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?

@notimagainYup, I follow lots of pilots on YouTube and there are plenty of theories out there but everyone is very careful to say that all we can do is guess until the reports come out.

@TheBirdintheCave

"...lots of pilots on YouTube..."

I had noticed 🙄

So far I've resisted the temptation to raid the dressing up box to find my old.work garb and ID....face for radio etc..me....

Totally agree. I've tried it all. Medication, herbal remedies, hypnotherapy. What works is 2 large wines and listen to a few podcasts on how to cure your fear of flying. They really can be good at rationalising your fears. Good luck 🤞🏼

They defined my fear of flying as situational anxiety.

I find aviation fascinating (autistic special interest). I’m far too stupid to ever be able to fly though so alas all I can do is watch 😅

It will put her mind at rest. I am petrified of flying and it ruins my holiday knowing I will have to fly home so have decided to travel by train or road. I know there are more chances of an accident but they are survivable and some fears are irrational.

But you have a much higher chance of surviving a car or train crash than an aircraft crash.

And if a fear was rational that might be helpful but not how irrational fears work

I know this was mentioned upthread and just this week my doctors have announced that they won't be prescribig anything for fear of flying anymore so fewer and fewer options for medical solutions

It might be helpful to try and familiarise yourself with the sounds planes make, during taxi take off etc. It can be unsettling hearing the landing gear going up or coming down, flaps, hydraulics and the like. If you know what they sound like you might feel a bit calmer knowing that there’s nothing bad happening.

Go on flightradar and see how many planes are in the sky right now. The statistics are so, so, so low. I'd rather take the extremely small chance than limit my life by never flying abroad and seeing the world. And if you let the fear win, the fear will only get worse. Don't let it limit you.