People with a fear of flying will be disheartened by the headlines in today’s USA Today. The story reports that a recent investigation revealed that the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has fallen way short in its role to prevent bombs from getting into aircraft cargo.

Is it true? Probably. Is it likely that someone will sneak a bomb on board? Not! However likely it was, it will be less so once reports like this hit the news. And you can bet that by the time this investigation was conducted, any self-respecting group of terrorists already knew about the opportunity, but for unknown reasons had chosen not to use this strategy.

How Flying Looks through 3-D Glasses

I love reading my complimentary hotel copy of USA Today when I’m on the road. But the story hit a nerve with me. In my classes for fearful flyers I’ve conducted for the past 20 years, I’ve long maintained that a big problem for people afraid to fly is that they develop something called negative bias. It starts with a belief that flying is inherently dangerous. That belief then becomes a “filter” for their perception so that anything in the media that could be interpreted as making flying unsafe stands out as if they were viewing it through those “3-D” glasses you get for special movies. Forget about the fact that flying is the safest way to travel on the planet; forget about other articles that report how safe flying is. A fearful flyer’s brain will completely block out anything contrary to what it believes is true.

Fearful Flyer Thinking

Fact: fearful flyers tend to have a pessimistic outlook—especially when it comes to flying! They think the worst while denying the reality that they are safer in an airplane than they are driving to and from the airport. While pessimism can make fearful flyers’ lives miserable, we pilots use pessimism to keep flying safe. We maintain vigilance by keeping a pessimistic attitude as we watch our instruments, looking for developing problems before they become bigger problems—like the oil pressure dropping. Pessimism helps us stay vigilant as we maintain situational awareness (even though the autopilot does most of the detail work!). And we constantly have a backup plan in case we need to deviate for weather or mechanical problems. Pessimism keeps us prepared for anything that could happen but usually doesn’t.

The Good News About Bad News

What, then, should you take from an article like this one that reports flaws in cargo security and safety? You know that since 9/11, vigilance in general has been heightened. Although it may be possible to package and conceal a bomb, an act like that doesn’t happen in a vacuum. In other words, there are many humans in the chain of events that would lead up to that consequence. And you know from recent news reports that security forces here and abroad have been successful uncovering and intercepting cells planning attacks. And most important: the report has identified areas that need improvement, and those areas will certainly receive necessary attention to make those improvements.

A Balancing Act

In no way am I saying that we shouldn’t keep our vigilance up and focus on improving security. On the contrary, I think we pay notice to reports like the one in the headlines today. At the same time, we have to balance our attention to issues like this with the reality that flying, even today six years after 9/11, is still the safest way to travel in the world. And an even bigger issue: Are we going to let fear of any sort control our lives?