AirAsia QZ8501 Surabaya - Singapore Missing

Auch definitively not a good year for Malaysian carriers, even if this one was from Indonesia.

Safe travels Travis

Definitively bad weather in the area.
https://twitter.com/thatjohn/status/549063597087653889/photo/1

WTF...I am flying from Hong Kong via KUL to Bali on Dec. 31st...Can I cancel my flight....

Ray

Doubtful that you can get a refund based on this incident.

We'll be flying too -- back to Jakarta via KUL in a few days. Obviously we don't know the story yet, but I generally view these as isolated incidents and tend not to worry much. Air travel is still incredibly safe, much safer than driving (not that that's an option in this case.)

"Events like this are scary for everyone, no matter where in the world you are located."

People who understand statistics are not scared. People who can accept the reality of death are not scared. In other words the adults among us not scared. Maybe you should only speak for yourself the next time you're about to claim the whole world is scared due to your own irrational fears.

Dax -- I don't know about you, but the thought of being in a plane crash -- especially over the open ocean as in this case -- scares the crap out of me even if I know it's virtually impossible that I will ever be in such an event. It's those events with infinitesimal probabilities yet ultimately high consequences that can be difficult for the human mind to process. I'm glad that you are able to easily abstract it all away.

To me, what's worse than being in a plane crash is your loved ones dying in one. But yes, many of these are isolated incidents, I read that it's more likely you'll die driving to the airport than die in a crash. The reason we're more scared of these is mainly because basically every plane crash are widely reported in the media, while car crashes are often only mentioned when there is something extremely huge or noteworthy.

@Dax.... Wow ...effectively calling the author writing a poignant piece a child for finding air crashes scary. With your negativity re Etihad residence on the last post also, I can only imagine what a pleasant, happy, positive person you are.

Statistics don't mean crap when you're on the plane going down.

I was surprised to hear the Navy Seal who killed OBL say exactly what I have thought of more than once about what happens when you fall out of the sky. When does the end come? Scary thoughts from one the bravest heroes of our time. If he can think such things and be frightened, we can too, oh except you Dax, or I mean most enlightened one.

I was on EY474 Abu Dhabi-Jakarta today, and read the news via the in flight wifi while my flight was flying at that moment in the area between Singapore and Jakarta.
Was also very cloudy there at 10km height.

I'm not easily scared when flying, but I was happy today when my flight finally landed safe in Jakarta!

So once again, I'm guessing that 'The planes that fly by themselves aided by human input' suffered a probable pitot tubes blocking/malfunction resulting in strange readings causing a chain of effects. More than ever, if it's not Boeing ain't going!

"I don’t know about you, but the thought of being in a plane crash — especially over the open ocean as in this case — scares the crap out of me even if I know it’s virtually impossible that I will ever be in such an event."

That's perfectly fine if it scares you but next time think twice before ascribing your personal concerns to everyone. Everyone is a word that should be used very sparingly because it almost never applies to concepts of the mind.

"The reason we’re more scared of these is mainly because basically every plane crash are widely reported in the media, while car crashes are often only mentioned when there is something extremely huge or noteworthy."

Agreed.

"With your negativity re Etihad residence on the last post also, I can only imagine what a pleasant, happy, positive person you are."

I'm about as happy as a rational person can be while living in a hopelessly irrational world.

"Statistics don’t mean crap when you’re on the plane going down."

Actually statistics mean everything when you're on the plane going down. Thanks to statistics you'd know that plane crashes in general and ocean crashes in particular often end rather suddenly with little in the way of extended pain or suffering for most passengers.

@Travis Wishing you better luck with weather for the rest of the vacation and looking forward for your trip report.

Praying for all those affected by this tragedy.

@Dax, I'd come up with a witty, intellectually sound response to you, but after reading constant negativity from you in virtually every comment you post, I'm not going to say anything but stop being a bitter, whiny little bitch. Being an asshole doesn't make you sound anymore poignant or intelligent than the next Internet troll who uses anonymity to act out on their insecurities cause they're too much of a coward to say what they mean in real life because you know your stupidity will get you rightfully punched in the throat. If you're so self righteous, get your own blog and you can bitch all you want there then discover how much people hate you. Until then, stop polluting the world with your negativity and idiocy.

"Being an asshole doesn’t make you sound anymore poignant or intelligent than the next Internet troll who uses anonymity to act out on their insecurities cause they’re too much of a coward to say what they mean in real life because you know your stupidity will get you rightfully punched in the throat."

Do you pray with the same mouth that spews these threats?

I said all of that with my fingers. Not my mouth. Both are multifunctional. You should see what they do on a Saturday night. Also, where do you see a "threat", Mopey? Reading comprehension is fundamental. I didn't say I would punch you in the throat. You copy and pasted it. Now run along and find a picture of puppies to negatively comment on since you seem to be able to find a reason to bitch about EVERYTHING. Is it exhausting to be negative all of the time? I'm yawning just dealing with you.

@Reine Dax's comments are negative but yours are unnecessarily distasteful. Why didn't you quit after the first sentence of your initial post, minus the whiny bitch bit, & leave it at that?

Thousands if not Millions of flight fly daily, there is only one crash out of those million flights. What makes you think you will be on the lethal flight?

I see no reason for to fear flying, and turbulence is natural in flights.

@Dax - for someone who really cares about the literal accuracy of words, you make real bold and all-encompassing claims like "People who understand statistics are not scared".

"for someone who really cares about the literal accuracy of words, you make real bold and all-encompassing claims like “People who understand statistics are not scared”.

Game, Set, Match Peter. IMO

I'm sorry.. But are they really your children's names.. Squirt and Squeaker. WTF.. I hope not.. What ridicule they are going to have bestowed upon them growing up. How unfortunate.

@Jay.

No. But thanks for your concern!