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After 3 years of not seeing my parents, I need to make myself get on a transatlantic plane somehow. I have suffered from severe aerophobia for over 2 decades and it has gotten worse over time. I take ground transportation whenever humanly possible or simply don't go.
Unfortunately I cannot do this to cover the US ( east coast) -Europe distance.
I have heard there are some small choices one can do to reduce the risk of problems associated with flying, including the biggest one of all, which would be busting into pieces.
For example, I remember reading that flying at. Night vs. during the day can affect how much turbulence the plane will experience. Or time of the year for avoiding storms. Or the airline company in terms of safety record. Etc.
I would appreciate ANY kind of tips that you could give me for booking a transatlantic flight to Eastern Europe.
Anything that would at least give me the knowledge that I did the maximum possible to reduce the risk for potential problems (or disaster) even by an incredibly small fraction. Even if the flight is perfectly successful, going through turbulence ages me by 5 years in 5 minutes.
What I fear:
- turbulence
- problems with the aircraft (older, manufacturing, poor maintenance, etc)
- the human factor (inexperienced, emotive or downright deranged pilots)
- ...all of these boiling down to fearing "the worst".
I do not care about inconveniences related to airport security, bad food, rude flight attendants or any other whims like this. I am fine with any of the above. If an airline could offer some magical flight that would somehow be 100% guaranteed to land safely but in exchange I would have to suffer the worst imaginable conditions in the plane - no food regardless of how long the flight, no water, no AC, crammed between very fat people, smelly beyond belief...heck, even taking a beating all the way to the destination - I would take it in a second. As long as this flight would be 100% impossible to crash.
I am simply terrified of a plane accident.
I know it is a mental disorder but I have it and nothing will cure it. I learned as much in 20 years.
Any tips for booking the flight would be tremendously appreciated.
Why does turbulence frighten you? The aircraft is rigorously tested for fatigue under turbulent conditions.
On the major airlines the pilots are all highly experienced, well trained individuals. On the road however, 50% of the drivers are below average intelligence and at least 10-20% of them are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Who you want to take a risk with now?
Why does turbulence frighten you? The aircraft is rigorously tested for fatigue under turbulent conditions.
On the major airlines the pilots are all highly experienced, well trained individuals. On the road however, 50% of the drivers are below average intelligence and at least 10-20% of them are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Who you want to take a risk with now?
If only it was that simple.
I am aware I suffer from a mental disorder - a phobia, but I don't agree the fear is completely irrational.
Bottom line is I fear a plane crash horribly. The comparison with the cars is useless.
What can I do to reduce the risk of what I fear, or the risk of going through turbulence which triggers horrible panic attacks in me, no matter how irrational?
Any tips on reduction of risk, including turbulence risk (be it safe) would be appreciated - even if he reduction is minuscule.
I too cannot handle turbulence...if there's even the slightest bump my body goes to immediate fight or flight and I physically freak out.
About 8 years ago someone suggested I try lorazepam for flights and it helped so much. I have some flights where I don't even get freaked out and stay calm. It just helps ease that freak out feeling that's always bubbling under the surface when you're on a plane.
Take it before you get on and have plenty of water. Do not drink alcohol...that can increase your anxiety.
I too cannot handle turbulence...if there's even the slightest bump my body goes to immediate fight or flight and I physically freak out.
About 8 years ago someone suggested I try lorazepam for flights and it helped so much. I have some flights where I don't even get freaked out and stay calm. It just helps ease that freak out feeling that's always bubbling under the surface when you're on a plane.
Take it before you get on and have plenty of water. Do not drink alcohol...that can increase your anxiety.
I have taken Lorazepam and I will take it again - on the rare occasions I am forced to fly I need lots of medication, to the point I puke.
But the purpose of my post was to get some tips on reducing actual flight-related problems, not my fear.
This is a completely separate issue which I have tried Everything for over the past 2 decades to no avail, as it progressed from bad to unbearable.
I need to know when to fly to reduce risk of turbulence or bad weather.
What kind of aircraft to look for and do I have any choice at all?
Etc.
After 3 years of not seeing my parents, I need to make myself get on a transatlantic plane somehow. I have suffered from severe aerophobia for over 2 decades and it has gotten worse over time. I take ground transportation whenever humanly possible or simply don't go.
Unfortunately I cannot do this to cover the US ( east coast) -Europe distance.
I have heard there are some small choices one can do to reduce the risk of problems associated with flying, including the biggest one of all, which would be busting into pieces.
For example, I remember reading that flying at. Night vs. during the day can affect how much turbulence the plane will experience. Or time of the year for avoiding storms. Or the airline company in terms of safety record. Etc.
I would appreciate ANY kind of tips that you could give me for booking a transatlantic flight to Eastern Europe.
Anything that would at least give me the knowledge that I did the maximum possible to reduce the risk for potential problems (or disaster) even by an incredibly small fraction. Even if the flight is perfectly successful, going through turbulence ages me by 5 years in 5 minutes.
What I fear:
- turbulence
- problems with the aircraft (older, manufacturing, poor maintenance, etc)
- the human factor (inexperienced, emotive or downright deranged pilots)
- ...all of these boiling down to fearing "the worst".
I do not care about inconveniences related to airport security, bad food, rude flight attendants or any other whims like this. I am fine with any of the above. If an airline could offer some magical flight that would somehow be 100% guaranteed to land safely but in exchange I would have to suffer the worst imaginable conditions in the plane - no food regardless of how long the flight, no water, no AC, crammed between very fat people, smelly beyond belief...heck, even taking a beating all the way to the destination - I would take it in a second. As long as this flight would be 100% impossible to crash.
I am simply terrified of a plane accident.
I know it is a mental disorder but I have it and nothing will cure it. I learned as much in 20 years.
Any tips for booking the flight would be tremendously appreciated.
While I do understand you and many other fear a plane accident, honestly, just live your life and dont live in fear. You never know when your last day will be and how you will die. There are more people that die in car accidents on the way to the airport than plane crashes itself.
That last example you listed of a horrible in air experience would be Spirit Airlines. Try to fly domestic carriers as they have the fewest listed incidents usually of air mishaps. If flying to Europe try to get a fly on a A330, 777, vs a 767 as those are slightly newer, but they are get maintained the same, since airlines would be bankrupt if their planes started crashing all the time.
Remember the pilot wants to live too, so they have ever reason to land as safe as possible.
I would pick a flight on a WideBody, a B777, B767, B787, B747, A330, A380.
Buy a seat "Up front" , Business Class, or 1st. Get a Middle section seat (up front) or on the Aisle so you are not next to the window. Up Front, will give you more room, you wont feel as claustrophobia with people all around you.
Stick to Name Brand Airlines, United, Delta, American, BritishAir, etc. (where in Europe are you going?) Do it Non/Stop from a gateway city in the US, to the city you want to go to if you can.)
Spring and late Fall are the best weather wise across the North Atlantic,
If flying to Europe try to get a fly on a A330, 777, vs a 767 as those are slightly newer, but they are get maintained the same, since airlines would be bankrupt if their planes started crashing all the time.
Remember the pilot wants to live too, so they have ever reason to land as safe as possible.
What do you mean domestic? Within the US I don't fly at all.
When I must get to Europe, where I am from (Eastern E), I obviously MUST fly. Not sure what would qualify as "domestic" in this situation.
Pilots want to live too? Hmmm...apparently MOST of the times, but not ALL of the times.
If I fly non-western carriers, they feel generally incompetent and imprecise to me.
Sloppier in approach, poor maintenance, etc. I do not fly the airline in my own home country because I don't trust their half-as*ed approach to work and their fatalistic, non-controlling approach to life.
This attitude may be healthy to have, in general, but not when it comes to flying. Once they left some big box on the runaway simply out of negligence and some airplane tripped on it or ran off the runaway almost causing a disaster.
If I fly Western carriers, I fear either the danger of terrorism or the danger of the western propensity to insanity, misanthropy, self-absorption or just plain going off the deep end on one's own. Extreme consequences of extreme individualism - aka "I really don't give a F".
I feel like I cannot win, no matter what I do.
As for aircraft, I have a fixation/bias against Airbus - which I don't fly.
I may be wrong - but this aircraft has had way too many incidents for my taste.
I will look for a Boeing 777 or 767.
Airlines bankrupt?
Their planes ARE crashing often enough to warrant bankruptcy and they're nowhere close to such a thing. If only.
They strangled the railways, completely destroyed this absolutely wonderful mode of transportation and they de-incentivized efforts that might have gone into expanding travel options on the sea.
I just came back from a trip to New Orleans by Amtrack - 10 hours one way, 10 hours back. A dream.
Relaxing, zero stress with check-in and getting off, really nice food, better than most regular restaurants - just perfect. Only very unsuited for our 10,000 miles an hour lifestyle and expectations.
The problem is not with the train, but with the way modern people expect to live.
I adore railways and hate airlines with a passion.
To me, building a railway bridge over the ocean would be right up there, below finding the cure for cancer (ALL cancers).
Back in the 1960's Eastern Airlines had a new flier deal for $10. That got us a takeoff and fly around the city for 15 minutes and landing. That helped all of us. Siblings and parents.
Then we paid $40 to call and speak to a Delta pilot in Pittsburgh for one hour. We asked any questions we had and were told why it is safe to travel by air.
No we do not like the number of catastrophic crashes where planes are literally falling out of the sky in recent years. Some were pilot error such as Alaska Air. Swiss Air was a fire caused by a simple map light.
As the analysts explain on CNN the airline industry does not know what might cause the next fatal crash. They say that only the next crash for some previously unknown reason is the only way to fix the existing problems with plane structure, procedures, etc. Air France was an example of a crash that was caused by problems the industry did not know about or consider. Now they do sadly. It took a fatal crash to fix the problem.
We also have flown to Europe and Asia. We sit by the window because we'd like to see what is happening. If the ground is on the way to our heads we want to see it coming. So we noticed the wings flapping in the wind and wondered what force could crack a wing. We learned that Boeing takes a wing and applies as much force as it takes to bend it and they use that to make them nearly impossible to break unless there is an explosion or crash. And the wings go through the cabin so it is not a wing on each side it's one straight through and a failure of a wing would likely be unprecedented.
But like they say, there are safety issues right now and the industry does not know what they are so they can not fix them and only a fatal crash caused by these unknown issues will let them know what is currently wrong with all planes.
Take the Aloha landing. That was a industry changing event. That incident told the airline industry things they never knew and such an incident may never occur again and it has not so far.
Get you doctor to give you a sleeping pill. Take it at takeoff and when you wake up you'll be on the ground and the flight will be over. We sleep on all flights.
What do you mean domestic? Within the US I don't fly at all.
When I must get to Europe, where I am from (Eastern E), I obviously MUST fly. Not sure what would qualify as "domestic" in this situation.
Pilots want to live too? Hmmm...apparently MOST of the times, but not ALL of the times.
If I fly non-western carriers, they feel generally incompetent and imprecise to me.
Sloppier in approach, poor maintenance, etc. I do not fly the airline in my own home country because I don't trust their half-as*ed approach to work and their fatalistic, non-controlling approach to life.
This attitude may be healthy to have, in general, but not when it comes to flying. Once they left some big box on the runaway simply out of negligence and some airplane tripped on it or ran off the runaway almost causing a disaster.
If I fly Western carriers, I fear either the danger of terrorism or the danger of the western propensity to insanity, misanthropy, self-absorption or just plain going off the deep end on one's own. Extreme consequences of extreme individualism - aka "I really don't give a F".
I feel like I cannot win, no matter what I do.
As for aircraft, I have a fixation/bias against Airbus - which I don't fly.
I may be wrong - but this aircraft has had way too many incidents for my taste.
I will look for a Boeing 777 or 767.
Airlines bankrupt?
Their planes ARE crashing often enough to warrant bankruptcy and they're nowhere close to such a thing. If only.
They strangled the railways, completely destroyed this absolutely wonderful mode of transportation and they de-incentivized efforts that might have gone into expanding travel options on the sea.
I just came back from a trip to New Orleans by Amtrack - 10 hours one way, 10 hours back. A dream.
Relaxing, zero stress with check-in and getting off, really nice food, better than most regular restaurants - just perfect. Only very unsuited for our 10,000 miles an hour lifestyle and expectations.
The problem is not with the train, but with the way modern people expect to live.
I adore railways and hate airlines with a passion.
To me, building a railway bridge over the ocean would be right up there, below finding the cure for cancer (ALL cancers).
-Outside of Germanwings pilot and the 1-every 20 yrs Islamist suicide pilot, the statement is true.
-Delta, United, and American is the best bets to a long haul trip.
-As for rail, the government in this country abandoned that long ago in favor or air travel as to why the US rail system is so out of date.
But i think just about everyone who flies has a very minor thought in the back of their heads of what if the plane crashed. I look at it like this plane has flown this route every single day without issue, so the day im flying on it will be like every other day.
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