An Indian expatriate who battled aerophobia – an extreme fear of flying – for more than two decades has finally returned home after 25 years.
Homemaker Asha V P ushered in the New Year in her hometown of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, where she plans to spend several weeks reconnecting with family and loved ones.
The mother-of-two always experienced mild anxiety while boarding flights for family trips, especially during take-off and landing. This, however, worsened after she learned about the 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air crash, in which Saudi Arabian Airlines and Kazakhstan Airlines flights collided over Charkhi Dadri city, around 100km west of the Indian capital city of New Delhi. Her condition deteriorated further as her family relocated from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain in 2002 – travelling by road to avoid flying.
Despite repeated attempts over the years, Ms Asha was unable to board a plane – often backing out even after reaching the airport. Counselling and therapy offered little relief.
As the years turned into decades, she spiralled into despair at not being able to overcome her anxieties despite her best efforts and receiving constant reassurances from family members in Bahrain and India. The prolonged struggle also strained family dynamics, as travel plans became impossible.
Last month, however, Ms Asha’s life finally ‘took off’. She boarded a flight to Thiruvananthapuram via Dubai, accompanied by her daughter Miraya V, a singer and music artist. Miraya, 32, had returned to Bahrain from Canada in 2022 to support her mother, putting her own dreams of pursuing a doctorate and acting career on hold.
According to various studies, up to 40 per cent of people globally suffer from some form of flying anxiety. People with aerophobia often feel intense anxiety before or during a
flight. This condition can interfere with the ability to travel for work or pleasure.
flight. This condition can interfere with the ability to travel for work or pleasure.
The World Health Organisation defines phobias as irrational and uncontrollable fears triggered by a situation, object or activity.
“I have dreamed of this moment so many times, but now that it has happened, I cannot believe it,” an ecstatic Ms Asha told the GDN from Thiruvananthapuram.
“This was not planned at all. My daughter had a music album shoot and was supposed to travel. She just asked me if I would like to give it a go and I agreed,” the 59-year-old added.
Despite initially coming on board, dark clouds of anxiety cast a shadow just days before she was supposed to travel, leading Ms Asha to change her mind.
“My family kept encouraging me. My daughter even packed my bags for me. But when I saw the luggage, I panicked. On the day, Miraya told me she was going to cancel my ticket and I asked her to go ahead. Just when I had said that, she burst into tears, throwing my luggage away in frustration. Seeing her pain, something in me moved and I decided I had to travel – I could not back out this time,” she noted.
Throughout the ride to the airport, the immigration and the first flight to Dubai, Ms Asha remained ‘numb’. But the thought of disappointing her daughter yet again kept her going.
“Miraya hugged me for the entire journey, on both flights, speaking words of encouragement to me. Even so, I did cry during take-off and landing. But I made it,” she said.
“When we landed in Dubai, she asked me if I wanted to return. I told her that I had made it this far and wanted to continue,” she explained, adding that it was one of her best decisions in a long time.
Returning after more than two decades, Ms Asha has been pleasantly overwhelmed meeting family, friends and neighbours, who were surprised to see her.
“Everyone has changed so much and my home too looks so different. I am so happy to meet everyone. I am going to see my brothers in Chennai and cannot wait,” she said.
Reminiscing the ‘surreal’ moments after landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Ms Asha described the immigration staff’s surprise to see her passport empty.
“They were surprised to see my empty passport without any stamps and to learn that I had not travelled in so long,” she added.
“While I am grateful to my husband and children for always being by my side, I truly believe that it is God’s grace that has seen me through this difficult time and helped me do what I never thought was possible.
“My husband is planning to travel soon and my son might join us too with our family dog, if all goes as planned,” she said, adding that a long-due family holiday is on the cards soon.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
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