Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and last week"s crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in New York, many students who usually fly home for Thanksgiving are now opting to drive because of their concerns over air travel safety.

"I have flown home to Cincinnati before," said Priya Sehgal, an Engineering sophomore who is driving home for the break. "Now, I would feel insecure about using public transportation or flying."

Many travel agencies, such as Stamos Travel in Ann Arbor, have noticed an enormous decrease in the amount of people wanting to travel by plane.

"What"s happened is that traffic has dropped in airlines because of a dramatic cut back on schedules. There have been fewer flights to make up for the lower amount of traveling people," said a Stamos Travel employee. "We have had dramatically less customers."

"There has absolutely been a big decrease in air travelers," agreed Ken Ascher, chairman and chief executive officer of Communications Electronics Inc. Emergency Operation Center, a division of the Airline and Travel Safety Bureau.

"People are scared of flying on a plane and dying. They are scared of terrorists and of the plane crashing. A lot of people have switched to using automobiles. There is certainly a downward trend every time there is a plane crash," Ascher said.

For some students, it is impractical to travel any other way except via plane, making the decision an easier one.

"I have to fly home," said Social Work graduate student Jill Sur of Kailua, Hawaii. "I"ve never been afraid to fly before obviously I live on an island and anywhere I have wanted to go I have had to fly. Now I am a little nervous about getting on an airplane."

Since Thanksgiving break is only a four-day weekend, driving for an entire day to get home and then another to get back to campus would take up most of the holiday.

"I"m definitely scared but I try not to think about it," said LSA freshman Marissa Ellstein, who is flying into New York"s LaGuardia Airport tomorrow on her way home to Long Island. "There is no other way because I really want to go home."

In addition to apprehension over the safety of air travel, some students are hesitant to fly because of the additional time needed get through the increased security at airports.

"I am slightly irritated that I have to fly, but it"s not because I am concerned of dying," said LSA senior Peter Apel, who is traveling to Boise, Idaho. "The heightened security measures make flying really inconvenient. You"re talking about an extra four hours at the airport. That"s four hours I could be spending doing something like sleeping or studying."

For many, though, the trip home for Thanksgiving break will be similar to any other flight in the past.

"I am maybe like 1 percent more concerned to fly than I have been in the past," said Steve Jameson, an LSA freshman. "If I just consider the odds it makes me feel safe enough to get on a plane and fly to California. With all the additional security I am feeling all right about it."