Flying opens up a world of opportunities. There is no doubting that a fear of flying can considerably damage your social and business life. All those family holidays abroad become a nightmare (if they happen at all), and business meetings are missed, resulting in you struggling to gain promotion.
How can you overcome your fear?
It’s not simple. There are various levels of a flying fear, ranging from mild anxiety to a full blown phobia. A flying phobia is obviously the most difficult to ‘treat’, but anything below this is much easier.
Firstly, it’s important to pinpoint the reason for your fear. Do you suffer from claustrophobia? A fear of heights? Or is it simply the feeling of not being in control that worries you?
Either way, it’s important to face your fear head on. Flying is one of the safest forms of travel, and statistics prove this. I’m not trying to undermine your fear, but merely stating the facts. The most important thing to remember is; the crew are there to HELP YOU.
The crew on-board will do everything that they can to ensure you feel safe and comfortable. If you ever feel that they were not very helpful, make a complaint. It may sound unusual for a flight attendant to encourage you to complain, but when it comes to this kind of situation, all crew are highly trained to ensure you enjoy your flight. Therefore, if you don’t, it’s only right that the respective airline knows about it.
Before you even get on the aircraft, it’s best to let the staff on the ground know that you have a fear of flying. You can ask to get on the aircraft first or last – whichever you prefer. Some of you will choose to get on first to allow yourselves the time to acclimatise yourself, but others will want to spend the least amount of time possible on-board.
When you book your ticket, it’s usually best to book a seat at the front of the aircraft. Firstly, you’ll be able to see the crew at all times – which provides comfort. Also, the front of the aircraft does not move around as much during turbulence resulting in a more comfortable flight.
In future weeks I will be covering ways you can overcome your fear of flying – including a detailed description of all things related to flying. The majority of sufferers will be much better prepared for a flight once they really understand what goes on behind the scenes, and how highly trained EVERYBODY in the aviation business really is……..
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