Reports of deaths, reinforced by continuous visual visual visuals of social media, videos, commentary and user chat, have anchored the fear of flying deep to those who are usually not uninvited during take -off. This made many of them to cancel the travel plans, threw Air India flights, or avoid the same Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner as the unfortunate AI171.
According to medical doctors and aviation experts they spoke to Mint, they also sent several people who sent themselves.
K. Dinesh, a wing commander in retirement with the Indian Air Force, which now runs the cockpit Vista, the Center for Flight Anxiety Treatment in Bengalur, said there was a diverse increase in questions he received from the accident.
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“I usually get about 10 consulting calls per month,” Dinesh said, adding that he has already received more than 100 calls to consult in one week of tragedy. In addition to new clients, many older ones also approached him after losing confidence in flying.
“You will see people cancel tickets, cancel tickets for traveling Boeing 787, canceling Air India tickets,” Dinesh said. “Some people absolutely do not travel at all.”
Google trends show that “Air India” was the second most search in a country with more than 5 million queries last week. Search for terms like “Flying Safe”, ‘is the Boeing Safe’ and ‘IS Air India Safe’ Hit New Peaks, The Data shows.
On social media people have published their concerns after the accident. Many X users claimed to cancel the planned air transport after the accident.
“I was supposed to go to Seoul on Flight AI312 tonight, but after a terrible tragedy today including your airlines and the same type of aircraft I was forced to cancel my way because it feels very dangerous,” he sent on the platform and called Air India.
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It was one of the many users of social media who, after canceling the flights, were looking for replacements from Air India. Others claimed that they would not fly again with the airline or on the Boeing aircraft. Mint could not verify the truth of these posts.
Certainly, air transport is statistically one of the safest ways of traveling. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Period 2019 to 2023. The number of aircraft accidents in this period was 1 177, with only 17% registered at least one death, according to the Aviation Safety network. The envelope calculations show that the accident occurred once every about 124,000 flights and death, one of about 743,000 flights.
However, the fear of flying, technically called aviophobia, must not turn away. Study 2024 published in the Academic Journal Dovepress noted that about 40% of people suffer from aviophobia. A study involving 61 participants indicated that the experience of flying fear is related, among other things, to past and recent stressful events.
Dr. Kumar, the head of the Psychiatric Department in the Institute of Neuroscience, Kolkata agreed that there was an increase in fear and concerns related to flying after the accident Air India. “Even people who were not afraid of flying before expressing anxiety now,” he said.
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People who already have certain psychological diseases, such as anxiety disorders or panic disorders, are more susceptible to these types of fear, he said, adding that the people who were approaching him were mostly in the age group 20-45 years.
The conversation is not limited to whether flying is safe. People also worry about what they can believe. “There is a feeling of inconvenience in not knowing what to do next,” said Vidya Dinakaran, who runs private psychotherapy in Chennai.
More theories swirling over the reason for the accident AI171 contributes to fear of leaflets, Dinesh said. “If you are discussing facts, there can be no anxiety. But if you are discussing fiction, there will be a lot of anxiety, because there is no limitation of fiction,” he said.
Fear disappears only after the Office for Investigation of Airport accidents comes out with its findings about what led to the accident, he said.
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In March, Air India and its low -cost UNIT Air India Express managed almost 25% of international personal traffic in India, most arbitrary aerial groups, according to data from the General Directorate for Civil Aviation (DGCA).
In the same month, two carriers of Air India had 27% market share in the domestic market, according to DGCA data. The Indigo leader has transferred 64% of domestic personal traffic this month.
NEHAL KHALIAWAL in Mumbai contributed to this story
(Tagstotranslate) Air India tragedy
