Hello all... I have de-lurked because I want to thank the crew (both cabin and flight-deck) for their input on this thread (and elsewhere where the intricacies of flying are explained).
I have always been a "nervous passenger" - for no rational reason, like every nervous passenger - and for me personally, having things explained in depth really helps to rationalise the fear. I don't think I will ever fly without said fear, but knowing more about how the aircraft works and what the various noises mean is a great way for me to keep it in its box.
I have also found the littlest things have made me more comfortable; I used to sit in aisle seats (I'm 6'4'' and it's nice to be able to get up for a wander without hassling other people) but have found a window seat makes me far calmer. I have to fly short-haul about twice a month with work, and occasionally I'll see a sunrise or similar which is so gob-smackingly beautiful I forget to worry about the potential for fiery doom. Flying on my own, I always try to let the cabin crew know (as lightheartedly as possible) that I'm feeling a bit edgy - and I can say that in all the flights I've taken in my life, with a wide variety of carriers, I've never encountered cabin crew who have failed to reassure me.
As to the question (admittedly from ages ago!) about airlines cutting corners on maintenance in order to reduce costs, I choose to believe that any sane operator will recognise that the reputational damage from a culpable failure of maintenance leading to a fatal accident would FAR outweigh the financial cost of doing the job right. I also reflect on the number of people with whom I share the road who will, for example, think nothing of bunging cheap, rubbish "Ditch-Hunter" tyres on their car to save a few bob. Even under those circumstances, people very rarely come a cropper given the number of journeys they undertake*.
Anyway - what started asan expression of gratitude for the information above has mutated into discursive rambling. Thank you once again, one and all.
* I am weird in this regard. Someone up there asked whether you check tyre pressure, coolant, oil and brake fluid levels for every drive. Um. Yes. Yes I do.
