September 11th - Are you afraid to fly

daveg

We are booked to fly Orlando in Janurary of next year. My Question is with all the Sept 11th stuff at the moment and the maniac in Swedan who tried to hijack (?) a Ryanair flight would you be nervous about flying. Normally I wouldn't be but we are bringing my 3 year old son - that makes me nervous. Do you folks feel its as safe as ever to fly ? I know I'll be very nervous on the plane. Has anyone flew to the US since...

Beruthiel

tbh daveg, I still think there's more of a chance of you being in a car accident on the way to the airport than anything actually happening to you on the plane. I've been over to Europe on 4 different planes in the last month and the only think that was in my mind was that we would be on time for the connecting flights!

WhiteWashMan

i will be flying between Oman and UAE next thursday.

safer than flying NY to Chacago I reckon

Monty - the one and only

Im flying to Toronto on friday week, dosent bother me at all...(note - dont take that as an opertunity to spam this board, I'll still be active;))

lynchie

I've been flying Dublin->London->Dublin every week for the past couple of months and I was in the US last November. I've never had any fears since nor will I in the future. Its the same as saying im not driving today in case im in a crash.

EvilGeorge

I hoped on a ryanair flight on sept 15th last year , things were a bit chaotic around the airports but no fear as such - the chances of it happening are slim , going with ryan air again in 2 weeks , I've no problem with it in wake of recent events.

Bard

I've no intention of flying on September 11th this year. ... (I've every intention of flying about two months later though)... I'm more than a little paranoid about that particular date - but more for my friends in America than for myself.

BEAT

Well, I'll tell ya, last year i took a flight from JFK (ny) to Ireland, left on november 11th, exactley 2 months after..a few starnge things happened that day. As I was waiting for my connecting flight out of cleveland, The first time I looked up to see what time it was after being there for about an hour the time on the clock on the wall was, you guessed it, 9:11 in big red digital numbers.
at first I didnt think anything, after I put my head back down...it hit me and I went and called my cousin at the payphone. It normally wouldnt have phased me, but something else strange happened, i had a preminition that a plane was going to crash, not because of terrorists, just a disaster. Sure enough, while I am in flight, leaving from JFK, a plane crashed, leaving from JFK, come to find out I had actually passed the people waiting to get on that plane in a different terminal. It was the plane flying to the domincan republic that fell apart not long after it took off over new york.
While I was fearful of the feelings I had, I knew somehow that I would be okay. ya ya, I knew this all sounds strange, but its the honest to goodness truth, I have had things like this happen before. I didnt hear of the crash until after I got to Dublin and woke up after passing out from exhaustion.
I am taking another flight this month, sep.18th from the states back to Dublin again, I havnt had the feelings like I did before, so as far as I know, everything will be ok...I am not worried and I wouldnt change my plans anyway, I think everything happen for a reason and because it has to happen.
I truely believe that if its going to happen, it doesnt matter where you are, it will happen...plane, car, whereever, when its your time , it's your time.

bucks73

I have no problem flying at the moment but would not fly on September 11th.

Flew home from Orlando on September 22nd last year. The flight from Orlando to Atlanta was almost empty and the airport security was still a joke.

BuffyBot

I'd have no problem flying. I'd gladly fly - can't see any reason not to.

The Gopher

IMHO there is less chance of a attack on september 11th than on any other day of the year.Al Quaida loves to suprise.If there were an attack on Sept 11th people would be upset alright-but they wouldnt be totally suprised like they were on september 11th 2001.The reason they didnt attack on independance day as expected was because too many people were expecting it and it wouldnt have had the same psychological impact.IMHO there will be no big attack until everybody assumes the world is safe-when Afghanistan is finally cleared of Al Quaida,when Saddam is out of office etc etc.In 5 years time people will think that the USA defeated Al Quaida,but its rememnants could well try a final attack to dent the morale of the country.

phobos

I'm not bothered with flying at all. I agree with most that has been said so far. I have flown 4 times, (twice transcontinental), since that tragic day, but not to the States. If I had to fly to the states tomorrow morning I would go.

But after watching some of the Sept. 11th documentaries that are all over TV lately, I probably wouldnt hop on a flight to the states on the one year aniversary next week. I know it proabably sounds sad, but TBH if I was in BEAT's position in JFK, and just happened to see (9:11) on a clock. I would probably swim

I have lost count the amount of times I've flown, and I still class it as the safest form of transport, but when terrorism is thrown in the equation, it doesn't matter how you are travelling.

;-phobsos-)

Winters

There is a bigger chance of a seven arsed monkey with wings and twenty legs picking me up in a purple car then for me to have a problem with flying on September 11th.

As The Gopher said. There only gonna attack, if they even are planning to attack, once america has left its guard down then they might attack.....the only time this might be possible is when the bush Administration are busy with Iraq.

Mossy Monk

i have no problem with flying either. i'll be taking to the skies myself in 3 weeks so any fears i have will have to piss off

Kalina

I have no worries about flying at all, I'd love the oppertunity to fly somewhere nice for a holiday but it's not likely to happen anytime soon!

Lump

I'm flying back from London on 11th Sept. Are there any extra checkins?? are airlines advising to leave extra time or anything like that, I just dont want to arrive at the airport to find that I have to go through 6 million security checks because the spanner london airport police think I'm in the IRA.

If fairness, I think now if anyone stood up in a plane with a gun that every able boied person would attack him, TBH if I had a chance I would risk my life to attack them. People now that these nut jobs are going to kill everyone any way, I wouldnt mind risking my life to save everyone else, at least you'd die as a hero TBH.


Maybe thats just me.



John

phobos

Originally posted by Lump
I just dont want to arrive at the airport to find that I have to go through 6 million security checks because the spanner london airport police think I'm in the IRA.

That happened me in Heathrow on my way to Cairo. I was going to Egypt with a mate and his sisters. They were flying to Heathrow from Shannon, and me from Dublin. The plan was that we meet up in Terminal 4 (building). So I landed in Terminal 1, and had to make my way to Terminal 4 myself. On the way, I was walking down this corridor, and out pops airport police that looked like a fúcking bus conductor, and asked me every question under the sun. I told him that I was in a rush (the whole connecting flight thing), but he must have though I said, "search my carry bag". Anyway it being my first time in Heathrow airport, I was on my own, and had feck all time to get from one end of the place to the other, I didn't need this. Anyway I managed to get to Terminal 4 and meet up with everyone in record time. Have you ever tried sprinting down one of those vertical conveyor belt thingies in airports, that your supposed to just stand on. Well I did, and let me tell you that you really make time.

Moral of the story: Connecting flights and airport police, BAD. Conveyor belt thingies and sprinting, GOOD.

;-phobos-)

fisty

yeah those bastards searched my bag on the way to london last month and confiscated a scissors, took them aageeeess and i only made my plane by about a minute, last to board and had seat right behind cockpit... hate airport police, off topic but.... hate.

daveg

Thanks for the replies so far. Keep them coming as this is very interesting. Just to add I would not normally have a fear of flying it's just that we will have my 3 year old son with us.

Saruman

Look im flying out Sept 14th.. fair enough im going to Tenerife not the US but im not afraid...
I dont think it should happen again!! If anyone takes over a plain now you will probably have every one rushing them especially if all they have is knives... they will all think they will die anyway so if a few get hurt/killed but saves hundreds or thousands it will be worth it!!

lynchie

Originally posted by Lump
, I just dont want to arrive at the airport to find that I have to go through 6 million security checks because the spanner london airport police think I'm in the IRA.

They are not as bad as they used to be in London anymore. I was working over in London last year for 6 months and every second week I was pulled aside and asked to fill in a pink (anti-terrorist) form. They wanted to know absolutely everything about me. But this year they are more relaxed, been travelling back and forth for 3 months now and haven't seen one checkpoint in the airport nor have I been stopped.

In saying that now, ill probably get stopped this afternoon!!!

Saruman

I have only flown to the UK once but been by ferry a few times and in no cases was i stopped!

Trojan

I had a flight to England booked for Thursday (9/12), but had to change it cos it doesnt suit my gf. So now I'm travelling on Friday, and I'm more worried[1] about the fact that it's Friday the 13th than anything to do with terrorism

Al.

1. As in "I'm not worried at all" (not superstitous about Fri 13th - many superstitions around #13 are incorrectly based).

Thanx 4 The Fish

Have flown to and from England quite a bit recently and haven't even been asked to show ID. at the same time I have been informed that the reason the prices are more expensive than they used to be was that the extra security costs more. After walking through god knows how many checks without being stopped I almost felt like asking for my money back. As for flying on the 11th Sept, wouldn't bother me too much. There are so many flights a day that odds are stacked against any terrorist picking mine to crash into someone.

Lump

Originally posted by lynchie


They are not as bad as they used to be in London anymore.
In saying that now, ill probably get stopped this afternoon!!!

Well, I went to heathrow last year, and I was stopped 3, yes 3 times in one visit to the airport, I was searched two of those times and just asked loads of questions. TBH, english police are crap.




John

Beruthiel

Originally posted by daveg
Thanks for the replies so far. Keep them coming as this is very interesting. Just to add I would not normally have a fear of flying it's just that we will have my 3 year old son with us.

That's the funny thing about being a parent, you don't give a sh*t about yourself, but you have panic attacks about asking your kid to do the same thing!

amp

Well as long as I'm in an airplane then no, I'm not afraid to fly. In fact, I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I generally think about it every night and day. I flap my wings and fly away....

Beruthiel

Originally posted by amp
Well as long as I'm in an airplane then no, I'm not afraid to fly. In fact, I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I generally think about it every night and day. I flap my wings and fly away....

is everyone in here smoking today?? and if so... how come nobody's passed me any??? :mad:

Bard

Originally posted by amp
Well as long as I'm in an airplane then no, I'm not afraid to fly. In fact, I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I generally think about it every night and day. I flap my wings and fly away....

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird...I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It's not easy to be me

*cough*

Gordon

[PHP]Kiss me and smile for me,
Tell me that you'll wait for me,
Hold me like you'll never let me go.
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again -
Oh Babe, I hate to go.

[/PHP]

gandalf

No problems flying beyond my normal fear of take offs and landings. I flew to Boston last October 1 month after sept 11, well I got a return flight for £199IEP

Since then I been on 8 different flights with no problems etc.

I don't let terrorists decide if I fly or not.

Gandalf.

bucks73

BA certainly arent taking any risks. Following is a press release from them:

Flight Cancellations: 11 September 2002

British Airways would like to inform you that we have cancelled a small number of services on and around Wednesday 11 September 2002. We have taken this decision due to the understandable sensitivity of many passengers about flying on the anniversary of the tragic attacks in the United States.

Services to 11 destinations have been cancelled, and these include: Washington, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, San Francisco, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, Barbados and Orlando. A full list of the cancelled services is attached below.

With the exception of these cancellations, we will be operating a normal service out of Heathrow and Gatwick on 11 September. We will be operating 368 flights in total, including 27 return services to the US.
These include eight return services to New York (including Concorde) and one to Boston.

We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused by these cancellations, but hope that you will be understanding in this matter.

We would also like to take this opportunity to reassure you that safety and security are paramount to British Airways, and the bedrock of our reputation. We spend over £100 million on security each year, and over the past year we have introduced a number of new security measures, including new cockpit doors reinforced with armour plating, additional passenger and hand baggage searches prior to boarding, and the removal of sharp objects prior to boarding.



Also United and American Airlines are not operating any flights around 8am or 9am next Wednesday as a mark of respect.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

sgarapolo

I'm flying from Amsterdam to Dublin on September 11th. Coming from the States, and I was fine booking the thing, but everybody is getting so nervous... I'll be sure to be good and hashed, that should take care of any fears... See you all next week.

Firefox

Im Flying to New York on the 14th sept from shannon and i have no worries about it. i had friends that just came back and security is pritty tight. They even had to take off their shoes when going through security.

Redshift

Doesn't bother me i'd fly anytime I flew to the States last September 14th I think it was the first flight out of Ireland going to the States but had to go to Atlanta as JFK was still closed but Delta put us all up in a kick-Ass Hotel in Atlanta and flew is up to La Guardia the next day, coming in over Manhattan was sad though smoke was still billowing out of the hole in the Skyline where the Towers once stood. I was up the Towers the previous year and the view was awesome guess I won't be seeing that again:(

Asuka

Im flying to Edinburgh on Thursday (September 12th). Didnt even think about it really, it wouldnt worry me.

A

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by fisty
yeah those bastards searched my bag on the way to london last month and confiscated a scissors

Why were you trying to bring scissors on a plane?

Anyway, I've flown a couple of times since last year, and I'm heading off again in a few months to Asia.
I wouldn't think twice about flying. If people do start thinking twice about flying/safety etc. then the people behind the attacks have succeeded.

ohgratuitous

i've been to the US four times since sep. 11th and although i wouldn't be opposed to more security on some of my trips, i wasn't scared per se. i just don't want it to debilitate myself of freedom and i suppose i've got a fairly what happens, happens attitude to it all. having said that, if i had a three year old and was contemplating flying, it could well be a different story. it's very hard to say. i say go. don't let it stop you. you can't...

daveg

having said that, if i had a three year old and was contemplating flying, it could well be a different story.

exactly where I'm coming from

it's very hard to say. i say go. don't let it stop you. you can't...

No choice... tickets are booked

I wouldn't let it stop me flying... but I will be nervous... And many people seem to think there is no chance of anything happening... I'm sure the folks on the the India Maldives flight thought that too

I mean since September the 11th there has been the shoe bomb guy, the nutter in Sweden trying to board the Ryanair flight with a gun, the Maldives flight. Also did anyone see the dispatches program on CH4 last night about the Taliban networks re-grouping... I wish I hadn't...

Wolf

Chances are notthing will happen in that vein again for years or it could happen today! Every day you take a risk getting outa bed and you take a risk staying in bed.

I can uderstand with a 3 year old kid youd be worried, but at the same time just say "f**k it live life every moment you can, do all you can and died when you die" is my moto........ well..... that and "dont fall down too much it realy hurts!"

bonkey

I was in Spain last year on Sept 11th.

I had no qualms flying home a few days later, although I was grateful that Alicante->Basel is not a very popular run, so I wasnt hugely delayed in checkin. First and only time I've had handluggage specifically tagged as such too.

Since then I've been on maybe 12 other flights. It never even bothers me.

Even if the thought of terrorism bothered me, and I wasnt comforted by the simple laws of proabability when dealing with large numbers, I'd take solace in the fact that Sep 11 worked because it was so unexpected. Next time, the planes would be far more likely to be intercepted, passengers would be far more likley to riot, etc.

If it was me, I'd be more wary of something like trains and major train stations. I'm sure it would be relatively simple to hijack a goods train (or a passenger train) and simply plough it forward at top speed coming into a station. Definitely unexpected too, what with everyone worrying about airports.

Then again, I commute by train. Which is, incidentally, safer than flying when you look at the overall figures (deaths per x passengers per kilometer travelled).

Just on that....has anyone considered what the death-count has been in increased road-accidents as a result of people who drove instead of flying post 9.11 last year. Someone worked it out roughly last September and discovered that it could pretty quickly overshadow the number of direct fatalaties. Scary, huh

jc

CuLT

Heh, im just roffling that the Junior Cert kids are getting their results on Sept 11.

Kinda blows for them "Crash & Burn" and all those clichés...