I’m the opposite. I figure the safest time to fly is when all the problems are foremost in everyone’s mind. Not worried/haven’t checked if I’m flying one today.
I know very well that airliners are safe, and I'm aware just how much work goes every day to ensure they stay safe. And yet, every time I'm flying, I have this uncontrollable thought, "maybe this is the day we all crash and die". I always get a little anxious during takeoff and landing, I listen to all the noises and worry about them. "This doesn't make sense, the plane didn't usually make that sound". "Oh shit, the lights blinked, wiring must be damaged." Stuff like that. It usually takes me few minutes after liftoff to get those thoughts out of my head.
A belief that me flying would be safe(ish.) Mostly, I'm worried about fucking up in mid air and killing people. I don't know what the safety margins are for recovering from f-ups, so I don't do it.
I have found the same mindset to be comforting for me on planes. I am able to let go of control, because to be honest, I wouldn't be able to stop the plane from crashing even if there was a real danger.
Better not to worry about something I have no chance of controlling.
Very scary indeed. I think for the first time in my life I will be a little on edge flying in the US. You always hear that flying is the safest mode of public transport--well, if this is the state of the ATC, we're definitely in trouble. And you know there won't be any real change until hundreds of people die needlessly...I just hope it won't be my flight.
But I don't see how the planes are any less safe than they were months ago.
If anything they are safer now that the issues are being fixed.
So if they aren't any less safe now, and I was willing to fly in one then, then logically I should be willing to fly in one now. That's how it seems to me at least.
Maybe a better way to state my position is that, while it is currently the safest time to fly, I expect regression to the mean for airline safety over the next several decades. To such a degree that the increase in fatality risk is going to go up not down
The scary thing I take away from this, is that I'm now interested to know what plane I'm going to get on.
For my entire life I'd thought (rightly) that "aircraft are the safest mode of travel" - this issue has for the first time ever made me realize that aircraft safety is not an absolute. People making planes put up with all the same crap I do at work.
Some people live in a scary world. I would think it's quite stupid to be worried about this when the worst that could happen is missing a flight, which would not happen anyway if you pay attention to your surroundings.
I'd rather prevent the bad thing from happening than react to it when it does though. Much less effort.
If I fly I assume the pilots don't want to lose their high paying jobs and/or their lives. Min wage can be swapped out for min wage without much of a life disruption.
Also if a flight goes wrong chances are I won't be intact enough to care about the repercussions.
Unfortunately too I've only been on a plane twice in my life, bad example haha (In fairness that's not fear based, just never really been able to afford holidays)
I liken it to people who are afraid to fly because “it’s dangerous”. Have issues with flights happened? Yes. Is it still drastically safer than the alternatives (driving)? Yes.
I agree. Personally, I would happily fly on a 737 MAX, flying is something that never caused me stress, and objectively the risks of injury or death are extremely low. I was once on a plane that caught fire over the Atlantic (!), but it was contained and we landed perfectly safely.
However, I do get stressed out by other things, which are objectively speaking not so bad, and which don't bother much other people. That's human nature, that you will be afraid of some things and not others.
OP, if you were already taking psych meds to alleviate your panic, then in your shoes I would probably find a routing with a different aircraft. Whether or not your fears are "rational", they are real, and it is certainly rational and reasonable to look out for your own mental health.
It may be rational to try to minimise your use of the Max, particularly if you fly frequently (though not convinced myself). But I think it is irrational to refuse to board the plane on the rare events when there is a last minute change of plane.
Even before the fixes, the accident rate relative to the flight hours was extremely low. Unacceptably high for the crew flying these all year long, but not something worth worrying about for an occasional flyer. Worrying about it after the fix is worrying about “winning the jackpot at the national lottery” level of low probabilities. There are many other things you will do during that day that carry orders of magnitude more risk to hurt or kill you.
No I will do my best not to. Too many incidents and yes aviation in general is safe but lost trust in 737 MAX. I would rather cancel a flight last min and be stranded at an airport than get on one knowing I am on one. Frightening thought.
reply