CoFlying: Yea or Nay?
Posted February 9th, 2012 at 11:16 am
Caroline and I may soon be confronted with a situation we’ve yet to encounter as parents. We may be travelling far, far away from our friendly confines, both headed for the same destination, one which would require a flight, which prompted my wife she asked but one simple question:
Do you think that we should take separate flights, you know, just in case?
At first I didn’t get it, but I soon figured out what she was really trying to ask: Should we take separate flights in case the plane goes down and we both meet our fiery death thereby instantaneously converting our five, well-loved children into orphans?
And I must admit, now that she’s brought it up, the thought is a daunting one. And I get it. I get why people would ask that question. What’s more, we know plenty of parents, both from our generation as well as the one before it, who are staunch proponents of the separate-flight policy.
So what say you? Is co-flying a reckless breach of the parenting code? Or is it standard operating procedure?
Call me a nut if you like, but as I bother the flight attended for an extra bag of my namesake, I hope my wife is sitting right next to me. And here are six reasons why:
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9 Comments
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Should Parents Take Separate Flights...Just in Case? commented on Feb 09 12 at 1:15 pmredpenmamapgh commented on Feb 09 12 at 4:21 pmI think you should fly together. The faith argument and the right side winning both resonate with me, as does the “flaw in the logic” argument. I mean, make sure you have a plan in place for care of your children anyway. I flew with my husband and my oldest child when she was 18 months, and my thinking (and I didn’t think long and hard about it, trust me) was IF, God forbid, our plane went down, then I was in the presence of the two people I loved the very best. It sounds like a twisted kind of consolation, and maybe it is. But it was either that or drugs.
Cindy Apathy commented on Feb 10 12 at 3:01 amJohn, I agree with you completely. In addition, without sounding like a self serving idiot…what about survivor’s guilt? I don’t think I could live with that, like why did I book her on that flight instead of mine? As far as the kids go, gee whiz, same thoughts there…to think that you made the decision what flight who would be on, Which kids did I kill by making that decision….don’t even want to go there.
- commented on Feb 10 12 at 4:13 pmYes. And always ride in separate cars too.
parnoidmama commented on Feb 10 12 at 5:19 pmI will out my embarassing secret but I would never fly with my husband and without our children. I subscribe fully to the flawed logic, but it works for me :-)
www.JerseyGirlCooks.com commented on Feb 10 12 at 7:47 pmI totally agree with you. Besides, the chance of dying in a plane crash is something like one in 46 million…I tell myself every time I get on one because I am a nervous flyer.
Agnes commented on Feb 14 12 at 1:31 amWell, all I can tell you is that my father was killed in a commercial airline crash. It really does happen. My parents were divorced and he was on vacation with his girlfriend. There weren’t any survivors. Within five years of that crash, I knew 2 unrelated acquaintances who were also in commercial airline crashes. They both survived but other people on their planes did not. Cheery, huh? These were all large jets by the way. That said, the odds are still small that you will be in a crash but it’s not impossible. It doesn’t really seem like a lot of extra effort to take separate flights. I’d do it.
John Cave Osborne commented on Feb 14 12 at 8:38 am@agnes — i hear you! one thing i almost included in this post, but didn’t is this: my mom’s first husband died in a plane crash, so, i wouldn’t even be alive if it weren’t for a plane crash.
the muskrat commented on Feb 14 12 at 9:15 ami don’t think i’d want to be alive if my wife and some of our children died in a plane crash. better to just go together. that being said, flying with children sucks. after doing it last 4th of july, i cancelled our fall trip and am going to wait until they’re older before planning another flight with the family!
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