I'll add my comments to this, too.
I live in the USA. After the events of late 2001, I'd really decided to become a confirmed ground-lover. I'd flown before (pretty frequently), but after that, was in no hurry to get in the air again. I'd taken overnight trains multiple times to get to places around the country, as needed. I was investigating cruise vacations, etc.
Of course, life intervened, and my employer offered me the opportunity to go represent it in some overseas talks in Europe. A boat's not a good option from the West Coast of the US, when there's only 5 days of notice before the meetings.
Faced with turning down a plum business assignment AND free trip to Europe (which eventually added on a few days and a several-day stop in London before it was over!), I did what most air-travel-fearing folks would do under the circumstances: I determined I would just COPE with it, based on the fact that I'd flown before and always got where I was going, and I'd just have to mind-over-matter this one. I said yes, and stayed silent about my concerns.
In the SAS lounge on the day of departure, I finally could stand it no longer. On wifi, I emailed the mentor at work who'd help set this up and noted that I was actually quite scared to pieces, but was doing this anyway, because it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
And since then, I've been to Australia four times, down to California a few times on business, and over to the Midwest USA to visit relatives. These are all things I probably never would have even CONSIDERED doing, if I hadn't gotten on that plane to Europe.
As far as mishaps go, I urge you to find my post from earlier today about "incident"-related fun with Virgin Blue. An emergency landing, an odd landing on an unknown runway at Brisbane, multiple planes with mechanical issues, etc., all in the space of a couple weeks -- on Virgin Blue, not Qantas. I agree with those who are saying that it's not that these things are HAPPENING more frequently today, but that they're being REPORTED more frequently.
I live in the USA. After the events of late 2001, I'd really decided to become a confirmed ground-lover. I'd flown before (pretty frequently), but after that, was in no hurry to get in the air again. I'd taken overnight trains multiple times to get to places around the country, as needed. I was investigating cruise vacations, etc.
Of course, life intervened, and my employer offered me the opportunity to go represent it in some overseas talks in Europe. A boat's not a good option from the West Coast of the US, when there's only 5 days of notice before the meetings.
Faced with turning down a plum business assignment AND free trip to Europe (which eventually added on a few days and a several-day stop in London before it was over!), I did what most air-travel-fearing folks would do under the circumstances: I determined I would just COPE with it, based on the fact that I'd flown before and always got where I was going, and I'd just have to mind-over-matter this one. I said yes, and stayed silent about my concerns.
In the SAS lounge on the day of departure, I finally could stand it no longer. On wifi, I emailed the mentor at work who'd help set this up and noted that I was actually quite scared to pieces, but was doing this anyway, because it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
And since then, I've been to Australia four times, down to California a few times on business, and over to the Midwest USA to visit relatives. These are all things I probably never would have even CONSIDERED doing, if I hadn't gotten on that plane to Europe.
As far as mishaps go, I urge you to find my post from earlier today about "incident"-related fun with Virgin Blue. An emergency landing, an odd landing on an unknown runway at Brisbane, multiple planes with mechanical issues, etc., all in the space of a couple weeks -- on Virgin Blue, not Qantas. I agree with those who are saying that it's not that these things are HAPPENING more frequently today, but that they're being REPORTED more frequently.
Heleno - It would have been especially scary just after 911 and I can certainly understand the fear of flying after such an event but luckily you were offered a fantastic job opportunity and you overcame your fear and are able to enjoy the whole experience. Are you an Aussie Living in the US? 
