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 teenadie |
Denver,of course |
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Posts: 22 (12/22/08 06:58:35) |
I have a flight scheduled in January with Continental. Because of the accident, I would like to cancel my reservation and get a full refund without any
penalty. Do you think this will be possible?
I have emailed them, but have not gotten a response yet. |
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FormerFOF |
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Posts: 11 (12/22/08 07:33:00) |
Assuming you bought a non-refundable ticket, I would highly doubt it. ...but there really isn't going to be more of a chance of a problem with your
future flight than with any other major carrier.
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teenadie |
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Posts: 23 (12/22/08 07:45:10) |
I don't want to go on any other carrier--I just don't want to go at all!
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OneAnt |
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Posts: 723 (12/22/08 09:28:02) |
I read about the accident in Denver (my wife and I headed from DFW to DEN in two days), shrugged and said "At least everyone got off the plane and there
were very few injuries." There was even a Continental Express jet the day before the DEN incident that plowed into a snowbank in Albany, NY. No injuries
AFAIK.
There are countless car crashes and accidents every morning and every evening that affect our daily commutes. So many, in fact, that we all look for the traffic reports to find out if we should take an alternate route. Think about that. We don't hear about them and say "Now I don't want to drive to work at all!!" We completely ignore what the accidents are and are solely worried about how it affects our drive. Now, try to think the same detached and logical way about the Continental incident in DEN when it comes to your flying. If you can't, then it's because you need help getting your brain to react differently to the fear. Contact Capt Tom, get enrolled in the SOAR course, and fly. As for your ticket, like FormerFOF said, unless you bought a fully refundable ticket, there's very little chance you'll find a sympathetic agent with the authority to refund yours. Use the ticket and take the trip. Get the help you obviously need with the SOAR course. |
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cafe |
Dealing with the unexpected | ||
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Posts: 1 (12/22/08 12:49:37) |
Hi, although 2 people in my family are pilots, I must have missed that gene
 because I am terrified of flying. My question is this: In light of
what happened in Denver, how do you get passed the fact that the unexpected can and does happen? I know that flying is generaly safe, the system is safe, and
pilots are competent, but as soon as an unexpected event like the one in Denver occurs, I start to have the same familiar feelings of anxiety and panic.
(I'm supposed to fly again in May and am already losing sleep over it.) Also, I am constantly reminding myself of all the near misses you never hear about
on the news. Near misses don't contribute to accident statistics, but they still cause a lot of distress. Captain, once you have convinced yourself that
flying is safe, how do you get rid of all the "yea, but what if...." thoughts?
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OneAnt |
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Posts: 725 (12/22/08 13:24:04) |
How do you get past the fact that the unexpected can and does happen? You just accept it. Tell me this: how do YOU get behind the wheel of a car after all the deadly crashes that happen every single day? Nothing is life is a guarantee: driving in your car, walking down the street, flying from A to B. We typically turn to necessity and statistics to help us decide which risks we're willing to take. Sometimes desire trumps everything (eg. skydiving, basejumping, etc.). However, when the statistics of flying, as astoundingly safe as they are, aren't enough to get you on that plane without dread or panic, you need help. That's where the SOAR course comes in. It will help you gain control over the fear, get beyond it, and actually enjoy flying. Take a few minutes to check out the posts of SOAR-grads who, after that first post-SOAR flight, relate their experiences of excitement (positive this time, not negative) and peace while flying.
Last Edited By: OneAnt
12/22/08 13:27:12.
Edited 1 times.
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Capt Tom Bunn MSW LCSW |
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Posts: 2465 (12/22/08 15:40:04) |
It could be genetic. Google 5HTT gene. But even if there is an genetic influence, the relationship between child and caregiver during first few months of life
is still key.
Until the infant is eight to ten months old, the part of the brain that will be used to calming does not exist. When it comes online, it has to be programmed. How? By memorizing the steps the caregiver users to provide calming. If the steps are given consistently and are good ones, the person learns to self-calm. Often the steps are not the best, or the caregiver is not consistent enough for the child to memorize it. Fast forward ten or twenty years. What do you do with uncertain? You try to take out the uncertainty by controlling the situation. Or you try to get out of the situation. But with flying, you can't get control and you can't get out, so it leaves you with the basics you learned by age two, which isn't good enough. The key is to increase the emotional strength so that uncertainty does not cause so much anxiety. We do that by using the same steps that should have been given in those first two years, but applying them specifically to flight. |
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cafe |
Thanks | ||
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Posts: 2 (12/23/08 10:02:53) |
Thanks for the info. Interesting about the 5HTT gene. That certainly could explain a lot. My father is a pilot, one brother is a pilot, one brother jumps out of planes, and I'm afraid to walk across the street. (ok, not really.) Basket-case? Yes. It does make sense that it's about having the ability to calm yourself in any situation, so that even if something does go wrong you feel like you can
handle it.
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teenadie |
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Posts: 24 (12/25/08 14:37:09) |
Just wanted to post the reply from Continental. Apparently, they are willing to work with anyone even if you don't have a refundable ticket.
Dear Ms. Kauffman Thank you for contacting Continental Airlines. Special consideration is being extended to passengers who are apprehensive about flying following the recent incident in Denver. If you decide to cancel your travel plans and request a refund, please contact a Customer Care Manager at 1-800-932-2732. We appreciate your email and hope to have the privilege of welcoming you onboard a future Continental Airlines flight. Regards, |
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OneAnt |
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Posts: 728 (12/25/08 21:53:40) |
Let me know what "special consideration" turns out to be. I'm curious how much leeway they're giving after this incident.
In the end, I think it's a bad idea to cancel your ticket because of this incident--it shouldn't scare you away from flying. Get a grip on your fear with the SOAR course. You came to this website to get help, right? So get it. Cancelling your ticket because of an incident is NOT getting help and it's, quite honestly, a waste of your time to post here if that's your decision. (On a side note, Mrs OneAnt and I saw the plane as we landed in Denver on Wednesday...only the tail is visible as the ravine is deep. We landed to the south, and I think the Continental jet had been taking off to the north.)
Last Edited By: OneAnt
12/25/08 21:56:03.
Edited 1 times.
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Note from Capt. Tom I know everyone worries about weather, but pilots really do not worry about it. We simply - instead of worrying about it - completely prepare for it. Before going to the plane, we review the weather at the destination. If it is not 100% sure to be within legal limits when we arrive at the destination, we must specify an alternate airport in our planning documents, and load on plenty of fuel for going to the destination airport, and then if need be, diverting to the alternate airport. The legal limits are conservative. Even when weather is slightly outside the legal limits, any airline pilot could still land safely. You can rely on the captain never to land when the weather is not legal, and legality limits are reached prior to safety limits. If you are still anxious, call me and we can talk it over. I'm at 877 332-7359 from 10 AM until 7 PM Eastern time. For effective help, even if you are flying in a day or two, sign up now at www.fearofflying.com/fasttrack and call me when you finish Clip 9 so I can make sure you are all set. |
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Using Weather Information If you enter your ZIP Code or City at the top of the weather presentation, it will give you weather for your area. Or, you can enter your destination ZIP Code or City.
Click on the "LOCAL RADAR" button to see whether or not there are thunder- Turbulence, though it may cause anxiety, does not mean anything is wrong. Turbulence does not mean danger. The plane can handle far more turbulence than Mother Nature can dish out. Though flying in turbulence is safe, it doesn't feel safe. And here is where the SOAR programs come in. We can help you feel as safe when you fly as you actually are. You can see these programs at www.fearofflying.com/store. |
