Sorry...when MY friends are driving something other than a work commute I routinely wish them a safe drive.... It IS one of the more dangerous things we do, as you point out. . I suspect the reason people say that for flights is because while the probability of something happening is very, very low... the CONSEQUENCES of any aircraft incident are often horrendous......

Personally I'm never going to object to someone who has my welfare in mind...;)

How about (at least IME on UA) when they say something to the effect….please let us know if we can do anything to make your flight experience better lol

The only thing that annoys me about the phrase is my automatic tendency to reply with "thanks, you too!"

I take it as "safe travels", which includes not getting your foot run over by someone dragging luggage.

The only time I felt it was somewhat weird or inappropriate was when an FA said it at the beginning of a flight. She had gone off script a bit and was elaborating on the importance of keeping your seatbelt on. Made us feel like sitting on that plane was actually quite a dangerous thing to do.

In France we say Bon Voyage. I have no knowledge of an exact translation. I have no problem with it any more than I do with Bon Apetit. How would you translate that? Enjoy? Nearest that I can get as an equivalent.

Have a “good trip” is the translation of “bon voyage” into English in this context, with the “have a” part being implied.

De rien, in advance.

I haven't actually studied French since high school (i.e. long ago), but doesn't that just mean, "have a good a trip (or voyage)"?

Oui.

I don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by this. It's just a standard expression of well wishes. When someone says it to me I appreciate the sentiment. It doesn't occur to me to nitpick the actual meaning of the words.

I agree. It is the intention and the way, it is said rather than the words. I suspect that the OP is, like me, irritated by people saying platitudes like next-doors parrot (which a propos of nothing I have not heard lately (he could imitate mobile phones ringing perfectly). I do hope that they haven't eaten it! ). I have to say that from some people their sincerity is like watching honey drip from a cobra. Me? I am just pleased that anyone cares sufficiently.

I fully agree. When I'm travelling I'm probably more safe than otherwise. And it is not as if I'm unsafe otherwise - seems like an unconscious shift towards being scared all the time which there is no need for.

I wish people would have "Good travels" instead of "Safe travels".

For much of recorded human history and unless fleeing — or needing to flee if wanting to survive — persons going on trips away from home was riskier than staying at home; and trips away came with greater uncertainty than remaining at home or on the more beaten track. And so “have a safe trip” may be a legacy of that too.

Nowadays, most accidents on the road happen closer to home than further away from home — and that’s for travel on roads, roads that are far more dangerous than travel by common carrier flights even when it comes to countries that are far more hostile to road fatality risks than the average OECD country.

If you fail to say "bless you" after someone sneezes, and they are shortly thereafter possessed by demons, aren't you at least partly responsible?

I think you gotta at least apologize and chip in a few bucks towards the exorcism fees...

I was under the impression that “Bless you” has its origins in wanting to bleed someone. From back in the day when bleeding a person was considered a way to remedy a person deemed physically ill or mentally ill (as in possessed). ;)

I thought it dated from the Plague - when anyone sneezing (much like anyone coughing in 2020) was presumed to be not much longer for this world!

But obviously I don't actually know!