don't be afraid to talk to the crew, they will be aware of what's happened in India and will be expecting this to lead to more nervousness from passengers.

Yes, over the past two or 3 years, GPs no longer prescribe diazepam for flying. If you have it for ‘situational anxiety’ from your GP that’s different, but they cannot give you it specifically for flying.

You're the second poster to equate my knowledge of statistics with life of fear which is bizarre, why are you making that leap?

Like the overwhelming majority of the worlds population I don't ever give the stats on car crashes, falling down the stairs or spontaneous combustion any thought at all but I'm not stupid enough to ever say those things will never happen simply because they are rare.

That's not hard to understand is it?

@Springhare76Who are you booked with?

Air India was a shocking accident of course but I wouldn’t say it was a complete surprise as they’re not a company with a particularly glowing safety record. Just last year they were fined after exceeding pilot working hours limits.

Ultimately there's no single magic solution to Fear of flying, which is why some of the courses run by airlines try a multistrand approach.

A bit of the day on the stats' (because that does work for some), a bit of the day on how does an aircraft work (because knowing that works for some), maybe a short flight with a commentary, (because controlled informed exposure works for some)....

At the end if the day though there are people who simply can't get over the fear, and many of them are not dull, a fair number of those are highly rational high achievers whom have to fly regularly for the likes of employment...

Beta blockers really do work for helping the worse effects of a panic attack, I'd recommend those

Despite all the speculation, some from people who should know better, we know very very little of the exact circumstances of the Air India Accident and we have no idea of why whatever happened did happen.

There's nothing sinister about that, it's the way investigations should be run.

So with that in mind it's perhaps way too early to be definitively stating a particular airline, aircraft, engine, whatever, etc is to blame...

Your feelings are irrational, but flying is environmentally destructive and gives you panic attacks. Why not plan a holiday you can get to by train next year?

Are you cancelling crossing the road?

To answer your question, no I’m not cancelling any flights. As to whether you should, well that depends on who else will be affected as a result. If you are a single person and had booked flights for a holiday then it is totally your call. I’d spend the time / money on some therapy treatment instead if you want to travel by plane in the future.

My cousin pulled out of her holiday to Tenerife as it was the day after the crash and Friday 13th.

She just couldn’t go due to anxiety

No, I'm not cancelling any flights. In fact, we heard about the plane crash 30 minutes before our plane departed. I'm not afraid to die so if the plane crashes then so be it. We will all die at some point.

See your GP. Get diazepam. Shaking, crying and panic attacks on flights are not good for you or other passengers. I have been on a flight when a passenger had to be removed because he was so nervous, crying and having a panic attack.

You're not unusual in your fear but it's something that can be dealt with.

Agree. I was once on a flight where they removed a passenger before take off due to anxiety/fear/panic attack. It was the right thing to do

Are you actually flying Air India with a Boeing machine? If not, I'd relax.

To be honest my thinking is that whatever happens up in the air in a closed box, you can’t escape from it. If it goes down, you go down with it. But you can escape from a car. So if it goes up in flames or whatever, you can always open the door and get out. It think it’s the falling down from a great height that freaks people out about planes.