Anxious Flier Questions About 787-8 and 787-9 (RR Trent 1000 Concerns).. How To Go?

[jumpyberry]

I am looking at options back to Seattle in May from Singapore. I like the flight route and the timing of SIN->NRT->SEA. Only thing is even in normal times (pre-coronavirus) I was a very nervous flier, formally diagnosed with aviophobia. I have been doing better over the years with flying and haven't intentionally missed any flights in the past few years. However, this is a very long trip (around 19 hours).

My main concern is regarding fears / perceived safety concerns regarding the ANA 787-9 and 787-8 aircraft. Originally, I was supposed to take Delta's A330-900NEO aircraft from HND, but due to entry into Japan being disallowed and apparently all the transit hotels at HND being closed indefinitely, it does not seem like that option will work.

So that leaves me with only one option I think and that is ANA's 787-9 from SIN->NRT and ANA's 787-8 from NRT-SEA. I'm concerned how there have been several incidents with the RR Trent-1000 engines on these planes. I found a couple sparse articles about ANA working to check the engines last year. I don't know whether the engine checks were ever completed or whether the engines got retrofitted with the fix. It seems to contradict, but I read an article about RR where they said a true fix for the Trent 1000 engine issues won't even be available until 2021. hmmm so I'm confused..

Should I fly with confidence and not worry so much? Or does anyone think there is a valid reason to be fearful of these planes with the RR Trent-1000 engines? I guess a secondary concern is that I remember the turbulence in the 787-8 aircraft in particularly was quite bad when I took this same trip about six years ago (before the engine issues were really known).

Anyways, I would like to get ANA flier's flights on these engine concerns. Whether it's a valid worry.. whether anyone knows whether it has been fixed.. and any other concerns you would have taking it?

An alternative would be a 16 hour non-stop on a A350-900 with SIA to LAX. But I have two problems with this flight option.. 1) I prefer to have a stopover in the middle.. again fear of flying.. and 2) I don't particularly want to go to LAX.. it would make more sense to go to Seattle (home town).

Another option I found would be Lufthansa via Frankfurt.. it's a much longer trip.. (23 hours+?) and the first flight is a red eye and I cannot sleep on planes at all.. but it's on aircraft where I feel safer.. like A380-800 and 747-400.

I dunno.. What would you guys choose to get back to your home country.. if you were in my shoes and if you were a fearful flier? I realize most people on these forums are not afraid of flying.. but I also find people in this community very understanding about travel concerns. So I look forward to any feedback on it.

[reverserunlocked]

You're not the first person to have a fear of flying and you certainly won't be the last. I could sit here and wax lyrical about air safety but the best thing to do is to take a look at the safety record of your airline and the type you're flying on. The numbers don't lie:

The 787 fatal crashes rate (counted as a crash where at least one passenger died) is 0.0 per million flights. The A380 and A350 are also 0.0. None of these aircraft have cost a human life. The 747-400 is 0.06, which is obviously higher as the 747-400 has been around for over 30 years. Statistically, you could be born on a 747-400 and fly on it 24 hours a day until you died at the age of 80 from old age (around 700,000 hours) and you'd need to be on the thing another 250 years before you'd even be in with a chance of it crashing on you.

ANA have a very good safety record too, with the last fatal incident a mid-air collision in 1971.

However you travel, you'll be fine. The part of the journey in which you're most likely to die is the transfer by road to and from the airport.

Hope that helps.