At least 15 people onboard an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi were injured after the aircraft suddenly lost 300 feet in altitude on Tuesday.
"Pilot In Command reported a severe injury to one cabin crew member, injury to another and minor injuries to a few passengers due to a sudden loss of approximately 300 feet altitude," a senior DGCA official told PTI.
The airline's spokesperson also said all necessary support was being provided to those affected and the airline is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities as part of the investigation.
In such times, passengers need to stay calm and keep their nervous system relaxed in order to follow the instructions.
Dr. Chris Mosunic, licensed Clinical Psychologist and the Chief Clinical Officer at Calm, suggests the following ways to stay composed during a flight turbulence.
Divert your mind
Instead of overthinking about the worst-case scenarios, try diverting your mind, reminding yourself that there’s another way to look at what’s happening.
Practice the 5–4–3–2–1 grounding technique
This handy technique can help you stay calm in the worst possible scenarios.
For example, try naming:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Practice breathing techniques
We tend to breathe faster when we panic. Try slowing it down to bring back normalcy and eventually, it will help you stay calm. Just breathe out a little longer than you breathe in, and this helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to calm you down.
Use physical grounding
Counter the anxiety by grounding yourself, which can be done by:
- Pressing your feet into the carpet
- Pressing your palms into the armrests
- Wiggling your toes
- Clenching and releasing your fists
Apply the (good) pressure
To help you relax your nervous system during the flight, try:
- Pressing your hand over your heart
- Crossing your arms
- Pressing your knees together and your feet into the floor
