Don't Want To Go
Page 3.
Discuss Don't Want To Go, on the Open Discussion forum of FrequentFlyer.com.au, the home of frequent flyers.
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I live in the USA. After the events of late 2001, I'd really decided to become a confirmed ground-lover. I'd flown before (pretty frequently), but after that, was in no hurry to get in the air again. I'd taken overnight trains multiple times to get to places around the country, as needed. I was investigating cruise vacations, etc.
Of course, life intervened, and my employer offered me the opportunity to go represent it in some overseas talks in Europe. A boat's not a good option from the West Coast of the US, when there's only 5 days of notice before the meetings.
Faced with turning down a plum business assignment AND free trip to Europe (which eventually added on a few days and a several-day stop in London before it was over!), I did what most air-travel-fearing folks would do under the circumstances: I determined I would just COPE with it, based on the fact that I'd flown before and always got where I was going, and I'd just have to mind-over-matter this one. I said yes, and stayed silent about my concerns.
In the SAS lounge on the day of departure, I finally could stand it no longer. On wifi, I emailed the mentor at work who'd help set this up and noted that I was actually quite scared to pieces, but was doing this anyway, because it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
And since then, I've been to Australia four times, down to California a few times on business, and over to the Midwest USA to visit relatives. These are all things I probably never would have even CONSIDERED doing, if I hadn't gotten on that plane to Europe.
As far as mishaps go, I urge you to find my post from earlier today about "incident"-related fun with Virgin Blue. An emergency landing, an odd landing on an unknown runway at Brisbane, multiple planes with mechanical issues, etc., all in the space of a couple weeks -- on Virgin Blue, not Qantas. I agree with those who are saying that it's not that these things are HAPPENING more frequently today, but that they're being REPORTED more frequently.
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The talk of 2001 has reminded me of an article I read in New Scientist only last week. This is a Science magazine and the piece was about the psychology of risk preception.
But there were a couple of interesting items in the article. The first involved an experiment where insurance was offered at the airport. The expensive policy covered terrorism related accidents and the cheap policy covered all accidents (including terrorism). Due to the media coverage at the time most people opted for the more expensive terrorism only policy because of the fear attached to that word.
The other iteresting item was that many people opted to drive in the 12 months following September 2001. As a result there were about 1600 more people killed in road accidents, 6 times the number of people who died in the hijacked aircraft.
So the point of the article is about disconnecting your fear based preception of risk and realising the actual risk. Emotion vs logic.
The article says that there are less than 0.1 deaths per billion passenger kilometers for flying. Out of 10 billion people flying 1 km, less than 1 person will die. But there are 2.6 deaths per billion passenger kilometers for driving. The same 10 billion people driving their car 1 km, 26 people will die.
I reckon if your happy with the risk of driving then getting in a plane is no problem.
A blown tyre gets reported as news because so little else ever goes wrong. Although easier said than done, when walking down the gang plank (oops jetway) think rational not emotional.
A good thing is to look at the data, it's based on fact. An example being, did you know there are 9 times more train derailments in Tasmania than NSW per M km travelled, NSW has the 2nd lowest train derailments by state only beaten by Vic.
I myself don't like getting in a made made object like a plane and then having no control over the situation and I can't even see forward, but it's been tested, the crew are tested and if I want to go I need to get relax and just do it. The more you fly the more you understand how it works.
Last edited by BAM1748; 1st October 2008 at 04:09 PM.
Thanks for your messages... it really does help, although the statistics are only important if your not one of the unlucky ones, but I know the chances are unlikely Heleno - It would have been especially scary just after 911 and I can certainly understand the fear of flying after such an event but luckily you were offered a fantastic job opportunity and you overcame your fear and are able to enjoy the whole experience. Are you an Aussie Living in the US?
It's not even the fear of Dying so much, its more the fear and terror of anything going wrong while I'm in mid air, OH; that thought just sends chills down my spine, even if we landed safely I'd probably die of fright
Well... it's only 3 weeks today until I fly to QLD, I leave from Perth on the 23rd. I'm even having dreams about flying and everywhere I look there seems to be an article or news report about some flying disaster or problem, but it's probably just that I have heightened sense of anything to do with aviation at the moment.
Thanks again for your help, it certainly makes me feel better to read all of the replies here and know that its just my perception that makes it scary ... I will let you know how it goes.
Do I even need to say it ??? It's taken me a while to get around to it but QANTAS AGAIN ! I don't think I'll be going. There must be something seriously wrong with them. So many things keep going wrong.
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Do I even need to say it ??? It's taken me a while to get around to it but QANTAS AGAIN ! I don't think I'll be going. There must be something seriously wrong with them. So many things keep going wrong.
You will be fine, even with the over-reporting of Qantas incidents they are a very very safe airline to fly.
You have more chance of hurting yourself or having a deadly accident at home, haven't got the numbers in front of me, but lots of deaths from falling off ladders etc etc.
The Aviation Herald was posted above and gives a great insight to all the "mishaps" that occur around the world each day. Please do not read this list and allow it to make you even more scared.
The number of road deaths in Australia each is much higher than the number of people killed around the world in aircraft accidents.
In 2007 - 900 people died in aircraft accidents in the whole world, while around 1600 people died on Australian road.
In fact 40,000 people die each year on the road in the USA. Driving there scares me many many more times than flying on any Australian airline.
Now by saying all this, it can make some people want to live in a bubble! But life is lived by getting out there and enjoying it. People drive, people fly!
I was lucky enough, along with a bunch of other people, to tour the Air New Zealand Engineering Base at Christchurch a few weeks ago, and the senior engineer conducting the tour emphasised several times that aircraft build and design is firstly about safety, secondly about safety and thirdly about safety. There are others on this board better qualified to comment but from what he said, it sounds like there are backup systems for all the important things, and then backups for the backups!
In fact 40,000 people die each year on the road in the USA. Driving there scares me many many more times than flying on any Australian airline.
Now by saying all this, it can make some people want to live in a bubble! But life is lived by getting out there and enjoying it. People drive, people fly!
Again don't stress and go and enjoy your break !
I wouldn't dare driving in Manila, Philippines and a few other asian cities!
Heleno - It would have been especially scary just after 911 and I can certainly understand the fear of flying after such an event but luckily you were offered a fantastic job opportunity and you overcame your fear and are able to enjoy the whole experience. Are you an Aussie Living in the US? 
So many things keep going wrong.
and a few other asian cities!
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