New Here and fear of my next flight

[SangDesPoetes]

Hi, my name is Monica and actually I'm trying to overcome my fear of flying.

I live in Spain and because I am from Barcelona but I live in another city (Santiago de Compostela) I'm used to fly at least once a month to visit family and friends. This flight is usually about one hour and twenty minutes and depending on how I feel and weather conditions I can control my anxiety. Unfortunately, It's difficult for me to control myself especially during take off but I've never "lost" a flight for fear (except once that I was going to fly from Barcelona to Paris and there were small twisters even at the Barcelona airport and weather conditions were very, very bad).

I was living in Paris for several months and I went to the US twice alone, and inside the States I made Boston-SFO so I could say this is not my first flight... but...

In March I have to go to a conference in Storrs, CT. I am very, very frightened. Maybe it's just because I'm leaving my 18-month daughter in Spain, and I'm so afraid that something could happen to me... The 26th March I'm doing Santiago de Compostela -Madrid / Madrid -Boston. In fact, I'm not afraid at all of this flight. My worst fears are in the trip of the 30th. I'm doing Hartford-Chicago/ Chicago-Madrid/ Madrid -Santiago dC. I'm specially afraid of the flight Hartford-Chicago. The aircraft is an Embraer RJ140. I've never flown in a jet. I'm afraid to have bad weather or turbulence. The trip is about 2:40 minutes, and I feel it is too much time in such a tiny aircraft. I need some advice about my trip and the characteristics of this plane (or jets in general) so I can be more relaxed about it. And one more thing, I have the problem of my luggage. Since I'm doing such a long trip, I've been told that the space in this aircraft is very limited, so I'm not sure about the weight I can carry with me even if I'm traveling abroad.

Thank you by advance for your help.

[scottr0829]

Hi Monica,

I moved your message to the general discussion because that is the proper place for it.

First of all - Bienvenido a Taking Flight :welcome2:

A couple of things - I assume you are going to the University of CT since there is nothing else in Storrs. That is my alma mater and it is a beautiful campus. Hopefully you will like it. Make sure you bring some warm clothes as it is Spring and it can be cold and windy on campus - especially since it is like a wind tunnel and the wind seems to be constant there.

Second, there is nothing to fear about the Hartford to Chicago flight. I have taken that trip a couple times and it is always quicker than you realize. The size of the plane doesn't really matter either - it is just as safe as any of the bigger ones. Bradley Airport (the Hartford airport) is a great regional airport and is easy in and easy out - it is the airport I fly out of 95% of the time.

I am not sure what the rules of your airline are, but you are generally limited to two bags and each must be 50lbs or less. As far as I know, that is an almost universal rule for the airlines flying to Chicago from BDL (are you flying United? If you are, unless they have recently changed the rule recently, that is the rule.)

Feel free to post some questions about UConn and Bradley. UConn is a very nice campus and I love Bradley because it is so easy there. Just a word of caution about Bradley - the rush hours for the airport are early morning (before 9) and late afternoon. So if your flights are at either of those times, leave a little more time (plan to be there 2 hours before) to make sure you make your flight.

Oh yeah - to address your weather question - they won't fly in anything that is dangerous and the aircraft can't handle. It is all heavily regulated. Plus, the pilots are people too and want to get home to their families and friends just as much as you do. :)

Good luck and keep us updated! :thumbsup:

Scott

[SangDesPoetes]

Wow Scott, thank you very much. You're being very helpful to me, really.

I am sure that I am canalizing my worries about this trip (stress, the presentation in the conference, etc. ) in the fear of flying. And adding that I haven't been in a small jet before, and that I've had uncomfortable flights lately due to bad weather... :( Oh! I forgot to tell that I'm flying with Iberia and AA in the US.

About the trip, I just wanted to ask you if there is public transportation availble at the UConn campus to go to the airport and how much does it take to get there (aprox).

Thanks!

[scottr0829]

About the trip, I just wanted to ask you if there is public transportation availble at the UConn campus to go to the airport and how much does it take to get there (aprox).

Thanks!

Public transportation is very limited around UConn (well to get to anything outside of campus. The campus bus system is very good though).

The link for Bradley Airport is: http://www.bradleyairport.com/home/
They have transportation links here:
http://www.bradleyairport.com/Transport/

You are probably better off getting a taxi but you can try to call an airport limo service (not the limos but the buses that pick up a bunch of people).

It's tough getting around CT without a car. :) Actually, it's hard to get around America if you want to see more than a major city without a car. Our public transportation system is a joke compared to Europe.

[SangDesPoetes]

:) Actually, it's hard to get around America if you want to see more than a major city without a car. Our public transportation system is a joke compared to Europe.

:lol::lol: That's SO true. I remember like HELL my visit to L.A. due to buses and public transportation. I couldn't rent a car then and the third day the only thing we wanted was to come back home :lol: Tragic, isn't it?


My FoF is getting better with the days. I'm happy I'm flying with Iberia to the USA because I feel it is a safe airline. I can't remember any plane crash with victims with this airline. I saw in my mail that I'm flying with American Eagle. One of the things that caused me anxiety is the airline I'm traveling with. I don't like American Airlines, even if I've travelled with them a few times and everything was more or less fine. I just remember one flight JFK-Paris that before take off they told us that something in the lavatory didn't work and we took off late. It was not the delaying, it was that the whole situation was a little bit weird and when you are in a plane when you're going to spend about 8 hours everything worries you, even if it's the lavatory...

I really hope that my trip will be fine, specially that flight. Sometimes I feel fear, sometimes I'm just anxious. But I feel I'm doing better though with the days. This page and all the resources have been extremely helpful to me, specially reading things about the airlines and the aircrafts in which I'm going to travel.

And each day I try to repeat to myself "I'm not gonna die, I'm not gonna die" :rolleyes: Just to help at least avoiding panic attacks and crisis that I've suffered from a long time...

Thanks for your help!

[tusphotog]

:lol::lol: That's SO true. I remember like HELL my visit to L.A. due to buses and public transportation. I couldn't rent a car then and the third day the only thing we wanted was to come back home :lol: Tragic, isn't it?

There's public transit in LA? :D Seriously though, a friend of mine used to live in LA, she said she got on the metro near El Segundo, and there was a guy with a knife sticking out of his leg, bleeding all over the train car. She said she didn't really know what to do--since getting off the train would put her in Compton.


My FoF is getting better with the days. I'm happy I'm flying with Iberia to the USA because I feel it is a safe airline. I can't remember any plane crash with victims with this airline. I saw in my mail that I'm flying with American Eagle. One of the things that caused me anxiety is the airline I'm traveling with. I don't like American Airlines, even if I've travelled with them a few times and everything was more or less fine. I just remember one flight JFK-Paris that before take off they told us that something in the lavatory didn't work and we took off late. It was not the delaying, it was that the whole situation was a little bit weird and when you are in a plane when you're going to spend about 8 hours everything worries you, even if it's the lavatory...


I assume you're flying Eagle from JFK to BDL. It's a short flight and Eagle is a good airline.

[SangDesPoetes]

I'm flying Bradley-Chicago O'Hare... 2:30 minutes... too much for me in such a tiny jet :(

[NicwantstoFly]

you can do it! nothing bad will happen! You will be able to hold it together to make it through!


"The only control you need is that over your emotions; the pilots will do the rest just fine."- aerobat.


You can keep the way you feel under wraps to handle the smaller jet. it's just liek sitting in your chair in the living room. Go for it ! YOU CAN! ;)

[scottr0829]

I'm flying Bradley-Chicago O'Hare... 2:30 minutes... too much for me in such a tiny jet :(

That flight is made multiple times a day in jets. The fact is, it is safer and faster than if you were to drive that distance!

You will be fine. If the pilots had any qualms about anything, they will take care of it - don't forget that the pilots are people too! Think of the smaller jet as a way to be able to deal with less people boarding, getting off, using the bathroom, less germs, etc... I know it's easier said than done, but try to think about the positives of the smaller plane. :) The negatives don't make any sense since the smaller planes have just as many standards and regulations as the bigger ones - they follow the same rules. Also, if you are going to focus on the negatives, make it a positive by realizing that if there IS an emergency, since it is a smaller plane, it can land at more airports (has more options) than if you were in a much bigger plane - which has limited options, but it always near an airport that can support it anyway.