I was asked yesterday if, when tragic airline accidents occur, does it affect me more deeply since I am a Cabin Crew. I would say that the answer to this question is both yes and no. Tragedy, however it happens, has this way of reminding one just how precious and fragile life truly is. Sad incidents have this way of making us face the reality that this moment may be the only one we have and that our tomorrows are not guaranteed. Loss makes us see the world and our daily routine differently. As an international flight attendant and a girl stuck in wanderlust, who is absolutely in love with Europe, and Lufthansa being the reason I wanted to work on long-haul flights, the devastating crash of Germanwings flight 9525, even before the reasons as to why were known, had me deeply saddened. These were colleagues, these were travel lovers, these were children with parents, mothers with daughters, and a young man with his lover. These were people that maybe if we had known them, they would have been our friends. It’s not too far from the truth that I could have been on that plane. I flew through Barcelona not more than two months ago. I am always on a plane, for work or for fun, and it rarely crosses my mind that the outcomes will not be safe. When these unfortunate events happen in aviation, it reminds me as a flight attendant that I should never take my training lightly, and that I must always be ready mentally for the unthinkable to happen.
And in this case, the flight that did not make it to Dusseldorf, the unthinkable did happen. How could a pilot manage to do something so terrible, especially when all of the air travelers were, and do put their complete trust in the flight deck crew and the cabin crew? On every flight, individuals believe, as they should, that the crew is trained for their safety and not for demise. It brings to my mind the questions that many may be asking right now of, “Can you trust your flight crew?” For that, I do have an answer: yes.
The crash of Germanwings 9525 is an extreme aberration. Accidents like this, although they should not be brushed aside without investigation, and acknowledged with reverence, are not a reason to be afraid of aviation and distrust the safety professionals who work and serve in the commercial airline industry. One individual does not represent the majority, and the majority of pilots and flight attendants are able to be trusted with the safety of an aircraft.
I am so sorry that this happened in the industry. Sadly, the world isn’t always safe, people in it not always good, and luck not always on your side.
