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I used to be that person—someone who nervously searched the internet the night before a flight, typing in questions like “How safe is flying?” or worse, which airline has the most crashes. It’s funny now, but back then, I would go into full research mode as if I was preparing for an exam that could save my life.

The anxiety would start about two days before takeoff. My mind would spiral into every possible “what if” scenario: turbulence, engine failure, mid-air collisions—you name it. I even had a habit of checking the age of the aircraft I’d be flying on. And yes, I knew how to do that.

But something changed for me a few years ago, and it wasn’t just the number of flights I took. It was a shift in mindset that came from one of the most unexpectedly calming experiences I had—while sitting at a small airport café.

☕ A Coffee and a Conversation

It was in Vancouver, and I had just checked in for a domestic flight. I had about an hour to kill before boarding, so I grabbed a coffee and found a quiet corner. An older gentleman was sitting at the table next to me, and we started chatting casually about travel.

He turned out to be a retired commercial pilot with over 30 years of experience. When I half-joked about my fear of flying, he smiled and said something I’ll never forget:

“You’re more likely to be injured driving to the airport than flying from it.”

That single sentence hit me hard—not because I hadn’t heard it before, but because it was coming from someone who had actually lived that reality, day in and day out.

✈️ Real Data vs Internet Panic

After that trip, I made it a point to understand aviation safety from a more balanced perspective. I learned that while certain airlines may have had incidents in the past, flying today is statistically one of the safest modes of travel.

Airlines are strictly regulated, pilots are trained to deal with nearly every emergency scenario imaginable, and modern aircraft are built to withstand conditions far beyond what most of us could imagine.

More importantly, I realized that obsessively Googling crash records wasn’t protecting me—it was feeding my fear. It’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole of terrifying headlines and old stories, but those don’t reflect the day-to-day reality of modern aviation.

📈 A Different Kind of Checklist

These days, I prepare for a flight in a much healthier way. Here’s my personal pre-flight checklist now:

• Download a good playlist or podcast

• Pack a small travel pillow and hand sanitizer

• Carry a book (no horror, only light fiction!)

• Drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine before boarding

• Practice a short breathing routine at the gate

And most importantly, I remind myself: millions of people fly every single day, and almost all of them reach safely.

🛬 The Joy of Looking Forward

Once I let go of that constant need to “research the worst,” I started enjoying the journey more. I began to look forward to the views from the window, the excitement of takeoff, and even the peaceful hum of cruising altitude.

Of course, fear doesn’t disappear overnight—but it becomes manageable when we approach it with logic, curiosity, and kindness toward ourselves.

🧳 Final Thoughts

So if you’ve ever found yourself spiraling into that dark corner of the internet, hunting for crash statistics the night before a flight, know that you’re not alone. It’s a common fear, and it’s okay to feel uneasy about flying.

But also know that flying has never been safer than it is today. You don’t need to scare yourself into believing otherwise. Instead, maybe pack your favorite snacks, download a feel-good movie, and trust that the sky isn’t such a scary place after all.

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