You are probably excited about the place you are going, about what all you are going to do, while cosily watching a movie, or having sip of that in flight juice, and then to disrupt it all comes the dark hour of turbulence. Well bumps on flights are normal and its time we should start accepting it without the slightest fear of falling down. People no flight gets to ground zero just because of few bumps. It might be that pilot is changing altitudes, or bad weather. You have just got to sit back tight, and in case it still troubles you, here are few tips.
Book the right Seat – Book your seats to middle of plane and near to wings that ensure the smooth transition of planes in sky. It is because the wings keep airplanes balanced and are less affected by the turbulence. Sitting in back of airplane can be bumpier than normal as it is far from plane’s center of gravity. You can also choose to book your seat towards the front of the plane, as it is beyond the center of gravity of the plane the impact of turbulence is going to be minimum. Lesser bumps will give you less panic attacks, if they give you so.
Planes are built that way – The first and the foremost thing that you should keep in your mind is that airplanes can withstand turbulence. The structure, the design and the engineering of airplanes is done in a way that they can withstand turbulence. All the makers of the airplanes know that turbulence is going to happen and they keep the planes prepared for it. So trust the engineers behind the mega structure that you are seated on.
Get some knowledge about Turbulence – A good practice before boarding the plane is to know and learn about the causes of turbulence. The more informed you are the lesser will be the chances that it is going to scare you. Majorly turbulence is caused by wind change and the change in atmosphere around the plane. It can happen while crossing a huge mountain below or a tall building below, any thing that causes change in the air flow. You have to understand that turbulence is because of the external factors and not because the airplane is faulty.
Take morning Flights – For Turbulence Phobiacs morning flights are best. The sky is usually clear and there are less chances of storms. Another great point to this is that the air is cooler and a lot more denser which makes it less prone to the turbulence. So before booking your flight check the schedules. Morning flights will also ensure a little less stress while checking in to flights which is good for smooth journey.
Be inspired from Cabin Crew and be calm – Idolize the flight attendants in case of any turbulence. Its weird, but we do it all the time, be it for fashion trend or whacky hairstyle. Cabin crew have always been an ideal professionals for many of us. This time you have to follow their calmness. If they can do it, why not you, just catch on their vibes. Remember it is their day to day job and if there would be any danger from turbulence why would they do a job like that.
Seat belts are the key – One thing that will keep you safe from the perils of the turbulence is the seat belts. If it is fastened then turbulence will not be able to cause you any harm. Remember that the worst turbulence can do is some injuries because of the bumps. So keep an eye on the seat belt sign light and turn it on as soon as it turns on. If you are too scared of turbulence then keep your seat belts on all the time during the flight.
The impact is smaller than you think – You will probably not have a seismometer on plane to record the intensity of the turbulence, and freak out even more if it is high. But you will always have a glass of juice or a bottle of water kept around. Watch its movement. How slowly it ripples. Its then you will realize that you make worse out of a little bump. If the turbulence can do no harm to the water bottle, then you too are safe.
Kill the anticipation – I assert especially on this one. Do not ruin your entire journey expecting every moment when the turbulence will hit. Yeah some people might have extreme fear. The anticipation of such a fear will make it worse. It will cause you stress and anxiety which will heighten when turbulence will hit. So its better to ask the captain or flight attendant before taking the seat. They have intel on the weathers.
Safety protocols are there to follow – Remember to follow the safety protocols when turbulence hits. This is the best practice that you can follow. All airlines have videos about it, do watch them. Chances are that you will feel good about your own safety. Remember that the makers of the airplanes and the operators of the airplanes know the best how to deal with a turbulence. Plus while following the protocols you will keep yourself engaged.
Pick the right flight route – Another great hack is to chose your flight route more deliberately. If you are really very scared of the turbulence then chose a flight route that experiences lesser turbulence. Flying over the equator and over large plains of lands, or large areas of water will cause lesser turbulence. Same way flying over a cloudy country will cause higher chances of turbulence. So choose wisely.
Share your fears and let them out – Sharing your fear will lessen the intensity of it, and it is the best therapy that you can practice. There is no shame in sharing if you are afraid of something as silly as turbulence. You can always tell the flight attendant at time of boarding, or your co passenger at time of sitting. They will for sure calm you when it hits, or least talk you out from the thought of it. A little human help is always good.
There is always a mobile application for it – In the times we live our mobile phones are full of applications, or say helpful applications. Download some application from the app store or the apple store that providers forecast about the turbulence on your flight route. Most of these applications are going to be free and will cost you nothing but a peace of mind. If there do is some turbulence coming up then least you will be prepared.
Choose a bigger plane for less turbulence – When booking your flight choose the bigger plane. Like an Airbus over Boeing. It is now a proven fact that bigger planes are better in coping with turbulence, so you can trust on this, and be prepared in advance. The bigger the plane the better it will handle the turbulence, by absorbing it. Also the bigger planes fly at higher altitudes, when means smoother air and less chances of Turbulence.
Turbulence is like car bumps – Think logically and be calm. Bumps on planes are like car bumps, with no big deal. You have experienced them thousands of time before boarding into that flight. If there are bumps while riding car, then there can be bumps while travelling in a plane too. Think like that. Remember have you ever suffered an injury through car bumps. Probably not, and it is exactly what’s going to happen on the plane too.
Meditation can help – Meditation is now scientifically proven to bring peace and calm to people. Remember there is no place perfect for meditating, and you can do it anywhere. So why not during your air travel. Yes all you need to do is close your eyes and meditate. It will calm you down and make you prepared for any kind of disturbances. When turbulence will hit that chances are that it will not catch up with your nerves.
Deep breaths can help – Another great practice is to take deep breaths. It is scientifically proven that deep breaths allow you to take in larger amount of oxygen that reduces the anxiety or stress and it also helps to calm your nerves. At the time when turbulence hit and you are loosing your calm, then just relax your body and take a deep breath. It will certainly help you overcome the situation of turbulence.
Keep yourself engaged – The best practice is to keep yourself engrossed in entertainment or busy with offline mails or a book. It will act as a distraction from the operations of the flight and will keep you focused on something different. The more attention you are going to pay towards your book or the in flight movie, the lesser you will think about the plane. When turbulence will hit, by the time it gets your attention, it will be over.
Flight announcements are vital – Always pay attention to the announcements during the flight. It is not just some words that the cabin crew or the pilot says but it is a communication between you and the airplane staff. Whenever turbulence will hit or is about to hit, the pilot is sure going to make an announcement. In that moment you got to trust the pilot of your plane. He knows it is coming and there is nothing to worry about it. Trust on the communication conveyed by him and you are going to feel better.
Drink lots of water – Keeping yourself hydrated is a great move to deal with all plane issues, because of the dry air it has. Hydration will keep your nerves calm when the turbulence hits. It also keeps a control over nausea. In fact drink lots of water during flights. Also stay away from alcohol or coffee, it hinders the process of hydration and can cause double uneasiness during turbulence by aggravating your nausea.
Be seated and move less – Try to keep yourself seated, because if you are moving around constantly and the turbulence hit the chances are that you can probably endure some injuries. The most common reasons for moving around the plane could be to use the bathroom, to have a quick chat with the cabin crew, to let yourself loose after sitting for long hours, or to quickly catching up with a friend in the same flight. Avoid them all.
Let the Adrenalin help – Feel the rush of Adrenalin. It will make you feel good about your condition and you will probably be not at mercy of the airplane. Your body already has all the coping mechanism built inside that you might not have realized before. Just focus on your body parts, by tensing and relaxing them. You can start from toes and reaching to other body parts. You will bring this rush to battle the turbulence.
Keep feet afloat – Another means of reducing the vibrations caused by Turbulence is to stay your feet afloat when the turbulence hits. Yes it might sound silly and childish but it helps a lot. Keeping your feet in air will keep your body a bit away from tremble. While doing so try to relax your body, because the more tense your body is going to be, the more rigid it will become and more prone to injuries.
