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Unclipping their wings

KIRA VERMOND

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 7:02 AM EDT 29/02/08

Kira Vermond explores the ways travellers and therapists are beating their fear of flying, a problem that can affect careers and personal relationships ...Read the full article

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  1. David Smith from Toronto, Canada writes: My career(s) have involved a fair bit of flying, both domestic and international. I have certainly had frightening moments but I don't think that I have been a classic white knuckler.

    However, in recent years, the combination of hieghtened post 9/11 security along with the total lack of service that the public has allowed air carriers to get away with because of the wondrous Internet, has made the entire process of getting there an absolute horror. Most large international airports are an ordeal to get through, especially changing flights. Being in an airport these days is reminiscent of that old (1930's) Fritz Lang film with the robotic like people marching along, one hand on the shoulder of the person in front, like lemmings heading off a cliff. Often I am surprised to find an airplane on the other side of the gate rather than a cattle car. It's a jungle out there!
  2. Jeff S from Canada writes: More of a fear of gravity maybe for me.

    I wish the pilots would talk abit more often over the PA. I need some assurance.

    I also have a very unhealthy fear of flying. I can't sleep at all the night before, my palms sweat, my chest feels constricted, i tap my feet with anxiety on the plane. I become a complete wreck.

    Flying doesn't seem to bother me until the plane hits turbulence.

    To top that off I have flown across the Atlantic 6 times in the last 3 months months and down to Africa for business.

    Oh, and it's not a mechanical ignorance. I'm a mechanical engineer, which could be the problem. I know to much for my own good.
  3. Jason Schmidt from Canada writes: How can anyone say that flying is safer than any other mode of transportation? Look at it this way, out of the thousands of car accidents every year, a small minority are fatal. Just about every single aviation accident is 100% fatal all the time. Weigh out those two factors and I am sure its on par with driving.

    If I am driving and I lose control, I can simply hit the brake, drift down into the ditch and probably survive no problem, or if I run out of gas or have a mechanical glitch, I know I will just come to a halt at the side of the road. On the plane, anything goes wrong, its a 10 minute plummet to your death. No, I would rather drive any day of the week. Maybe I won't see the world, but neither will I be terrified during the experience.
  4. Tipsy Ipsy from Canada writes: I find the stale and dry cabin air disgusting
  5. Ed Andrews from Edmonton, Canada writes: I love turbulance, it reminds me I am fllying and not sitting on a couch at home; but then I enjoy flying homebuilt airplanes also.
  6. Mister J from London ON, Canada writes: To fly I have to get really drunk, so drunk that I'll do something stupid, like get on an airplane...haha

    I see, though, that "they" don't 'recommend' it, but what else is new? I also reserve an aisle seat, just so the vast abyss isn't in my peripheral and so I can get up and stroll to the bathrooms whenever without bothering people.
  7. I love Neon from Montreal, Canada writes: Jason, you are much more likely to die driving then you are flying. You would be much more likely to die driving MTL-T.O. rather then flying it.

    If your talking survival rate of accidents of course you have more of a chance to surviving a car accident but flying is still much safer. Also a mechanical failure doesent lead to your death as typically there is backups for everything. PLane accidents are extremely rare, whereas car accidents are quite common (even fatal ones).

    That being said, I also cannot shakeoff a slight fear of flying even though I fly almost weekly. The dry air is also uncomfortable but these are sacrifices that I am willing to make in order to advance my career and see the world. In any case, nothing a couple of vodkas cant fix.
  8. Rollie Beethoven from Canada writes: My solution to fear of flying is two scotches before boarding and one every hour for the duration of the flight - unfortunately does not apply to nondrinkers - they have to suffer!
  9. Peter Rembrandt from The Hammer, Canada writes: I'm with the drinkers in this cabin. I flew quite a bit when I worked for a major telecom company, and need a couple shots before boarding and a few during the flight. Definitely takes some of the edge off, but the anxiety is just under the surface during the whole flight. It's kinda funny, but when I fly from east to west, I am more relaxed, but flying west to east for some stupid reason, makes me more anxious....weird and nonsensical for sure. After doing some introspection, I think the only reason I am nervous is due to lack of control....in other words putting your fate into the hands of strangers. Irrational?? Yes. Because I don't feel that way on a train where it's the exact same situation.

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