Air travel..together, or separate flights?

[KimRaye]

This issue came up today when we were discussing the WDW trip for my whole immediate family in a couple years. Dad, who's paying for everything, wants to split the family and fly separately. The rest of us disagreed and felt that if we're gonna go, we'd rather go together. (Just the thought of having 1/2 of us mourning would be sooo unbearable.)

However, when my brother told me I was the beneficiary and named custodian for their estates and DD, AND, my parents said I was their beneficiary/executor as well.......Well, I got to thinking maybe I should fly separate so there's someone to manage their affairs. J/K

Seriously tho, does anyone/has anyone flown separately for this reason or something similar? Obviously my Dad has his reasons.

TIA

 

[pkasbohm]

A few years ago my whole family flew to AZ. This was an issue for us as well. We all decided agaisnt my dads better judgement that we wanted to all be on the same flight. We thought if we flew on different flights that the people left behind would never want to live without the rest of the family anyway--it would be pretty lonely! Anyway, I would say fly all together and enjoy--you can't control everything!

Pam

 

[nativetxn]

When Travis was very little, Wilgus and I took separate flights but we got past that and fly together now

 

[Octoberbride03]

I say fly together. I really don't see the point of flying separately when the odds of being killed in a plane crash aren't very high. It makes more sense to drive separately. But how many do that? Not many.

Book the same flight, arrive together, and have a good time.

 

[Beast fan]

DW and I have flown on different flights to get to SAV (Savannah, GA airport). Let me explain.
DW had a FF flight and we scheduled it out of DTW. Since DS 3.5 was under 2 at the time, he sat on her lap for free.
For DS6 and I..... the cheapest flight out of DTW was, I think, $265 per person. I found a flight out of TOL for roughly $215 per person. Including the cost of taking 2 cars and parking them at different airports (our departure times were only about 60 minutes apart), we saved about $50. Not much, but enough for me. That and the fact that, for some strange reason, I like experiencing what different airports have to offer/showcase and had never flown out of TOL before.

Would I do it again, if I could save $50 or more? Why not?

Dave

 

[Lisa F]

By that logic you might as well never have any family gathering with the entire family. What happens if you are all in a catering hall and there is a fire and everyone is killed? What happens if you are all at someone's house and there is a carbon monoxide leak and everyone dies from what they thought was turkey induced sleepiness after thanksgiving.

I guess I just never understood that whole train of thought, but if it makes everyone feel better I bet you can update your wills so that if the entire family died your "stuff" would go to the charity of your choice.

 

[Az Pirates]

One trip to WDW we had 4 family members going and took 3 seperate flights!

If you're traveling with a big group and lots of kids - might be much more peaceful to get a good book and grab your own flight.

I really wouldn't worry about it though - I'm sure if you all travel together you'll arrive safe and sound at your destination. We only traveled seperately like Beast fan did - to save money.

(Oldest DD was with her gymnastics team - don't want it to sound like I would send kids off on their own every which way just to save a few $$)

 

[CEDmom]

No, we're never done this. However, my family is scattered all over the globe so we'd never be one the same flight anyway. Even if we were close the odds of dying in a plane crash are so low, even considering 9-11, that it's not something I'd really worry to much about.

 

[powellrj]

no we always fly out together. But when we use to travel with my DH's company, his boss was always going to put us on different flights so all of his management staff didn't crash together. He never did it thank goodness. It was hard enough keeping track of everyone and we were all on the same flight.LOL

 

[Shannon G]

I wouldn't worry about booking separate flights if the concern is what if the plane crashes and the whole family dies. After all, you're far more likely to be killed in car accident than a plane crash, yet how many people ever think twice about having their whole family in one vehicle?

If the point of taking separate flights were to save money, then I'd consider it.

 

[Bob Slydell]

We've done it, more because my DW has more vacation time than I do right now, so she'll go somewhere with DS for a week or so and I'll go for a long weekend at the end of the vacation. We'll fly home together, though.

 

[CamColt]

When we have gone away as an extended family we always fly together. And even when its just our immediate family we go together.

 

[cynsaun]

Originally posted by Octoberbride03
I say fly together. I really don't see the point of flying separately when the odds of being killed in a plane crash aren't very high. It makes more sense to drive separately. But how many do that? Not many.

Book the same flight, arrive together, and have a good time.

 

[Blondie]

Strange that you should bring this up as I was discussing the same issue with my BIL over the weekend.

My opinion is if you are going to live your life wondering if you are going to die on your next walk, drive to the mall, or while you are flying to your destination, you may as well stay home and never go outside! If it's your time to go, it's your time to go whether you're with your whole family, or just one or two members.

 

[DawnCt1]

Thirteen million flights took off in the United States without incident. How many cars left their driveways with the same claim. Fly together and have fun; unless you are like our family. DH and I will be in first class and the boys will be in coach. We are in the front of the plane so we will be the "first to go".

 

[4nana]

We have had 2 flights that included our 4 children, SIL's, grands. We all voted to fly together.
It so happened they both fell on Friday 13!
Our guardian angel was with us all the way!!

Godspeed ^i^
~ Sandie

 

[CajunDixie]

Friends of ours we're going with the wife's whole family to the Bahama's and her dad insisted they fly separately. His reasoning was that they were not taking their 2 children (They stayed with my family) and if anything happened to the plane they'd have absolutely no relatives on their mom's side of the family and since the paternal grandparents were going also they'd have no grandparents at all.

 

[dmadman43]

would you be renting separate cars, too, once you arrive? The chances of being killed in an auto accident are much higher.

BTW, we did this a few years ago when we flew to Hawaii. We had also flown the kids down to grandma's. Afterwards we thought, "Well, that really wasn't all that necessary)

 

[Disney Doll]

If you're not the President and Vice-President, or the next 2 heirs to the throne of England, I'd say go together.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

No offense please, but I honestly think that you are being way to over cautious.

Your plane is not going to crash. In all likelihood it is not. I suppose freak occurences can happen but really, the chance of you being in a plane crash AND dying (people do survive crashes) are slim to none.

And this is coming from someone who is TERRIFIED of flying.

Are you nervous about flying? That is what I got from reading your post. You should check out www.fearofflying.com . It helped me out a lot.

First, the odds of your plane crashing are very slim. Second, even if your plane does crash, there is a very good chance you will survive most crashes are minor - not the big ones we hear about on the news).

Like others said, if you used this logic on everything, you and your family members would never do anything together. You'd rent different cars, you'd stay in different hotels, you would never go anywhere together. It is an irrational fear, one I used to know all too well.

I think planning to take seperate flights for the sole reason of "what if one of us dies??" is kind of morbid and silly. I understand your fears, I truly do, but I think you should all go together.

In the horrid event that something does happen, wouldn't you prefer to have your loved ones together to take stregnth from each other and comfort each other?

But that is a non issue because your flight will be fine.

Now, if you were taking seperate flights to save $$, utilize frequent flyer miles, or because you could not get a flight together, I say go for it.

But not because you are worried about one plane crashing.

Have a great trip!!!