Afraid of flying?

[brazilgirl]

I have been flying since I was 5 years old (first trip-Des Moines , Iowa to Denver , Colorado with my Grandma-very exciting). My first international flight was at age of 16 ( San Francisco to Sao Paulo- my year as a Rotary Exchange student!)

 

I have flown countless times since those first experiences , nationally and internationally . Now I fly with my family -my kids are seasoned international fliers at the ages of 5 , 9 and 12. I have always loved the travel ritual- passports in hand , suitcases , airports. Of course , there are lots of irritations ,but ...

 

I never used to be afraid. Then my sister was coming to visit me around 2 years ago and her plane had to make an emergency landing in Manaus (the Amazon region) because the covering of one of the engines had melted(!!!)-one of the passengers took photos and sent it to us later-terrifying. She was traveling with her 6 month old baby at the time.

 

Soon after , when on the way to the States , where my father was getting operated , there was a very frightening incident on my plane that brought one of the flght attendants to tears.

 

Since then , I have been anxious , very anxious. And today , a Air France plane leaving Brazil has completely disappeared , on the same route to Paris that I will be on in exactly 21 days with my family.

 

Intellectually , I know about how safe airplanes are , planes vs. cars etc...but I hate this fear gnawing in me. I don´t want to feel this way!!

 

Have any of you been afraid and gotten over your fear? If so , how ? Any advice?

 

I think I need to stop watching the report on the missing plane because it is making me feel worse.Thanks for listening!

 

Kim

[WNcruiser]

You just have to keep in mind how many thousands of flights depart and land safely all over the world everyday. This was an unfortunate incident today, but think what the odds are of it happening again on the same route? Practically impossible.

 

Talk to your doctor about getting a mild sedative, such as xanax to calm your nerves. (Disclaimer: I am not a doctor:)!) but I do know of many people who take it before flying and it helped them greatly.

 

My mother always says: "Never worry until you have to".

[cantwait2cruize]

I know how you feel:eek:. This is what I do when I start having irrational toughts. I wear an elestic band on my wrist, then I snap it when I start thinking too much:o. It really works.:)

[Shir Hayam]

I also fly fairly regularly and have never felt afraid. HOWEVER, today's incident with the Air France flight is making me nervous, I must confess, since we are taking Air France from Boston to Paris next week :eek:. My way of coping will be to focus on the actual safety statistics of flying (much safer than the drive to the airport). And the fact that I have to fly to the departure port if I want to get on the cruise ship :D. If that's not enough for you, WN's suggestion of a mild sedative I think is a good one.

 

Good luck!

 

Sheila

[J & G]

I have been flying since I was 5 years old (first trip-Des Moines , Iowa to Denver , Colorado with my Grandma-very exciting). My first international flight was at age of 16 ( San Francisco to Sao Paulo- my year as a Rotary Exchange student!)

 

I have flown countless times since those first experiences , nationally and internationally . Now I fly with my family -my kids are seasoned international fliers at the ages of 5 , 9 and 12. I have always loved the travel ritual- passports in hand , suitcases , airports. Of course , there are lots of irritations ,but ...

 

I never used to be afraid. Then my sister was coming to visit me around 2 years ago and her plane had to make an emergency landing in Manaus (the Amazon region) because the covering of one of the engines had melted(!!!)-one of the passengers took photos and sent it to us later-terrifying. She was traveling with her 6 month old baby at the time.

 

Soon after , when on the way to the States , where my father was getting operated , there was a very frightening incident on my plane that brought one of the flght attendants to tears.

 

Since then , I have been anxious , very anxious. And today , a Air France plane leaving Brazil has completely disappeared , on the same route to Paris that I will be on in exactly 21 days with my family.

 

Intellectually , I know about how safe airplanes are , planes vs. cars etc...but I hate this fear gnawing in me. I don´t want to feel this way!!

 

Have any of you been afraid and gotten over your fear? If so , how ? Any advice?

 

I think I need to stop watching the report on the missing plane because it is making me feel worse.Thanks for listening!

 

Kim

 

I'm so sorry that you are so frightened of flying.....I am, too. I try really hard to control it, but I have to admit that I have allowed my fear to prevent me from taking some trips that could have been really fun.

 

I agree with WNcruiser.....statistically, the odds are REALLY in your favor when you fly. Much more so than when you drive.....keep that in mind as you plan for your flight.

 

Not to sound preachy, but I happened to be on a plane with Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell (Google him...) one time a few years ago. He was just a few seats away and noticed that I seemed apprehensive. He told me to pray "Dear Lord, if this plane is not going to land safely in _____(fill in your destination), please let it not take off." He swore that, more than once, a plane that he was on did not take off after this prayer. Believe or don't.....but I say that prayer every time I fly and it has given me great comfort.

[TomTN]

DW says if the plane is going down let it be on the way home after out vacation.

She takes a xanax. I just hate to fly.

I think i recall that your husband is a MD. Sooo

[Denny01]

I was a Naval Flight Officer off Carriers for 20yrs, and fly a great deal for Business and pleasure now. Most of us at times, get a bit nervous, especially when things happen to family and friends, and when we realize we are 'close' to a potential hazzard, such as flying the same route of a recent accident as you described.

 

I do enjoy most flights, and relax. There is little we can do during flghts, and unless you swear off, we are 'stuck' with it.

 

I do take two times in flights to remain alert. During takeoff and landing. Those are the only times you could possibly have an impact if something occurs. I put everything away, stay alert and ready to move during take off and the final approach. I know how many rows an emergency exit is from me, in front and behind. I picture a bit what I'd do and so on. Some people would hate to do this and feel like it would add to their stress. For me, it gives me some level of 'control' in a situtation we have little. And makes me feel bettter that I'm doing what I can in our modern world of transportation.

 

Just a thought. You should feel a tang of concern right now. Natural. I travel with my kids and I think about how I will assist them. It helps me. Ignoring it sometimes increases our stress. Depends on each of our outlooks.

 

Enjoy the flying, but my recommendation is to just be aware of the surrondings and what you can do. Statistics is a great thing - very low probablity of anything occuring.

 

Denny

[brazilgirl]

Thank you all for the reassurance and suggestions.

 

Yes , my husband is a physician. I am very tempted to ask him to prescribe me a mild sedative , but I ´ve never taken one and am a little apprenhesive because I will be traveling with my kids and I am afraid the will need me and I´ll be "out" of it.

 

On the other hand , I don´t want to be anxious and pass that anxiety on to them (kids are such sponges). We have taken 2 international flights after my fear started and I did well.

 

But this incident today is really getting to me because turbulence/ storms aren´t supposed to really be a problem and it looks like this new plane (2005) with very experienced pilots hit a bad storm and had an electrical problem maybe because of lightning and fell out of the sky. That falling out of the sky is disturbing. A lot of the news people also expressed worry for the same reason.

 

The problem is componded by the fact that a grocery cart turned over on my foot today (tragedy averted-5 year son climbed on it while my back was turned-he jumped out of the way thankfully-but my foot didn´t)and I ám in front of the t.v when I should be at work. Darn too much information.

 

J&G -the prayer is very comforting and nice and I will add it on every flight.

 

 

I just feel so bad for all the families waiting here in Brazil and in France and not really knowing.

 

As other posters have said , we have to get on the plane and go and be aware of our surroundings (Denny-your advice is wise!).

 

 

Thanks everybody,

Kim

[momva]

I, too, have been flying since I was a baby. I am sometimes fearful of flying but, as another poster pointed out, there are many other things we do on a daily basis that are far more risky. The problem here is dread. You can't do anything about the risky activity (you are not the pilot) so your fear is increased. You have already had a number of good suggestions posted here. If your fear is debilitating, get help. Mine has never gotten that far. I do a combination of other things mentioned here. I examine my surroundings and try to be mentally and physically prepared to take whatever actions are needed. I also pray during take-off and landing.

 

One suggestion you made yourself which is very important - stop obsessing about the recent terrible news. Turn off the tv and radio and engage in other more productive activities. A daily dose of updated information is probably sufficient.

[GaryfmCol]

Thank you all for the reassurance and suggestions.

 

Yes , my husband is a physician. I am very tempted to ask him to prescribe me a mild sedative , but I ´ve never taken one and am a little apprenhesive because I will be traveling with my kids and I am afraid the will need me and I´ll be "out" of it.

 

On the other hand , I don´t want to be anxious and pass that anxiety on to them (kids are such sponges). We have taken 2 international flights after my fear started and I did well.

 

But this incident today is really getting to me because turbulence/ storms aren´t supposed to really be a problem and it looks like this new plane (2005) with very experienced pilots hit a bad storm and had an electrical problem maybe because of lightning and fell out of the sky. That falling out of the sky is disturbing. A lot of the news people also expressed worry for the same reason.

 

The problem is componded by the fact that a grocery cart turned over on my foot today (tragedy averted-5 year son climbed on it while my back was turned-he jumped out of the way thankfully-but my foot didn´t)and I ám in front of the t.v when I should be at work. Darn too much information.

 

J&G -the prayer is very comforting and nice and I will add it on every flight.

 

 

I just feel so bad for all the families waiting here in Brazil and in France and not really knowing.

 

As other posters have said , we have to get on the plane and go and be aware of our surroundings (Denny-your advice is wise!).

 

 

Thanks everybody,

Kim

 

 

Kim..

Professionally, I flew airplanes, mostly jets and, turbo-props,

for over 40 years.

I have been struck by lightning at least 6 times...once

at 43,000 ft., which is NOT supposed to even happen.

But, it did.

No lasting effects; on either me or the aircraft.

 

 

Don't be concerned with your airliner trips.

That accident is the first time that has happened since 1947

when Air France started flying that route.

 

Mostly, 99.5% of airline trips travel with no problems, or, incidents.

Just remember, the folks up front have your BEST interest in mind.

And, they are trained very well for almost anything!

[baby]

glad to hear there are others who are fearful of flying

 

The first time I flew in my life was when 9/11 happened - I flew on that Sunday and that awful event happened on tuesday after.

 

Needles to say we just wanted to be home but were on our very first cruise also. I drove home with my daughter and family and my husband flew home with the rest of the family - he still has not forgiven me after 8 years for not choosing to fly with him.

 

It really was an awful time. I still absolutely hate it but do it because we love to cruise.

 

This year I am flying one hour longer to PR instead of FLL to do a cruise on Celebrity.

 

carol

[nothriver]

I hate to fly. I too know the statistics, I know it is safer than driving, or perhaps even crossing the street, but not being able to control the situation is part of what bothers me. What has helped me most over the years, is my children. We only fly once a year, but my kids both love to fly. It is hard for me to be frightened with them when they are enjoying themselves. I do remind my teenager to count the number of rows to all the exits, to pay attention to the directions, know where the emergency lights & life vests are, etc. I'm sure I sound like a nut but a little preparation goes a long way. When I was a child, our family used to split up and take two flights, so "nuts" about airline travel is in my genes, I guess. I'm also from Iowa and I've never been able to shake the images of the Sioux City crash. But that incident is what makes me a believer that plane crashes often are survivable, so as others have mentioned, I take a few mintues to think things through. I never drink, nor would I be comfortable taking any medication. However, I think each individual should do whatever they think will make them most comfortable in the air, no reason to be truly miserable when appropriate medication is available. Lots of people use zanex and say that it really helps without the sedated feeling.

[JennAngel9]

Just a tip I've seen elsewhere around here: if you are nervous about taking Xanax (or its friends), try it BEFORE you get on the plane. Those types of medications can affect people differently, and taking it for the first time is only going to increase your overall anxiety (at least until it kicks in!). Then you can determine for yourself if you'll feel comfortable supervising kids, etc.

[rool]

Although I wasn't the worst case in the world I was a very tense flyer. I would be rigid in my seat, hands on arm rests, white knuckles, listening out for any strange noises, not wanting to speak to my family etc etc. Some flights I was just about to burst with tension and run about screaming.

 

I don't expect mine to be a typical cure but I got myself more comfortable with flying by gaining some knowledge. I first bought myself a book called Flying - No Fear. Which explained the whole function of the aircraft from pre flight checks, to take off all the way through to landing. This took a lot of the mystery away from all the weird noises and all the stuff that goes on before, during and after a flight. It's quite a small book so it enabled me to read it again a few days before flying.

 

The next step is possibly a bit weird :D. I actually got into air crash investigation in a big way. Most people would expect this to make you more nervous but I found that it helped me to know that after each disaster massive steps are taken to ensure that the same event could not happen again.

 

All this knowledge now enables me to take a few flights a year and keep control of my fears. I still get a little nervous in heavy turbulence but no where near as bad as before.

[morecruise4me]

I had been afraid to fly my entire life. My dd finally talked me into flying about 3 years ago. My doctor prescribed ativan (like xanax, but milder). Worked like a charm, don't need it anymore. I still get a little nervous during take off and landing, but I am not terrified. I have learned that no matter how I travel, I am not in control. We have driven the 12 hours to FL for years. Never had a problem. Last year we were bumped by a large car carrier tractor trailer and sent spinning at 70 mph on I-95. We landed safely in the grass, but it could have been really bad. I still get in my car every day. I know that no matter how I travel, I cannot live in constant fear of what "might" happen...driving or flying...or cruising.

[comesatime]

I too am a nervous flyer. My issue started after my kids were born - before that I never worried about anything. Over the years it has just gotten worse, and I now have a xanax rx just for flying. I am so thankful for that because it allows me to fly. I have tried to fly without it, but the racing heartbeat, sweaty hands and feet, and overwhelming anxiety is not worth it.

 

I wanted to offer my experience with xanax. I am not sleepy when I take it. (I wish I could sleep on long flights!) When I take it to fly, I feel normal. I feel alert, but not anxious. If your reaction to it is anything like mine, you will have no problem caring for your kids during a flight. I take my pill 30 minutes before takeoff is scheduled.

 

The only reason that I have skipped it for short flights is that I am not sure if I should drive within 3 hours after I have taken it. If I know that I will not be driving, or if the flight is over 5 hours, I definitely take it.

[Nonna and Papa]

I have always enjoyed flying. We've never had any real cause for alarm in any of our travels. Sure, we've had some unsettling turbulence that, when over, made us smile, say whew, and also 'Thank you'.

 

The tragic crash of Air France has made me sit up a bit though. At the end of this month, I'll be flying an Airbus 330 (same plane that went down) to Europe, by myself. I've never flown internationally without my husband or someone else that I know. My head tells me that the Air France events were a tragic yet rare occurance, but I can't help but to have some doubts. This is normal, I think, just as are the concerns you're having right now.

 

I think we have to focus on how many times we've flown and have faith that everything will be alright. To do other than that, would jeopardize health and peace of mind, and ultimately impact what should be a pleasant experience.

 

I hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

Mary

[brazilgirl]

Gary-

 

Your comments as a former pilot give a helpful "different perspective". I can´t believe you were hit by lightning 6 times! I read in the coverage of this accident (the Air France plane) that most airplanes are hit by lightning at least once a year , with no harm done . Amazing.

 

I find myself really identifying with a lot of what you all have said. Flying with my kids does help distract me. Having information and understanding aviation better can help. Some info , however , I could do without! I didn´t like learning about the intertropical convergence area with "mini-cyclones" and storm clouds which reach up to 52,000 feet ( I fly through the area a lot and will be flying in 20 days)on the route between South America and Africa , which is the route we take to Europe.

 

I don´t think my fear is debilitating , as is doesn´t prevent me from flying and when I do , I can talk and such normally. Only I know that my palms sweat at any sign of turbulence and my stomach hurts when I start the descent or take off. I used to be so calm and nothing would phase me! Those were the days.

 

I am going to try Xanax before my next and if it doesn´t make me too spacy , I´ll take one on the plane. I am so exctied about my trip , I want to have a nice flight too.

 

Mary -

Thanks for you kind words-I wish you well on your flight too. The Airbus has an excellent safety record , so we will focus on that and on Europe awaiting us. We will both have wonderful trips!

 

It seems they have found some of the wreckage. At least the families may get some answers.

 

Kim

[medfordgirl]

I know that flying is safer than driving but even knowing that does not stop my fear. I had flown many times, 3 of those times to europe. but the older I got the more terrified I got. one of the last times I flew was when my oldest was 1 month old. (he is turning 23 this year) I just couldn't fly after that. then when I remarried 6 yrs ago my DH wanted me to fly to new england to meet his friends. It took 3 xanax and 3 drinks and I was still a basket case. haven't flown since. and I so want to cruise other places than the caribbean. I am contemplating hypnosis? because logic is not working for me:o

[floridatravelersforlife]

I have over 1,000,000 miles under my belt, and I have witnessed a lot.

 

The fear generated by the Air France incident is the unknown of exactly what happened. It's a paranoia that will subside when some answers come forward.

 

In the meantime trust that the airlines and their crews are as concenrned about the incident.

[Maddog2009]

I recently retired from the Air Force and was a navigator flying all over the world and in all kinds of environments. I was nervous most flights but I enjoyed doing what I did and usually where I was going. Lots of good advice that I won't repeat.

 

One thing that always kept me going and still does is thinking of Hurricane chasers. I figure if people are intentionally flying into hurricanes than all is good.

[cavkc]

I know that flying is safer than driving but even knowing that does not stop my fear. I had flown many times, 3 of those times to europe. but the older I got the more terrified I got. one of the last times I flew was when my oldest was 1 month old. (he is turning 23 this year) I just couldn't fly after that. then when I remarried 6 yrs ago my DH wanted me to fly to new england to meet his friends. It took 3 xanax and 3 drinks and I was still a basket case. haven't flown since. and I so want to cruise other places than the caribbean. I am contemplating hypnosis? because logic is not working for me:o

 

I have been a very nervous flyer for about 20 years, since we had to make an emergency landing on the way home from the Canary Islands. Ever since, I had panic attacks as soon as we encountered even the slightest bit of turbulance. I tried Xanax, which did help, however it knocks me out, so unless I am on an 8 hour flight or more, it's not really suitable.

 

This fear also manifested itself when going through rough seas and whilst it didn't stop me cruising, it did cause me some serious unhappiness on bad sea days.

 

HOWEVER, before our last flight to NY I underwent a course of hypnotherapy. Now I was very sceptical to say the least, but I figured if it was my 'mind' causing the problem then all I needed was my mind reprogramming. I had the last session a couple of days before we left the UK and the difference was absolutely fabulous. I wouldn't say I was 100% cured on the flying, but I was 95% of the way there. It made a huge difference though to the cruise, on the last day back to NJ, we had 30ft swells and whilst I felt grotty, I had no fear whatsoever.

 

I've since had a couple more sessions to combat the flying fear and I'm confident that it will have worked.

[marcdoger]

I have been flying since I was 5 years old (first trip-Des Moines , Iowa to Denver , Colorado with my Grandma-very exciting). My first international flight was at age of 16 ( San Francisco to Sao Paulo- my year as a Rotary Exchange student!)

 

I have flown countless times since those first experiences , nationally and internationally . Now I fly with my family -my kids are seasoned international fliers at the ages of 5 , 9 and 12. I have always loved the travel ritual- passports in hand , suitcases , airports. Of course , there are lots of irritations ,but ...

 

I never used to be afraid. Then my sister was coming to visit me around 2 years ago and her plane had to make an emergency landing in Manaus (the Amazon region) because the covering of one of the engines had melted(!!!)-one of the passengers took photos and sent it to us later-terrifying. She was traveling with her 6 month old baby at the time.

 

Soon after , when on the way to the States , where my father was getting operated , there was a very frightening incident on my plane that brought one of the flght attendants to tears.

 

Since then , I have been anxious , very anxious. And today , a Air France plane leaving Brazil has completely disappeared , on the same route to Paris that I will be on in exactly 21 days with my family.

 

Intellectually , I know about how safe airplanes are , planes vs. cars etc...but I hate this fear gnawing in me. I don´t want to feel this way!!

 

Have any of you been afraid and gotten over your fear? If so , how ? Any advice?

 

I think I need to stop watching the report on the missing plane because it is making me feel worse.Thanks for listening!

 

Kim

Hi Brazilgirl,

 

I had a thought about you and your family when I saw that tragedy on TV. My wife and I will also be on the Constellation next week and, of course, when such an accident happens just a few days before having to fly, makes you feel nervous. We will fly from Mauritius (Indian Ocean) via Dubai to London (some 16 hrs something) on the 11th June.

 

Looking forward to meet people from the other side of the world.

 

Marc

[Ma Bell]

Think about how fortunate you are to be on the airplane going on vacation and that you made it to the airport without some crazy driver running into you.

[chesterh]

I received an email from a member about a post concerning me, but this one caught my eye first when I came to look. Below is a story I posted here a couple of years ago (recycling is in fashion, right?) on the topic of flying, and specifically on the miracle of Xanax (and its generic equivalents)...

 

For those who know me, the fact that I'm afraid of flying should come as no surprise – I’ve publicly admitted it on many occasions. Though I’m rational to the extreme in nearly every other aspect of life, the prospect of getting on a plane triggers a deep and powerful physical reaction that defies description or explanation. I think that my reaction is a combination of one part claustrophobia and ten parts "lack of control." When something goes "thump" or the vehicle pitches hard to one side, I’d like to know the reason. If I was driving I'd probably have a big smile on my face, but as a passenger, it's a different story altogether. The only other activity that incites any sort of adverse reaction for me is talking on the telephone, but that’s another story…

 

I flew fairly frequently over the course of 30 years or so, but suffered an increasing level of anxiety with every trip. Finally, on a business trip, I was simply unable to board a flight home from Tulsa. I took the bus back to Connecticut. One would think that suffering a two-day bus ride would cure all phobias, but when I had to fly again, I was unnerved to the point that I went to a doctor and asked for help. My doctor pulled out his prescription pad and wrote a script for Xanax. "Try this," he said, "you'll love flying."

 

My trial was a flight from Boston to San Diego, about the most challenging route that could be plotted in the lower 48. I took a pill about an hour before launch, marched with some rapidly fading trepidation to my seat, and opened a new paperback. The experience was amazing. The little pill seemed to turn off all of my anxiety circuits, and I was completely unfazed by anything and everything. Thumps, hard turns, turbulence, bad coffee - nothing fazed me during the entire eight hours. I did doze a couple of times, but mainly I read for pleasure - finishing the paperback shortly before landing. I was able to converse and function normally, but I couldn't get worked up over anything.

 

Some weeks after I got home, I picked up the book that I'd read on the flight and started reading it again. I couldn't remember the story at all, and reread the whole thing. For me (and as previously mentioned by another poster), the medication caused some amnesia, but otherwise, the experiment was an unqualified success. I certainly got my money's worth out of that one book...

 

Kris (my wife) and I just returned from a trip out west to install our son, Wells, at the University of Arizona in Tucson. In the years since my first trial of Xanax I've learned to overcome the amnesia to a degree, and I can now recall most of what happens. I vividly recall this most recent journey.

 

We made our trip west just a day before the latest terrorism scare from Great Britain, and it was uneventful. Coming home was a different story...

 

We got to the airport in Tucson for the first leg of the flight home with plenty of time to spare. Feeling a crushing anxiety build while returning the rental car, I found a drinking fountain and swallowed a magic pill. A half-hour later, we made our way to the security checkpoint. I dutifully removed my shoes and loaded them on the conveyor with my carry-on bag for x-ray, emptied my pockets of loose change and removed my belt before entering the metal detector. The machine went nutty as I passed through, and an armed guard leapt into my path. "Please step back and come through the machine again," he said, sternly.

 

The machine went nutty again and the guard shouted, "Male alert! Station 1. Male alert! Station 1." Two more armed guards rushed in my direction, took measures to ensure that I couldn't get away, and instructed me to retrieve my belongings from the x-ray machine before escorting me to an examination area.

 

One guard departed and the other one looked me over carefully. I'm sure he was looking for signs of evasiveness and nervousness, but he most assuredly found none. We'd just come in from 102 degree desert heat, but neither that nor the current situation caused me to break a sweat. It just isn't possible under the influence of Xanax. Despite the situation, I did not feel the least bit nervous - for this reason, I suggest that it would be a bad idea to take a dose of Xanax just before touring an unsavory section of a strange city late at night, alone.

 

Unable to extract a confession from me, the guard carefully scanned my being with a hand-held metal detector. It beeped every time it passed over my right pants pocket.

 

"Turn out your pockets," the guard instructed.

 

I did so, revealing that they were completely empty. The scanner still beeped, so the guard pulled the pocket fabric taught and examined it carefully. If you wear pants, you have probably noticed that lint tends to collect in the sharp corners of the pockets. When the guard carefully extracted my personal lint collection, he found, neatly cocooned within, a 1/4" piece of wrapper from a roll of Life Savers. The wrapper was lined with aluminum foil. Case solved.

 

The search didn't end there, however. Every seam in my clothing was examined, my carry-on was emptied and evaluated, and I was questioned extensively. If I were being profiled based on appearance or name, I suppose the guard could have suspected that I was with the IRA - I do look somewhat like a Leprechaun.

 

Finally satisfied that I posed no threat, the guard allowed me to get dressed and repack my bag. Completely unmoved by the whole affair, I rejoined a fretting Kris.

 

"What was that all about?" she asked.

 

"Life Savers," I answered. “No big deal…”

 

We boarded the plane, a Southwest Airlines 737, and secured some seats (for those unfamiliar, Southwest does not assign seats – it’s every man, woman and child for themselves). Southwest employees are apparently trained as comedians, and the flight attendant launched in to the funniest pre-flight speech I'd ever heard. Xanax does leave the sense of humor intact.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen, no smoking is allowed inside the aircraft at any time. However, we at Southwest are pleased to introduce our new smoking lounges - one on each side of the plane, on the wings, accessible through these doors marked "exit." The feature film in the smoking lounges today is Gone With the Wind. If there is anything we can do to make your flight with us today more enjoyable, please don't ask."

 

The first leg of the flight would take us to Las Vegas. The captain pulled away from the gate and got on the horn. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for settling your differences over the seating so quickly. Because of your efforts, we are departing ahead of schedule and we'll have you safely on the ground in the City of Lost Wages ten minutes early. We're grateful for the opportunity to take some of your money before the casinos get it. Thanks for flying Southwest."

 

We got in line on the taxiway and watched three or four planes take off before it was our turn. I was already reading my book as the engines spooled up, but looked up when I heard the whine abruptly spool down and felt the plane turn sharply to the right. A couple of minutes later we pulled up to the gate, and seconds after that, a posse of US Marshalls thundered down the center aisle toward the rear of the plane.

 

All of the passengers, including Kris but excepting me, murmured with anxious voices. I went back to my book, but Kris interrupted my concentration. "What is happening? Who are those people? What are they doing? Why did we come back to the terminal? This is really strange - aren't you worried?"

 

I shook my head and resumed reading. A commotion was heard from the back of the plane, and then the authorities hustled a passenger and his baggage down the aisle and out the door. The door closed promptly, and we were in the air before I finished a page in the book.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen," the captain said in a calm voice as the landing gear closed with a reassuring thump and the plane banked extremely hard to the left, "we apologize for the delay - we had a minor passenger issue. But you should thank Southwest Airlines, because now you'll have a little less time to lose you money in Las Vegas. It always pays to fly Southwest. We'll be flying at 19,000 feet and have just enough time for a bag of peanuts..."

 

I finished my chapter as we landed. There was enough of a lay-over to enable us to lose $5 in a slot machine (the Las Vegas airport is full of them) and to have a quick lunch. I was selected at random for a carry-on search at the boarding gate for the flight from Vegas to Manchester, NH, but Kris managed to save me a seat. I listened to other people talk, and gathered that a newlywed couple occupied the aisle seats two rows apart on the opposite side of the plane. I felt for them and considered volunteering to move and let them sit together – but then had another thought.

 

"Move over – swap seats," I said to Kris.

 

"But you don't like to be by the window," Kris said with a puzzled look - but she complied.

 

After we took off, I put my book aside, pressed my nose to the window, and stared down for the next hour as we passed directly over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, the Grand Canyon, and Lake Powell - a sight that, in spite of the medication, I will never forget. Good stuff...

 

All the best,

chesterh