flying alone?

[emily1313]

Hi all, so in a week and a half i will be flying alone for the first time. I have flown about 7 times before so i know what to expect, however i am nervous to be by myself. Lol i am 18 and am very petite for my age, people always assume im 12, so i am afraid of being stolen. (I know that sounds ridiculous but i will be in a big busy airport by myself). I also just don't like flying in general, i always feel like something will go wrong. Anyways, i was wondering if any of you that are young have flown alone and could give me some tips to feel better about it? / share your experiences. Thank you

 

[Acey]

I flew back from NY (3 hour flight with a layover in NC).I was terrified but nothing went wrong. Don't hesitate to ask questions!! That's some people's job..to help you I also flew to Ohio from Atlanta and was completely fine. Atlanta is a hugeeeeee airport.

I'm a pretty small person too but just present yourself as confident. Maybe wear headphones (no music on) so you don't have to worry about people talking to you and at the same time, you can hear what's going on around you.

 

[Pascal98]

@Acey


I also flew to Atlanta by myself when I was 14, like ^^^^..

I sat next to an annoying crying baby, it was sitting across from me and all I wanted to do is go to sleep and get the flight over with.. I landed and family was there to pick me up but the airport I flew from was huge and I was afraid of being on the wrong plane.. LOL

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Always, always, ALWAYS know your surroundings! This really applies to everywhere you go, but in a big place like an airport, you have no idea who you're standing next to. The best place to stand when waiting is near a family. Always walk with confidence, and ask for help promptly to avoid standing around and looking lost. If you use headphones/earphones to listen to music, make sure you can still hear what's going on around you. Also at night, always walk in well-lit areas. If you need to go somewhere and feel uncomfortable, ask an officer if he/she will escort you. Keeping you safe is their job
This is coming from a girl who was the "dummy" for her father's Women's Self-Defense Course.

 

[Kelsey]

i've never been on a plane by myself so i couldn't really tell you BUT i've gone on planes at least like 30+ times especially when i was a baby.. but i'm really used to planes and i have extreme anxiety so i get scared easily but you just need to realize that millions of planes lift off every single day, and if you're really scared about being taken away, think about all the people there is in that airport.. plus the security.. i'm pretty sure it's impossible to kidnap someone and not get caught! i'm sure you will be fine and it's true, don't be afraid to ask questions if you need some assurance! good luck bb

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

and if you're really scared about being taken away, think about all the people there is in that airport.. plus the security.. i'm pretty sure it's impossible to kidnap someone and not get caught!

Not trying to be mean, just hear me out
This is the type of thinking that could get you hurt. If you assume nothing can happen to you at an airport (which is very, very wrong!) you will let your guard down and be more at risk for something bad to happen. You will be fine, but don't ever just assume you're safe... Make yourself safe.

 

[Sherd]

Ive flown from Alaska to Florida alone 4 times now, 3 of those times I got overnight in Dallas (first time I was 17). Just make sure to check the maps and the departure boards. Good luck, and enjoy your trip.

 

[Disney]

Yeah, when I was 18. Didn't think much of it tbh I mean, if you are going to die in a plane it'll more than likely be instant, and if you survive that'd be the greatest story ever told.

 

[Oreo]

awww bb i feel that 100%! [hugs tight] you won't believe me until you actually finish your first party of 1 flight, but you will be FINE. the chances of you get kidnapped/stolen/etc are so so so slim. don't expect the worst (as hard as that may be!) as long as you treat the flying experience like any other experience, you will be golden. ask for help if you need it or if you feel uncomfortable!! even if the airport workers look annoyed, still ask because your safety > everything else. to calm your nerves, you might read articles about flying alone leading up to your travel or try google imaging pictures of the airport(s) you'll be at. this always usually helps control my anxiety levels when i'm in high stress situations like this. and most importantly, have confidence in yourself! that will get you farther than you think. pm me if you have any other questions (i've flown a lot) and tell us how it goes!!

 

[Jasmine]

Hi all, so in a week and a half i will be flying alone for the first time. I have flown about 7 times before so i know what to expect, however i am nervous to be by myself. Lol i am 18 and am very petite for my age, people always assume im 12, so i am afraid of being stolen. (I know that sounds ridiculous but i will be in a big busy airport by myself). I also just don't like flying in general, i always feel like something will go wrong. Anyways, i was wondering if any of you that are young have flown alone and could give me some tips to feel better about it? / share your experiences. Thank you

No, it doesn't sound ridiculous. I know how you feel. I'll be 20 next month and I'm also petite and I look younger than I am, so I have the exact same fear. I rarely go anywhere by myself, actually. I don't really feel safe when I'm alone.

As for feeling safer (for both of us), I completely agree with @PuffTheMagicDragon. You really do need to know your surroundings and not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I also think a self defense class (or some martial arts classes) could help you feel safer. If you're a college student, you may want to see if your college offers these types of classes for women. I know mine does and I plan to take it when I can.

 

[emily1313]

Thank you all so much for your replies! It has made me feel a lot better about the situation, hopefully it just goes quick and i will update you guys on how it went!

 

[SweetTea]

I flew alone for the first time just this past June! Haha I am 20 and the experience was pleasant to say the least. I much prefer flying alone to flying with other people I know. I'm one of those people who aren't snobbish but don't really like to talk to my neighbor in the seat next to me. I'll say "Hi, how are you?" and kind of hope that it just ends there. But the reason why flying alone is so pleasant is because if you are like me, you will enjoy resting up before a nice vacation or getting some stuff done like writing a final paper on an 8 hour flight with some peace and quiet and not your mom talking in your ear the whole time. My advice is to just look busy if you don't want people to bother you! Bring something to do or bring something to sleep with. For example, ear plugs, a neck pillow, blanket, etc. People won't feel the need to bother you or kid nap you if you look unapproachable. The ones that want to take advantage of you are the ones that find you as an easy target.