Flying phobia takes off

 

 

BY JORDAN CASCHERA

 

In the aftermath of a string of high prolfile aircraft accidents many first time and frequent flyers are saying their fear of flight is growing. 

Flying has become increasingly scary to some people after multiple aircraft incidents in the past year. With the disappearance and crash of two Malaysian Airlines aircrafts, a Delta AirLines flight skidding off the runway, a TransAsia Airways flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in a river and most recently the Germanwings flight crashing into the French alps and an Air Canada flight crash landing in Halifax during bad weather, many flyers are getting nervous.

 

Ryan Brown, 23, says people have a reasonable argument to be worried about getting on a plane. 

Brown said his first time on a plane was last year on a four hour flight from Toronto to Montego Bay, Jamaica. He said the fear has stopped him from flying in the past but there is a reason for it.

“In a car you are the master of your own destiny and in control of all around you. But on a plane someone you don’t even know is flying, which makes you feel out of control,” said Brown. He said phobias like his are fuelled by incidents such as the Germanwings co-pilot deliberately crashing his plane.

According to the International Air Transport Association, 80 per cent of aircraft accidents are caused by human error, a statistic that only adds to the fear. 

 

Brown said regardless of the statistics saying flying is safe, it will still be tough to fly. 

 

“Now more than ever it’s a growing fear, learning that a pilot was depressed and was told not to fly but did so anyway… it scares me,” said Brown. He said the Germanwings pilot may have been a rare case but pilots need to be held responsible. 

 

Brad Saunders, a military pilot of 25 years says planes are safe.

 

“As a pilot, everything is my responsibility when it comes to safety. It all has to be dealt with the utmost importance from dealing with the weather, to talking to the tower,” said Masse. He said the most important aspect of safety is the human factor, adding that pilot error is the leading cause of accidents.

 

“That is generally the weakest link and the most preventable when it comes to accidents or close calls,” said Masse. According to Masse the more you fly, the easier it becomes. 

 

Frequent flyer, Kris Bulley, 24, said flying shouldn’t stop people from seeing the world.

 

“If you let fears and phobias get in the way, how can you live your life?” said Bulley. He said the best part of flying is your destination and to him traveling overrides the fear of flight. 

 

“It’s our first instinct to be scared about being 35,000 feet in the air,” said Bulley. “The amount of fatalities from cars is way worse than airplanes but people don’t see this statistic in the news.”

 

According to Transport Canada, in 2010 car accidents caused 2,126 more deaths than flying.