No reason to fear flying, Malaysians told

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians should not let their fear of air tragedies stop them from travelling.

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) president Hamzah Rahmat said air travel was still the safest mode of transport in the world.

“The MAS tragedies were completely unexpected and definitely not the norm in aviation history.

“These unfortunate incidents should not deter people from future travels.

“What happened was painful but we must move on,” he said.

He also called on all Malaysians to give their full support to MAS and continue flying with the national carrier.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Crisis Intervention Team deputy chairman Dr Abdul Jalil Hassan said those who developed a fear of flying must seek help to overcome the trauma, especially if air travel was part of their work.

On Aug 17, Malaysian Mental Health Association deputy president Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj Chandra­sekaran said MH17 and MH370 were national tragedies that triggered a rise in fear of flying.

Some people avoided seeking professional help, preferring not to travel by planes, he said.