Ahmedabad plane crash: Flyers speak of fear and trauma, say will take safety instructions seriously

Hyderabad: The Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives on Thursday, has left the nation stunned and grieving.

But beyond the immediate circle of victims and their families, a silent ripple of fear and anxiety has taken hold across airports, inside homes, and on millions of mobile phone screens.

Across India, passengers boarding flights on Friday sent a familiar, now haunting message: “Just boarded. Will text when I land.” For many, this everyday ritual has acquired new weight.

Passengers: “I couldn’t relax till we landed.”

At Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, 29-year-old Neha Verma, who was flying to Delhi early Friday morning, said the crash changed her usual flying mindset.

“I always sleep during take-off. But today I was awake the whole time. Every bump, every sound made my heart race. When we touched down, the entire cabin stayed quiet for a few seconds. Then someone clapped—and we all exhaled.”

Many frequent flyers shared similar stories: checking seatbelts repeatedly, watching the cabin crew for reassurance and texting family before and after take-off.

Ravi Kumar, a frequent business traveller from Bengaluru, said, “I fly every week, but yesterday’s visuals shook me. I know from now on I’ll look around more carefully at the emergency instructions. And I will actually listen to the safety demo for the first time in years.”

Cabin Crew: “We carry this weight with us.”

A senior cabin crew member with a domestic airline, who asked not to be named, said the mood among colleagues was sombre. “We always know the risks. But when something like this happens, it’s a reminder—we’re not just serving food, we’re responsible for lives. Many of us didn’t sleep last night.”

Families: “He messaged last night: ‘Boarding now.’ Then we saw the news.”

In homes around the country, the crash triggered an avalanche of worry.

“My cousin was flying from Vadodara to Mumbai. When I saw the Air India crash on the news, my hands were shaking,” said Ritu Sharma, a college student. “It took 20 minutes for him to reply, saying he had landed. But those 20 minutes felt endless.”

Messages like ‘Landed safely,’ ‘Boarding now,’ and ‘See you soon’ flooded WhatsApp and Instagram across India last night. For many, this crash made the fragility behind those words frighteningly real.

Doctors: “This is collective trauma.”

Psychiatrist Dr Amita Nair, who works with trauma patients in Hyderabad, speaking to NewsMeter, said this kind of national tragedy triggers vicarious trauma. “Even those who are not directly affected can feel anxious, restless or avoid travel. The constant exposure to news, crash visuals, and graphic updates causes psychological overload.”

Clinical psychologist Dr Akhil Reddy added, “We’ve seen an uptick in patients expressing travel anxiety. Some even experience phantom symptoms—imagining turbulence, breathing difficulty, or crashes while watching the news.”

Tips for the anxious observer: What can you do?

If you’re finding the coverage overwhelming but aren’t directly connected to the tragedy, experts recommend:

• Limit news exposure – especially videos or repeated loops of distressing visuals

• Check in on loved ones – Not just flyers, but those emotionally affected

• Don’t dismiss your fear – Acknowledge it, but place it in perspective with statistics and facts

• Speak to someone – Friends, family, or a professional

• Support the grieving – Even strangers online benefit from words of compassion and solidarity

A changed mood in the skies

For a country where air travel is booming, the crash is more than a tragic headline. It has left behind altered perceptions, lingering dread, and quiet tears on tarmacs.

We always say, ‘text when you land.’ Now, we’ll actually mean it.