Question of the Day | 02/03/2009 11:00 pm

Has the Miracle on the Hudson changed your in-flight habits? Are you listening to the flight instructions for a change?

Candice Bergen | 02/03/2009 11:00 pm

Candice Bergen: Sink or Swim

I always pay some attention to those announcements even though I would be like the woman on the US Air flight who almost sank the plane by trying to open the rear door.

2 Comments

Liz Smith | 02/03/2009 11:00 pm

Liz Smith's In-Flight Planning Pre- and Post-Miracle

I ALWAYS re-read the safety card as if I’ve never seen it before, and I have never wavered from that, not even back before they invented jet engines. Flying is so frightening that paying attention to safety instructions makes up the only control you can exert over the experience. I like to see how far I am from the exit door and plan my moves. I tell myself, "If anything happens, you must abandon your book, your carry-on bag and your coat. Just get out!" But sometimes, if I am jammed in at the back, I give up and say Kismet.

The worst thing about flying isn’t the fear of crashing and dying. The worst thing is having the pilot constantly interrupt your reverie, your book, your movie with stupid comments that add nothing to your flight experience.

P.S. This is a very good time to point out that in the matter of the flight attendants on the recent Hudson River miracle landing, it is gratifying to know that the three of them were all women over 50. The very kind of brave women who read the wOw site. And just think, only a few years ago you had to be young, beautiful and single to be a flight attendant.

Click here on this text to read my New York Post column.

2 Comments

Joan Ganz Cooney | 02/03/2009 11:00 pm

Joan Ganz Cooney's Flying Habits Unchanged After Hudson Splash

I always have listened to flight instructions; I’m very interested in what you’re supposed to do in case of emergency and where the life jackets are. But the Miracle on the Hudson was just that. I doubt that it will be repeated very soon, so it didn’t change my attention span when I board a flight.

0 Comments

Mary Wells | 02/04/2009 12:00 am

Mary Wells's Secret Apparatus

I have been flying so much all my life, I hide a couple of wings I have grown under my arms. I always listen to instructions. Planes are not all alike. I am always checking what they say, where everything is. I try not to appear as nutty as I am when I am on planes. My husband ran airlines and never trusted a plane or a pilot or fate. We were controlled but unhappy from the appearance of the first cloud, from the first shake.

1 Comment

Joan Juliet Buck | 02/04/2009 12:00 am

Joan Juliet Buck: Stay off the Airbus

I don’t like the airbus. French pilots have crashed a few. It took the calm and divinely guided Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III to land his airbus safely on water. In future, I will try to fly only on planes that he is piloting. The odds are low that geese would fly into his planes twice, and if they succeed, he’ll know what to do. That may take me to North Carolina more than I had planned, but you can’t be too safe. Otherwise: stay off the airbus. And read the damn instructions.

1 Comment

Judith Martin | 02/04/2009 8:45 am

Judith Martin in Flats

I learned from it not to wear high heels on an airplane. But I guess I already knew that.

1 Comment

Julia Reed | 02/04/2009 8:55 am

Julia Reed: The Comfort of Experience

I have never been afraid of flying, maybe because in our little town, planes were the fastest way out to the wider world. In those days, flying was a lot cheaper. It was an agricultural community, and everybody flew and owned little planes. At one point, my father, who had learned to fly in the Air Force, had four. I flew with him the first time when I was barely three months old. We also had a little airport, anchored by Southern Airways (which morphed into Republic which became Northwest which is about to be Delta). I felt so cool the first time I flew alone commercially, at eight. People still dressed up to fly and everybody was smoking and drinking and I felt about 35.

I do read the stuff that tells you what to do, just in case. My father survived a private plane crash about 25 years ago, and recently I was flying with him on a little commercial commuter jet, and we were in the exit row, and when the stewardess asked us if we could handle opening the emergency exit, he grinned and said, "Yep, I’ve done it." She looked very startled and all the people within earshot looked even more shook-up. People clearly don’t like to be reminded of the possibility of going down.

4 Comments

Sheila Nevins | 02/04/2009 9:45 am

Sheila Nevins: An Important Spelling Lesson

I never listen. I fly a great deal. I know the odds are in my favor and I know how to spell exit and I know how to find it.

0 Comments

Jane Wagner | 02/05/2009 6:20 am

Jane Wagner, Aero Heroine?

Yes, I try to harness any ADD-like racing thoughts and listen more carefully to what I used to think were woefully inadequate instructions. It still seems like a corny comedy sketch, but I don’t laugh anymore. Like Liz, I reread the safety card and check out my exit plan. I sometimes make a promise to myself that I will be brave and helpful to other passengers and not trample on anyone. My plan includes stepping back to let mothers/fathers with babies go before me. My fantasy is, I would be so helpful to the crew, I would gain their respect, and perhaps I would be asked to go on MSNBC Rachel Maddow’s show, where I would say I didn’t consider myself a hero – I just did instinctively what needed to be done.

3 Comments

Cynthia McFadden | 02/05/2009 7:40 am

Cynthia McFadden's Lesson in Geography

Flew back from L.A. yesterday and was stunned to find myself searching for the life jacket. (For all those water landings over the Rockies.)

0 Comments

65 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

I’ve always made it a rule NOT to sit in an exist seat, because I’m not absolutely sure how I would perform if there was an accident and airline staff were counting on me to be level headed and assist fellow passengers. By Maizie James on 02/04/2009 7:07 pm That’s ok Maizie, we always do an window/door exit briefing, long before we close the door on an aircraft. Those seated in the exit row are well questioned on their willingness and ability to operate those exits, should they be called upon to do so….There is strict criteria involved, one must meet before they are allowed to sit in an exit row of any kind. Window or door

By HA BIBI on 02/04/2009 8:36 pm

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At 5’11”, I ALWAYS want to sit in the exit row. Legroom! And in the back of my mind, I like knowing that I’d be responsible for getting that door open, because I don’t tend to freeze in emergency situations (only after they’ve passed) — and I’ve been in some dicey ones.

By Susan B on 02/05/2009 9:17 am

Susan, Kudo’s to you, we need can do people, willing to open those exits if need be!

By HA BIBI on 02/05/2009 9:50 am

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Eeek, I sounded pretty self-congratulatory there — not the case. Sorry about that. My point is, over the years, I’ve come to understand that I’m one of those people who are able act with a clear head in an emergency situation, because I fundamentally believe I must or no one else will. Gotta work on that trust thing … The real Kudos go to you flight attendants. You are all heroes in my book, even on a “non-eventful” flight.

By Susan B on 02/05/2009 3:04 pm

Susan, No, not at all! I’m truly happy to hear that you would be someone that we Flight Attendants could count on, should the need arise! :)

By HA BIBI on 02/05/2009 4:10 pm

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First, in my opinion, it wasn’t a miracle as much as excellent piloting and crew work and a lot of good luck. Change my flying habits? No; I still would only fly if absolutely necessary. I’ve flown three times in the last 15 years, for things involving death and medical emergency. Progress is not necessarily the best move for society. I read the emergency directions, locate the exits, and watch how to put that oxygen mask on, as well as check-out where the floatation devise is and who else is aboard. Then, I take a relaxing pill with as much liquor needed to knock me out, hope for the best, and wish all this misery weren’t so dang expensive to boot!

By Flo Cross on 02/04/2009 6:58 pm

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Yes, I have changed my flight habits, dears. Thanks for asking. Now, prior to driving toward the airport, I stop as close as I can to all runways and shoo away the birds. “Shoo, birds,” I say. “This is OUR airspace now.”

By Mommy Dearest on 02/04/2009 7:35 pm

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Mommy — I have to admit that your idea certainly has merit! :)

By Lady Gator on 02/04/2009 8:12 pm

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Mommy, so funny! The poor things would do well to listen to you!

By Susan B on 02/05/2009 3:06 pm

I have worked for 23 years in a corporation making the blades and other parts for the turbine engions as well as parts for the planes. I am retired now, and will not fly. This is because last few years of my working there, most of the employees who made and inspected the parts would not fly either.

By Mark Rowe on 02/04/2009 9:03 pm

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Mark, Sounds like the causes for your fears are due in part to the large amount of outsourcing, many of the Airlines are doing, in order to shave cost and expense. I do not like this either as this opens a whole new can of worms!

By HA BIBI on 02/04/2009 9:09 pm

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Hay Elaine, I am afraid you are wrong. I am speeking of Howmet in Whitehall, Michigan. This titiaum casting company use to be an honorable place to work when the French owned it. But now it is owned by Alcoa who has not only made disgruntled people out of it’s workers, but it is cutting corners to the point were it’s dangerious to trust it. So you see,Alcoa, like to many other American corporations, have to many disgruntled employies making and inspecting there products. This begs to ask the question, do you trust your life to a product or a machine made with the products that were made and inspected by disgruntled people?

By Mark Rowe on 02/06/2009 12:39 pm

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Hi Mark, Actually, I am correct in my aforemention statement with regards to many airlines outsourcing their mechanics, finding cheaper parts and alloting longer time in between maintenance calls on said aircraft. I’m not familliar with the company Howmet, have of course heard of Alcoa. Nonetheless for what you have stated, I’d have to say that regardless of the disgruntled employee sector, we are on the same page. In other words, shoddy work and a lack of integtity within any corporation, Airline or parts provider, Has led to the greater possibility that more airline disasters loom on the horizion.

By HA BIBI on 02/06/2009 3:43 pm

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I always make sure I know where the nearest exit is according to where I am seated, but the rest is pretty routine.

By Micky Mc on 02/04/2009 9:12 pm

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What a perfect thread today as i just came home from a trip to atlanta to be at the birth of my new granddaughter, I am a terrible flier and usually resort to a tranquilizer before i board (which by the way my fear is stronger than the affects of the pill). What keeps me on a somewhat even keel are the wonderful fellow passengers who are kind enough to hold my hand and engage in great conversation. As my son once said, “Mom, you are always hugging someone goodbye when you get off the plane.” I wish it were different for me as I am now retired and have the time to travel but my first inclination is to say,”No”. I have tried hypnosis but that doesn;t seem to work. If anyone knows of a course that I can take at an airport facility, I would be grateful. I live in south florida and am near ft. lauderdale airport, miami airport, and w. palm beach airport.. I know these courses were once available, but haven’t been able to find any at this time. And yes, I paid complete attention to the stewardess today and even felt my seat that is supposed to be used as a flotation device and I felt for the flotation vest underneath the seat. Oh how I wish I could conquer this fear. Intellectulally I know how safe it is but I can’t get a handle on my emotions. Thanks.

By M. Starr on 02/04/2009 10:30 pm