Best Place For A Petrified Flyer to Sit on a Plane?

[famsen]

I am terrified to flying but will be flying on September. My friend told me the best place for me to sit on the plane is in front of the wings so that I won't be freaked out by seeing the wing flaps moving and shaking.
I was wondering if anyone has any other opinions of where to sit? I really don't care if I am near the exit or not because in my mind if we are going down, I probably won't make it anyway and getting to the exit quicker won't matter. That's stinking thinking, I know but like I said, I am a terrified to fly.

 

[twinklebug]

I think sitting a bit further back in the plane is better for my comfort. I'm not afraid to fly, But like sitting back further in a roller coaster, I like to see when the seats ahead of me are going before I get there To me the worst seats are any directly behind a wall or curtain. The front however is a favorite for many because it's much quieter.

Just behind the wings works well for me (around row 25 on a 737) It's also statistically one of the safest spots on the plane. Too far back and you get a lot of engine noise & the occasional bump is amplified.

Also, if your mind works logically to fight fear, seeing the wings may give you a bit of peace of mind. Only you know what helps to calm yourself.

Take an isle seat, I'm sure you'll do well.

 

[Tara]

I am terrified to flying but will be flying on September. My friend told me the best place for me to sit on the plane is in front of the wings so that I won't be freaked out by seeing the wing flaps moving and shaking.
I was wondering if anyone has any other opinions of where to sit? I really don't care if I am near the exit or not because in my mind if we are going down, I probably won't make it anyway and getting to the exit quicker won't matter. That's stinking thinking, I know but like I said, I am a terrified to fly.

How do you react in a stressful situation like that? Some who have never flown don't react well to how close together the rows and seats are and really need the mental space afforded by an aisle seat, or a bulkhead seat. (The bulkhead is a row near the front that doesn't have a row in front of it, but rather a partition.) The downside of the bulkhead is that there's no seat in front of you to put your bag under, so any carry-on has to go in the overhead bin.

Given how fearful you are, I would recommend NOT sitting in an exit row because just hearing the flight attendant instructions (which you will need to verbally confirm that you understand and are capable of and willing to perform if needed) might freak you out even more. Plus, honestly, if you are very fearful, I don't know that you're a good candidate for the exit row, anyway. (no offense!)

I'd agree that sitting closer to the front is a good idea. Good luck!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

I'd suggest sitting as close to the wing, or as closely in front of the wing, as you can. The farther from the middle of the plane you, the more movement you'll experience.

 

[tara32]

Avoid the wing (it flails around and can look like its about to break off)
Avoid the rear (its really noisy and all that engine noise and tire sreeching might be disconcerting
Take some Ativan and enjoy yourself!! Its NOT going down (prematurely)

 

[MAH4546]

The back of a plane will sway the most in moderate/heavy turbulence/chop.

 

[safetymom]

I have never seen the wing flail around. I have flown a lot. I would think being able to see that the wings and maybe the engine would help.

Please know that air travel is safer than being in your car.

 

[aubriee]

Another one here that hates to fly! I always choose an aisle seat as close as possible to the front. I hate looking up that long narrow aisle.

 

[DVCconvert]

I have never seen the wing flail around

Really?!?!????
I don't know how the PP would define "flailing" but I can't believe you've never seen a wing tip flux up and down when in some turbulences (it doesn't even have to be heavy) They are engineered to do this. I fly alot and I bet over the years I've seen this hundreds of times. It is all weather dependent.

 

[safetymom]

I have seen the wing flex. That is what it is designed to do. Flail never.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The back of a plane will sway the most in moderate/heavy turbulence/chop.

Not doubting you, but I've never noticed this - and my favorite seat is 25C on JetBlue

 

[famsen]

Thank you all so much for your input.
I think I am leaning towards getting a seat as far in front of the wings as possible. I don't want to see them sway or move at all and I definitely don't want to hear a lot of engine noises. I will take my Xanax and hug my hubby tight and hopefully will fall asleep until we land.

 

[bavaria]

Please be aware that on many airlines you will not be able to choose a seat in the aisle or far forward if you do not have status or do not pay (varies by carrier). Plan ahead for that.

I also strongly suggest reading up on flying, and aviation, and the mechanics of flight. Education is power. Understanding the sounds and movements will help you to realise that things are not malfunctioning, but are working as they should.

I had a friend die from taking a tranquilizer on a flight last year, and I strongly advocate against doing so. It may make you react in a way you do not expect.

 

[crashbb]

I have a friend who is scared of flying and purposefully sits near the engine so he can hear the noise. It freaks him out when he cannot hear the engine noised (he becomes convinced that the engine has stopped and that the plane is going to go down - no amount of discussing how the plane/engine works seems to help).

 

[mskayjay]

((((((famsen)))))) They say there is no pixie dust on the transportation board but yeah there is! you poor thing! I am sooooo with you on this. I cannot tell you what it has taken for me to get myself to walk on a plane and even now I still struggle. On my last flight to West Palm I sat with tears rolling down my face for over half of it so I understand what you are going through. I'll give you my 2 cents and some advice and then you go with what you think is best for you.

I personally have found the area near the wing to be the most comfortable. It seems like the extra structure to hold the wing keeps the plane more stable or something???? Farther back you are, you definitely feel things more and yes, you can see the wings flex as they are supposed to. If you are near the wing, you are so close that unless you are sitting up in your seat and staring at them, you can't really see what they're doing! Plus, if your fear is height related as part of mine is, you see the wing, not the ground 30K below you. Do NOT sit in an exit row. In the very slim chance that there were to be an emergency you are not the right person to be there to facilitate everyone being able to get off that plane but I believe you recognize that already.

I had the luck of sitting next to a pilot on one of my flights that was particularly bad (I have to fly to Florida several times a year to care for a family member). As we were going through bumps and such he explained to me what I was feeling and what it all meant. Turbulence is terrifying! You have no idea what is going on because you can't see it and you are not flying the plane so you can't control what is happening. He explained it as a comparison to driving down a bumpy road. It happens and is usually no big deal. The rough turbulence accidents we hear about it the media? He said "you've never hit a really bad pothole or known of someone who did? You don't expect it and bam". He really made a ton of sense and assured me that the planes are in fact designed to withstand all that. It doesn't make the turbulence more comfortable obviously but I can now make it make sense and usually what creates fear is in not knowing/understanding what is happening so that helped a lot!

Bring a headset and iPod or something with mellow music to keep you calm (and drown out any screaming babies! lol) and think about where you are going and how quickly you will get there.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Lewisc]

Your assigned seat can be changed for a variety of reasons. You don't want to get yourself in a position where you'll PANIC if you wind up sitting somewhere else. Some people don't want to see the wings flex and the "flame" from the engine. Others say it's good seeing the plane is working. Don't panic when you hear a mild "thud" when the landing gear is extended prior to landing.

You might want to check with your doctor and see if he can prescribe something to help calm you down. The fact that you're "panicking" over where to sit isn't a good sign. Flying is a lot safer then driving.

 

[uva185]

Also to note, just after the initial climb they will cut back the engine from full thrust and it sounds like the engine lost most of its power. This is normal.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I too hate to fly but will because I love the fact that we are at Disney 2 1/2 hours after take off (we come from Chicago). I find that being close to the wing makes me more comfortable because I like to look out and make sure everything is working o.k. I do also agree with the one pp who talked about what turbulence is and how the plane is made for it....I read somewhere about what makes noises on the plane and how safe a plane is and the pp was right, the worst part of a fear is the not knowing....try educating yourself before your flight, it has really helped me out.

 

[GCM]

Along with what mskayjay said, a friend of mine told be before my first flight that if got nervous to close my eyes and imagine I was in a car. The feelings on the plane feel just like your are riding down the road in a car, a few bumps and rough spots in the road. I was glad I knew that prior to my first flight because I presumed it would be smooth like I was gliding or something.

 

[bavaria]

Your assigned seat can be changed for a variety of reasons. You don't want to get yourself in a position where you'll PANIC if you wind up sitting somewhere else.

And this is why I take up issue with the 'the fact that I have children trumps all else' crowd. Once OP has a boarding pass in hand, and is on the plane, they should expect to keep their seat unless it is in extraordinary circumstances. They shouldn't be expected to move to accomodate a family, as the OP has needs too.

OP, understand that seat assignments CAN and DO change. If you have an attachment to a particular seat, know that getting a preferred seat may be a challenge if you don't have status or want to pay more for that seat.

I personally after flying over a million miles still choose not to fly, or to deplane, or to pay to upgrade out of my own pocket, if I am in the situation where I feel that I must have 'my' seat in order to fly. This often comes at substantial financial cost and personal cost, or the delay of a vacation or other trip.

I wouldn't get too attached to a particular seat or part of the plane. What works for one person may not work for you, and may not be available on your carrier.