32 years old, never flown before, and finally trying to overcome my fear to visit Los Angeles
Hi everyone,
I’m 32 years old and I’ve never been on a plane.
The funny thing is that I didn’t grow up in a family that was afraid of flying. My parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle, and other relatives have all flown many times, including when I was a child. Whenever my family traveled by plane, I was usually the one who stayed behind because I was too afraid to go.
For most of my life, my fear was mainly about the possibility of a plane crash. As I’ve gotten older, however, I’ve learned a lot more about aviation and statistics. Today, I fully understand that flying is one of the safest forms of transportation and that the drive to the airport is statistically more dangerous than the flight itself.
Ironically, my fear is no longer really about crashing.
My biggest fear now is the feeling of being trapped in a metal tube thousands of feet above the ground and discovering that I simply can’t handle flying. I’m worried that I might feel sick, become nauseous, or panic because I can’t just get off the plane.
For some context: I don’t get motion sickness in cars, trains, or buses. I can read in a moving car without any issues, and I’ve even done a 20-hour bus trip sitting backwards without feeling sick. Yet I still worry that flying might be completely different.
The reason I’m posting here is that I’ve finally decided that I want to fulfill a lifelong dream: visiting Los Angeles. It’s a place I’ve wanted to see for years, and I don’t want fear to keep me from experiencing it any longer.
So I’d love to hear from people who have felt similarly:
What does takeoff actually feel like?
What does landing feel like?
Has anyone here ever felt nauseous during takeoff, landing, or the flight itself?
If so, what did it feel like and how did you deal with it?
I’d really appreciate any honest experiences or advice.
Thank you!