For those of us who may endure anxiety and depression, the past few years has made those issues much worse. For moms everywhere, we likely lost our sense of privacy. Prior to 2020, we had a routine setup with work and day care, and everything was balanced.
But now, many of us have been home with our children nonstop for over a year. And while it's been a great time to hang out with them and get to know them, it can be a little tiresome — which makes this story seem a little relatable. After traveling with her children and husband, a Ukranian woman on board a plane felt "too hot" and needed to exit for some air. It's a situation many of us have been in.
Yet the story takes an interesting turn. This woman hung out on the wing of the plane — which is dangerous for many reasons. The act was puzzling to everyone on board. At the time, her children had reportedly gotten off the plane, so they witnessed everything.
The Ukraine International Airlines 737 jet had just landed at Kiev's Boryspil Airport, and the crew were waiting for clearance to deplane their passengers. The woman in question, who was unnamed, couldn't wait. The act reportedly got her banned her from flying with the airline. And it left everyone with plenty of questions. What led her to exit the plane this way? And is everything OK?
One of the strangest parts about the incident, which was caught on video, was that the woman seemed very casual in leaving the plane. It's almost like the mom of two had done this before. There was no panic over being so high up, which is what makes this so newsworthy.
"A passenger of flight PS6212 Antalya-Kyiv illegally opened the emergency exit of the plane after it stopped near gate 11 of terminal D and went on to its wing," a Ukraine International Airlines spokesperson said to The Irish Sun. "The passenger was flying on a charter vacation with her husband and children. The chief pilot immediately summoned the aviation security, border service, police and medical centre of Boryspil Airport."
"The passenger was blacklisted for gross violation of aviation safety rules and behaviour on board," the spokesperson continued. The woman was tested for both drugs and alcohol, and those tests came out clean. That ruled out any issues of intoxication. But it's still possible that something seemed about to break at that very moment.
"The aircraft landed and almost all the passengers got off," a passenger said, per TooFab. "She walked almost all the way from the tail to the emergency exit row, opened the door and went out. By that time her two children were outside the plane and standing right next to me. They were surprised, saying: 'that's our mum!'"
Ukraine International Airlines is very upset over the incident. Not only does it believe this woman set a bad example for her children, but it thinks this woman should have to pay a hefty fine. Hopefully, nobody will try to copycat this event. The woman got lucky for getting out of the situation without a scratch.
But looking at this event as outsiders, it's interesting to try to guess what was happening on the other end. Nobody will ever know what was going through her mind, unless she decides to participate in interviews in the future. In the video, the woman seemed calm and confident, which leads to more speculation about her motive.
Panic disorders — if that's what she was suffering from — can often be silent. It can be hard to tell if someone is having an anxiety attack unless they tell you. But as the video only shows her from a distance, it's hard for anyone to pinpoint for sure.
Since many people have a fear of flying, that could have also triggered some sort of strange reaction. It's possible this mom was so overloaded with worry over the plane landing that she felt as if she needed to escape from the situation. The fear of flying is known as aviophobia, or aerophobia. Even a past traumatic flight could trigger symptoms.
For those who aren't frequent flyers, the situation can seem worse. Accidents can happen while up in the air. But considering the number of flights that happen every day — at least before travel restrictions were put in place worldwide — it's important to remember that most passengers are relatively safe on board. It's possible she felt warm in the plane due to fear.
As far as flying is concerned, there's also a secondary level of worry these days. Many people are opting out of air travel since they feel as if it's unsafe. However, some families don't have the option. It's tough to make certain decisions, and most answers don't confidently feel like the "right" one.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states it's still best to stay home if you can avoid travel, MIT Medical states that air travel may be slightly safer than many people are imagining right now. "The air quality on a commercial airliner is actually quite high, with the air volume in the cabin being completely refreshed every two to four minutes," the medical center states. "Air flows into the cabin vertically — it enters from overhead vents and is sent downward in a circular motion, exiting at floor level."
"Once air leaves the cabin, about half is dumped outside, and the rest is sent through HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters, similar to those used in hospitals, before being mixed with fresh outside air and entering the cabin again," it continues. "Of course, passengers and crewmembers moving up and down the aisles can disrupt this airflow, altering the path of any airborne particles. And while the HEPA filters used in commercial aviation can filter out 99.97% of virus-sized particles, they can’t capture every respiratory droplet or viral aerosol before someone else inhales it."
That's all good news for anyone who's on the fence. But if you're already feeling overloaded, it still might not be a good idea for your mental health. The CDC acknowledges that in times like these, mental health issues may seem a little harder to control. "Coping with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger," it advises.
In the moment, it may be hard to find ways to try to calm yourself. Being outside in fresh air can often help clear your mind. But some breathing exercises may have temporarily helped this woman. The CDC also suggests meditation, which — again — may have been more difficult in tighter quarters. However, both options are much safer than leaving the plane improperly.
During times like these, it's important to look out for yourself — but it's also important to look out for your loved ones. If you see someone you care about make reckless choices, try to talk to them and get them some help. Not everyone has an easy time asking for it — especially moms, who often showcase their ability to juggle multiple tasks so flawlessly.
