Saturday BA flight to Ibiza

[Caro]

Hi everyone,

Well am off again...this time a tiny bit further than Amsterdam....gulp....ok ok not that much further...am very glad I did those test flights earlier this year but I wish I didn't still feel so terrified with that sinking feeling of doom....I get so annoyed with myself. I just want it to go away but I guess that's a tad unrealistic :( It doesn't help that the news is full of stories about some plane crash recently....I haven't read anything I have been very good although my imagination is doing overtime as usual. Instead, I have been reading all the stories on here and am much calmer. I know I can do this but it feels very daunting! Am very nervous and its only Monday....eeek :)

 

[Caro]

Well I did it again guys.....I managed both flights and am pretty proud! I managed to get my head around the flying, stayed very in control and calm, was rational about all the noises and turbulence but....the really upsetting thing is that on my return flight I had a very nasty experience with the cabin crew on the BA cityflyer. I tried to tell them how I felt and they were cold totally unhelpful even rude and completely threw me, it was so unnecessary. Luckily other passengers thought the same and were disgusted by their behaviour so it really did take all my strength not to get off that aeroplane. I didn't and I persevered but I will be writing to complain as will a few of the others who weren't even scared of flying. Am very disappointed but it just shows that maybe I am stronger than I thought, even though I sobbed and cried I made it back.
Thanks to you all on here for being such a support :)

[Captain Keith]

Well done Caro

You're getting better each flight!

I'd certainly write to BA about your treatment.

Keith

[Caro]

I am getting better, you are right Keith!!
And just to be clear, all my other flights with BA have had the loveliest crew ever and I have always written to praise them. This is definitely a one off.
Thanks again Keith and co :)

[Jim]

Hi Caro,
Great news. I was confident you'd do it. Where to next?
Congratulations
Jim

[Caro]

Hmmmmm...good point Jim where next!? I think I will stick with short journeys for now :)

[Jim]

Every journey I do gives me more confidence, I'm on a high at the moment after my recent trips to Portugal and Austria this year. 

I've just booked a week in Dubrovnik, Croatia for mid September. Flying from Birmingham. I'm excited about it and not too worried, in fact not at all worried about the flights at the moment.

[Caro]

Fantastic news Jim, keep up the amazing work and keep giving us all your handy tips along the way :)

[carly]

well done Caro!!  On my return night flight from Oz to UK with BA i lept out of my seat in fear during turbulence and sat witht he crew for an hour, they were wonderful, laughing joking and helping me understand so dont despair on that part :-)

[Caro]

Carly so sorry only just saw your comments!! how totally fab, what a charming crew you had well done you. I wrote to BA actually about my treatment on the last flight and they apologised and gave me a discount for my next flight....haha no rest fot the wicked, that means I will have to fly again!!! I am actually looking to book at the moment and it might be easyjet and am trying to stay ad relaxed as possible....am determined to change my usual habits!

Keep flying Carly go for it!
 
carly said:

well done Caro!!  On my return night flight from Oz to UK with BA i lept out of my seat in fear during turbulence and sat witht he crew for an hour, they were wonderful, laughing joking and helping me understand so dont despair on that part :-)

[Debs]

Hi Caro,

Have a nice trip! 

I'm the same as you, I get really annoyed with myself for worrying, I know it will all be fine but I can't stop these feelings, I suppose like Keith said - it's a habit (that is my issue ...habits are hard to break!).

You will be fine though - I just came back from a flight to Raro, and I was terrified while everyone else was looking forward to their holiday. I'm better now in the sense that I only worry the night before. 

Lately I have been thinking that when I worry - nothing bad happens. But then I would worry when I wasn't worried (it's a vicious cycle!). So my husband helped by saying, nothing will happen regardless if you worry or not. If you let yourself relax and enjoy the views and think about what you will be doing, you will still get there. If you sit on the plane and worry the whole time, you will still get there. It's just that relaxing option is more enjoyable!

It worked a bit for me, so maybe think of it like that? I know it's easier said then done, but why not give it a go?

Regardless, you will be fine, you will get there and back fine. Have a nice trip!

Debs

PS - ha! Imagine looking out the window and actually seeing a duck chilling on the wing! Cute!

[Captain Keith]

May I add that nothing in my career or training ever indicated that the flight was safer if the passengers were worrying. Certainly wasn't on any of the checklists I used.

I understand of course ... the claim is that "nothing happened when I worried."  To test this theory you have to see what happens when you don't worry. But that's tempting fate isn't it?

As Hamlet said, "There's nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

Maybe the best course of action would be to fly with a crew who worry about the safety of their flight and then you'll be even safer. 

I think flying is unaffected by the amount of worry on board! 

Keith

[Caro]

What a perfect quote, thanks Keith and very true too. I will do my best. And Debs, sounds like you are doing so well, think we both are really but I just get frustrated too.....I am determined though :) hehe  I did get quite disheartened though when someone said to me "I don't know why you bother flying as you never get any better about it...you are always a wreck before you go" EEK. I don't want to be like that so another reason to stop worrying. 

As usual talking to you all helps me so so much.....nothing else could get me up there except knowing that while I am flying maybe some of you are up there too feeling the same and that makes me feel less mad and much stronger....oh and my duck picture helps too lol

Thanks guys!
 
Captain Keith said:

May I add that nothing in my career or training ever indicated that the flight was safer if the passengers were worrying. Certainly wasn't on any of the checklists I used.

I understand of course ... the claim is that "nothing happened when I worried."  To test this theory you have to see what happens when you don't worry. But that's tempting fate isn't it?

As Hamlet said, "There's nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

Maybe the best course of action would be to fly with a crew who worry about the safety of their flight and then you'll be even safer. 

I think flying is unaffected by the amount of worry on board! 

Keith