How the mystery of the vanishing Malaysia Airlines flight is giving travellers the jitters

Reluctant air travellers are booking flights with some trepidation following the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines jet more than 10 days ago.

While passengers are still filling seats, it is clear what is on their minds.

Seats on Malaysia Airlines flight 433 from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur on Monday night were only half-filled, with turbulence rocking the cabin as it followed the same flight path to the capital as the ill-fated MH370.

While some stretched out across vacant rows and managed to snooze during the short-haul flight, others were keen to share their thoughts on the mystery that has gripped the world.

First-time Malaysia Airlines traveller Alan David King, 65, a Canadian investor on business in Kuala Lumpur, said: "It doesn’t make me feel any safer about flying when a plane disappears. For someone to take a big plane, an airline with that many people, is frightening.”

"I would have thought twice about flying to Malaysia but I've got business to do," he added.

Krishnan Ramachandran, 48, works for a major multi-national company based in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley. He flies twice a month, accruing more than 250,000 air miles a year.

"It's very mind-boggling. I mean, how a large plane can disappear off the earth. Nobody has a clue," he said.