Nervous (very) flyer advice

[minstermineman]

Hi all, looking for a little advice on flying for a nervous flyer.

Not me - I enjoy being a passenger and the odd bump and rattle does not phase me.

A few years back a group of us flew from LHR to Philly on BA, there was a girl with us - who had admitted she hated flying - but we all gave our moral support etc etc, but as soon as the call came for boarding she broke down and ran for BA's info desk, and cancelled her seat !
We all felt really bad - we hadnt taken the micky of her fear but had done our best to help and get her through it. She did not fly that day and I had the pleasure of being with the baggage handlers cursing trying to identify her bags to come off the flight.

She DID manage to get on a flight the next day - after going back home to Wales and chatting to her mum and generally talked herself into it again and telling herself her fear was irrational and just get on with it.
She did not find it pleasant though and BA upgraded her to World Traveller Plus for the flight out and assigned someone to specifically look after her which was great, as of course she had purchased one flight and missed it and had to repurchase the next days flight.

My question is - she is coming with me and my wife to Philly again for July 4th, ordinarily I think she would not entertain the idea again - but we have a great friend out there and the lady in question has recently been diagnosed with MS, so I have an idea that she wants to get on and do things 'just in case' she ever cant in the future.

What can WE do to help her out - we are too late to get her onto one of those BA courses, will BA remember her from those years ago?

Can we phone BA beforehand to let them know we have a very nervous flyer with us ?

There is no question of using this to try and upgrade for any of us, we want to be together on the plane if at all possible.

I think what didnt help last time was that we checked in early and she had all that time to kill justythinking about it instead of just doing it. That will probably be even worse now you have to check in 3 hours in advance.

Any advice ?

Once she gets on the 'plane she should be 'nervously' fine, she is not going to be aiming for the door as soon as pushback starts, but I envisage crushed fingers and eyes tight shut until we level off ......

Thanks

[Di_Vosh]

Check out the forum FAQ.

There is information for nervous flyers there.

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/318080-forum-faq-welcome-passengers-slf-forum.html

Apologies if you've already read it.

DIVOSH!

[GANNET FAN]

minstermineman, I can't speak for BA, but my business colleague and I were due to fly to Miami with Virgin Atlantic some time back. Nervous wouldn't describe how he was before boarding, more like a quivering wreck, anyway I had a chat with the Virgin people prior board about his state of mind and once we were seated some time before doors closed the captain came back and had a chat to put his mind at rest which he partially achieved.

About an hour into the flight both he and I were invited to the flight deck (about a year before 9/11) where we spent at least an hour while the captain went through the systems and a general chat. He was amusing, patient and a great raconteur, really nice guy. He even asked his number two to retard 3 throttles (slowly gently and very briefly) to show how the 747's capability of one engine flying.

My colleague and good mate now has more airmiles than I do, so in short see if you can get someone from the flight deck to chat. IU think that will go some way to helping.

[Load Toad]

Xanax and wine.

[strake]

but I envisage crushed fingers and eyes tight shut until we level off ...
That quote just triggered a memory of a flight many years ago on a Domestic in the USA. I was down the back in an aisle seat and next to me a young married couple. He was in the middle seat and absolutely terrified - had I not seen and experienced his fear (the crushing fingers in question), I don't think I could ever understand the problem people face.
As a private pilot, all I could think to do was describe what was happening in terms of the various noises, ascent, descent - look at the flaps etc. Now, the guy most certainly did not have a Damascene moment thanks to my commentary but his wife did say that it helped tremendously. I suggested that they might think of doing the unthinkable and book him a trial lesson at a local flying club. Whether he did or not, of course I don't know but I have since flown many people who, to varying degrees, are "scared of flying" and giving them some stick-time in a small a/c has helped.
Possibly worth trying with the right instructor if you can convince her.

[Heathrow Harry]

Lot depends on WHY someone is frightened

if its because they were involved in some thing horrible on an aircraft then it's a hard sell

if it's just generalised fear of crashing then you can show her/him various magazines, the real time internet radar picture of just how many aircraft are safely flying around etc etc, maybe one of those Dorling Kindersley kids books on how things work

but keep them off here!!! They'll never fly again if they read the posts..........

[redsnail]

Whilst at the airport keep your friend distracted about the "flight" as such.
Don't leave arriving at the airport too late, the stress of missing the flight can make it worse.
Emphasis how great it will be to see her friend and how important it is for her to be there. :)

If you can, get her to practice some relaxation techniques. Have a surf of the net and see if you can find some. General calm breathing sort of stuff. Mental self hypnosis.

If your friend does want to fly but keeps stressing over it, insist that she takes control of her life and do a course before it's a rush job.

[airsmiles]

I used to be totally scared rigid when flying and would usually grip my seat until my hands hurt and just stared ahead like a zombie. This was a long time but I understand the irrational fear sometimes have.

In my case I had to go on a business trip with a boss several levels above me. The thought of undertaking the trip alone brought me out into a cold sweat in case I made a fool of myself. On meeting the boss at the airport we checked in and he made his excuses and said "meet you at the gate". Literally 2 minutes before the last call he turned up and it was obvious he'd emptied the bar while he was away. On the aircraft he never spoke except to order more drink. He was obviously much more scared than I was.

Here's the odd thing though. By the end of the flight I was super relaxed, as for some reason this was a turning point. I think the whole idea of a business trip with a corporate boss forced me to confront the problem and shake off my irrational fear. Since then I've undertaken well over a 100 flights which I've learn't to positively enjoy.

I would say the first step if for your friend to accept that it is possible to overcome the fear. The second step is to work out what will cause her to confront that fear. It's no different to sticking your hand in a bucket full of spiders. You just need to use the right key to unlock the fear.

[Hotel Tango]

Also, reserve seats at the back of the aircraft - noisier but safer.

If you believe that you're seriously deluded.

[TightSlot]

No... It really is safer: No aircraft has ever reversed into a mountain

[PAXboy]

I think the sugegstion to focus on the goal is a good one. Also - to scertain where the fear came from.

Some prefer to be looking out of the window to see what's going on, others prefer to be on the aisle so that they can see the normal human activity (as opposed to the abnormal of being at 38,000 ft!).

At the airport (agree to arrive in good time) might the pax want to wear headphones and listen to iPod? This will help cut out the busy background noise and so on. The announcements might no tbe helpful. Or, they might want to hear everything that is going on.

So forward planning - such as you are doing - is the right move.

[minstermineman]

Thanks guys for the helpful replies, I shall be booking all 3 of our tickets this week, part 1 of the strategy as I'll be dealing with the non flying side of flying until we get to LHR, less to think about.

I will contact BA direct once I have booking details to inform them also - I doubt they will have her on the system as it was a good 10 years ago last time we all went, but they may have some advice also , even if its someone to say hello when we check in - put minds at rest sort of thing.

We shall be there in good time, but the plan is to keep occupied, I think her biggest fear is not the flying as such but the lack of control over her destiny once onboard.

In fact - I heard today that a week or 2 ago she actually went up in a glider for a short flight just to see if she could do it ! I doubt this is going to be a career changing experience for her though as she drew the line at taking the controls ...


but keep them off here!!! They'll never fly again if they read the posts..........

Haha - that was the first thing I decided was not going to happen.

We'll get her through it - thanks guys - I'll report back how it all goes :ok:

[MathFox]

"Fear of flying" is a psychological issue that can be treated; standard therapies are known that are scientifically proven to work (be >90% effective.) Even "self help'" therapies (with help of books, DVDs or websites) can be pretty effective.

I am moderator at a website for fearful fliers (by ex-fearful fliers) and your fearful friend is welcome there. Google for "Fear MathFox" :} to find a link.

BTW, getting up in a small plane indicates that some steps on the way to cure are made!

[peuce]

I've been involved in helping with this type of anxiety and, to be very simplistic and very general, the big issue is commonly ... the greatest anxiety is the fear of having the fear.

The sufferer fears having a fear of flying during a flight...

The first step is to assure the sufferer that it's okay to be nervous on the flight, and that you won't die from it(the anxiety); and it will be all over in x hours.

Once they accept this...then you can deal with some of the practicalities, like safety of flight, ATC etc

It's also important (strangely it may seem) to acknowledge that there is a small chance of something going wrong on the flight...just like there is driving a car or travelling on a bus...that's life!

In time, with confronting it(flying), the anxiety will become less and less.

[GreekIslandLover]

Don't know if this helps, but my daughter is a nervous flyer but determined not to let it affect her chances to go on holiday. What helps her is planefinder.net. You can tell her all the statistics you like about how safe it actually is but that doesn't sink in. When she first saw planefinder she was gobsmacked about just how many planes there are up there at any time you care to look. That was reassuring in itself. Also, she knows the flight numbers of the two journeys she has booked, and regularly tracks that flight. Knowing it takes off on time every day, takes a similar route, gets there pretty well on time every day and gets back safely (and has been doing that for years already) is very helpful to her.

Don't forget it disappears from the map when you are over large bodies of water - so don't panic!

[Exascot]

Quote:
Also, reserve seats at the back of the aircraft - noisier but safer.
If you believe that you're seriously deluded.

Why do think the FDR is in the tail, that usually survives :E

[Hotel Tango]

They don't have seats that far back ;)

[Nervous SLF]

My log-in name says it all :O The reason was a very very turbulent flight over the Pacific a few years ago.

I sincerely hope that I don't sound flippant but I find when flying these days I ask myself the following question which is a great help for me.
Might not work for others though.

"Would you rather be up here or in hospital feeling quite ill and waiting for a major operation?"
My answer to myself is of course "up here stupid"



I have had several major operations over the years and as far as I am concerned if I never have to have another
one that will be the best news ever.

[airsmiles]

If any aircraft is going forwards into a mountain, there certainly won't be anything left of the tail ! Also, fires/smoke will fill the entire aircraft interior very quickly.

That said, how many times have you seen a stricken aircraft on the ground wth the tail surviving in tact. I think a ground accident, whether related to take-off or landing, is the only possible scenario where it might be safer sitting at the back.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Also, reserve seats at the back of the aircraft - noisier but safer.

A "statistic" that has repeatedly been debunked as an urban myth.

Anyway rationalising with nervous flyers is a waste of breath because logic doesn't enter into it. You'd do better telling them to pull themselves together and not be so damn silly but I gather that's sometimes not thought appropriate these days.

Try giving them a flying lesson at their local flying club. Or just tell them to pull themselves together. (As said above it's more likely a fear of a fear which is entirely self-induced)

[DaveReidUK]

I think a ground accident, whether related to take-off or landing, is the only possible scenario where it might be safer sitting at the back.

30% of all commercial jet fatal accidents occur during landing or takeoff ...

[Hotel Tango]

Oh, who has corrected me then? I refer to the post just above yours and suggest that maybe you should get your facts right. Perhaps it was arguably true in the days of the somewhat slower piston airliners, but not with the fast jet airliners of today. Furthermore, I would never suggest to a nervous flyer to sit at the back because they would experience a much more uncomfortable ride in turbulence. If you want to believe the back is safer that's fine by me, but I still think you are deluding yourself, sorry ;)

[DaveReidUK]

Furthermore, I would never suggest to a nervous flyer to sit at the back because they would experience a much more uncomfortable ride in turbulence. If you want to believe the back is safer that's fine by me, but I still think you are deluding yourselfThose two propositions aren't mutually exclusive, of course. It's perfectly possible for the back end to be both the most uncomfortable place to be in turbulence, and the safest in the event of an accident.

I'm thinking particularly of the runway overrun case.

http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/WORLD/americas/05/31/honduras.crash/art.honduras.crash.tvch.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/80/OG_269_crashed.jpg/320px-OG_269_crashed.jpg

Given that the statistical likelihood of being involved in an accident (of any sort) is remote, it's perfectly reasonable to prioritise comfort over survivability in one's choice of seat, but that's a purely personal choice.

[PAXboy]

For comfort - the central section of an aircraft is always going to be smoother and much more important thatn guessing which part might be more heavily damaged. Besides, if you tell the nervous pax that the last rows are safer and to sit there - they are likely to ask what happens in a ditching?!

The only other question about where to sit relates, as I mentioned earlier, as to whether the pax wants to see the wings flex as they work? For many that is worse as they become fixated on when they will break off.

[Agaricus bisporus]

The discovery was made after an exhaustive study of 105 accidents including personal accounts from almost 2,000 survivors of how they managed to escape from crash landings and on-board fires.
Predictably the safest seats are in the emergency exit rows themselves with those afforded the quickest exit being in the aisle seats.
But it also discovered that sitting at the front of the aircraft had a 65 per cent chance of survival during a fire compared with 58 per cent for other passengers.
The most dangerous seats are those six or more rows from an exit at the back of the aircraft.
The study was Commissioned by the Civil Aviation Authority and carried out by Greenwich University in south east London.

via a thirty second google search.....

[jackieofalltrades]

In the crash of United 232 at Sioux City, almost everyone at the back was killed or seriously injured. The majority of the survivors were those in the middle.

United 232 seat map (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/UnitedAirlines232SeatInjuryMap.JPG)

Generally the strongest part of the fuselage (and implication safest) is that over the landing gear, and by the emergency exits. Though, obviously, there are crashes that show this to be the exception as well.

[DaveReidUK]

Though, obviously, there are crashes that show this to be the exception as well. Yes, you can probably find examples of accidents that are exceptions to pretty well any general rule.

In a cartwheeling aircraft, as at KSUX, I'd want to be as near as possible to the CofG too.

In an overrun, I'd want to be as far as possible from the sharp end that's going to be the first part that hits anything solid.

In a fire, I think that notwithstanding the CAA's findings I'd still prefer to be at the back. I haven't read the study, but I suspect that the reason fewer passengers at the back survive is that at least some of them are fixated on getting to the front or overwing exits, forgetting (despite the safety briefing) that there may be a nearer door behind them.

[Hotel Tango]

forgetting (despite the safety briefing) that there may be a nearer door behind them.

....or not, as the case may be with some types.

Bottom line is that unless you know what type of accident/incident you might exceptionally be very unlucky to experience, there are no guaranteed safe seats. Statistics are a waste of time as they mean absolutely nothing. How many passengers died in the back of an airliner AND on their first flight? Statistically, perhaps less than others. However, those statistics were of little relevance to those who did, if you see my point.

[DX Wombat]

Now that you have all cheered up the nervous passenger with your doom and gloom about where to sit, may I offer a suggestion? Minstermineman why not book a trial lesson for the lady concerned? Explain the position to the school so that the instructor can do a thorough job. I know of one person whom I persuaded to fly just a single circuit. The FI took her out and took his time to explain the pre-flight check as he did it then took her into the aircraft to explain further how everything worked and got her to try the controls whilst still on the ground. They then did a single circuit with the FI talking her through everything whilst she operated the controls. She went out to the aircraft shaking like a leaf. I have a photo of her return to earth - well almost earth as I think she was still on cloud 9, she is laughing and pointing to the aircraft and shouting to everyone "I did it! I FLEW it! He'll (her husband) will never believe it." She was still nervous but much less so.

[grounded27]

Honestly, someone had posted Xanax and Wine. I believe in dealing with anxiety in a healthy manner but just for a couple of flights.... absolutely. After that experience just having a few pills on her person (just in case) is a great comfort for many.

[Sunnyjohn]

We recently flew VLC-GTW with easyJet. While taxying out at VLC, a passenger became agitated and said she couldn't fly, so the aircraft taxied back to the apron where, accompanied by her partner, she was taken off. Their hold bags had to be retrieved and, as I understand the situation, the crew had arranged for the baggage to be loaded from both sides of the hold, thus expediting the turnaround, as the flight was late in to VLC. I may have got this wrong, but I understood that this meant that the baggage was loaded without order, which meant that there was a long delay while the handlers searched for their baggage. In the event, the flight left VLC 60 minutes late which, of course, had a domino effect on the subsequent flights of this aircraft. At a guess, well over 300 passengers were very late on arrival. Many, like us, probably missed their rail, bus or coach connections. There, I assume, would also be a cost to easyJet. I wonder what your thoughts are regarding the effect caused by one nervous flyer who, incidentally, was pretty hysterical before the taxi began.

[Hartington]

I had two nervous colleagues back in the days when a ride in the cockpit was possible. Both, at different times, got cockpit rides. One found flying easier after the experience the other didn't.

I'm not sure that one solution will apply to everyone.

[Mr Optimistic]

I reckon a window seat is always the best. For a start you paid for the view and secondly you get a spatial reference to put any bumps into perspective. They are also carefully designed to obscure the forward view so you never see the mountain coming, and the near miss only once it has flown by.

[dazdaz1]

I recall a statistical calculation (pax) that one could fly five hundred thousand miles without any airborne incident . What worries me, you might be sitting next to that pax who has gone over it.:{

[DaveReidUK]

I recall a statistical calculation (pax) that one could fly five hundred thousand miles without any airborne incidentAs observations go, that's a demonstrably true one. But a statistic it ain't.

[ExXB]

I've done just over 2 million Kim's in 40 years and I've had 2 engine shutdowns and two aborted landings (go around). So about 1 in every half million kms. I appear to be ready for another, perhaps I should sell tickets.

[PAXboy]

I have no idea what distance I've travelled in 45+ years of Paxing - but I've never had a go round, RTO or a shut down or ANYTHING. So next Sunday's flip to Fuerteventura is probably it.

Been fun to be in this forum. Bye! :p

[Rwy in Sight]

You may be for one but not soon. You see, when you announce it and you expect it, it never comes. Then in catches you off guard when you least expect it.

Safe and exciting flying.

[FlyingGoggles]

Agree with others - keep her off here!

I'm a nervous flier - a member of the website MathFox mentions, and the one thing that helped me, was actually some time in smaller aircraft. I did take the controls and the whole experience has helped. My issue is with feeling I have no control and don't know what's going on.

So, by being given control on a smaller scale, and shown how everything is checked etc, I can remember it when I'm on something like a 737.

I'm not "cured" I still get nervous and I hate turbulence with a passion, but I'm getting there.

OP, you sound like a good friend. My advice, keep doing what you're doing, and take your lead from your friend.

[Leftofcentre2009]

I like to think of myself as being fairly well traveled. I was lucky enough as a child to be taken away with my parents several times a year back in the 80's and 90's on Orion Airways, Dan Air London, BIH etc.

When i left school, the career path i chose was Aircraft Maintenance with a British carrier on thier ab-initio apprentice scheme.

I think it stems from that industry and some of the things i witnessed (now thats a story for another day) that has made me nervous of flying (as a passenger).

Ive long since left that line of work and no longer have a career in aviation after numerous redundancies. I also have my PPL now. All that being said, i still get scared during turbulence on a passenger flight. I know my thoughts are irrational and unreasonable. There is nothing i can do about it so i thoroughly sympathise with any fellow scared passenger. Its different being in control though. I am not bothered at all when flying the Cessna or Piper. :ugh:

I guess the one thing that sits in my mind when i'm on a passenger plane that's being tossed about the sky in turbulence is MECHANICAL FAILURE! Yes the airframe and components have very high maintenance etc etc blah blah blah Ive heard it all before.

Still forgot to latch two engine cowls on a BA A319 yesterday though didn't they (Or so it seems very likely). :(

[InSeat19c]

I think that the best piece of advise on this thread for the nervous flyer is to avoid threads like this, even though it was started by someone asking for advise.

Photos of crashed planes and recommendations for the best place to sit during a cartwheeling crash, a head-on or if there is a fire ?? !!

I wouldn't say I was nervous, more just apprehensive and I read such threads thinking I might find something helpful or at least some sympathy.

Was this an off the wall attempt at being helpful or people just taking the mick ?

[Shack37]

Photos of crashed planes and recommendations for the best place to sit during a cartwheeling crash, a head-on or if there is a fire ?? !!

I wouldn't say I was nervous, more just apprehensive and I read such threads thinking I might find something helpful or at least some sympathy.

Was this an off
the wall attempt at being helpful or people just taking the mick ?


No, just our resident "experts" showing how much they know (or not).

[CharlieGolfBravo]

I had to deal with fear of flying after a very bumpy flight from the Canary islands to Germany about 10 years ago. There were turbulences all the way, and i was nearly feared to death. I'm sure i annoyed a lot of other passengers nearby because at every little bump i groaned and moaned and was about to cry WE WILL ALL DIE! :O Obviously i never wanted to board a plane again. After that i found a website were pilots explain the noises and movements of the aircraft and all the safety standards and answered a lot of my questions. As a result i became highly interested in the art of flying, and i even try to read "Stick and rudder" at last. Even if i don't understand everything, it is all very fascinating to me, and my fear of flying was gone. I still don't like to be pressed for hours in a narrow economy seat with hundreds of other people, but that's a different problem.

[mixture]

No... It really is safer: No aircraft has ever reversed into a mountain

As a moderator, you should know better than to perpetuate myths. :ugh:

One word.... AF447.

Need more examples ? :E

[Blondie2005]

As someone who became a very nervous flyer after being on a plane that had an engine failure, I'm afraid that the only true cure is to fly. The more you do it, the more you see how professional the crews are, the more reassured you become. Even when it happened to me, the crew were perfectly calm and professional, and landed the plane back where we had taken off from perfectly (of course). My only mistake was to decline the offer of a seat on a later plane to the original destination and take the train instead (it was a domestic flight so this was entirely practicable). It took me two years to get on a plane again. With hindsight, it's like falling off a horse - you should get straight back on.

[DaveReidUK]

One word.... AF447.The fact that there are (obviously) some accidents where everyone on board is killed does not negate the proposition that, in general, whether you live through a survivable accident (or not) may depend on where you are sitting.

[Espada III]

Over 40 years of flying (although not as many flights as you): -

2 go arounds - one because the trolleys weren't stowed in time and one because the plane was too high in the approach.

No engine failures;

no rejected take offs;

one return to the airport after 20 minutes when the NLG doors failed to close properly.

[mixture]

The fact that there are (obviously) some accidents where everyone on board is killed does not negate the proposition that, in general, whether you live through a survivable accident (or not) may depend on where you are sitting.

Its is the largest piece of bull excrement in the world to say it makes a difference where you sit.

The fact that passengers are forward facing and only have lap belts has a significantly greater impact on the sheer extent of the injuries you will sustain upon impact than where you sit (there is a reason cabin crew sit facing rearwards with three point harnesses, and the RAF and other militaries transitioned to rear facing seats with three point harnesses many years ago).

[DaveReidUK]

Its is the largest piece of bull excrement in the world to say it makes a difference where you sit.So let me see if I've got this right.

In accidents where significant numbers of passengers have died, but others have survived (e.g. Manchester, Tenerife, Sioux City, etc, etc) you would expect the survivors to have been randomly seated throughout the cabin, because the chances of surviving vs dying were the same for every seat row ?

That's :mad:

[mixture]

In accidents where significant numbers of passengers have died

The problem with quoting historical accidents that occurred decades ago is that the world and technology has moved on since.

(a) The risk of actually being involved in such an accident is very small indeed.
(b) A large number of safety related enhancements have occurred that were not in place all those years ago.

Even if you do sit in the back next to the toilets, there remains the very real possibility of you suffering significant injuries as a result of lap belts and forward facing seats than there is of you sitting in seats further forward.

[DaveReidUK]

The problem with quoting historical accidents that occurred decades ago is that the world and technology has moved on since.Yes, of course.

But we still have accidents (obviously) and more to the point those still include events where some passengers die and others survive depending on where in the aircraft they were fortunate/unfortunate enough to be seated.

This certainly wasn't "decades ago":

http://bp0.blogger.com/_1fMIRe05wY0/SG2gFiZfzeI/AAAAAAAAEBg/l_hv8Jy3QBQ/s400/og269.jpg

According to the investigation report, those who survived had all escaped through the LH overwing emergency exits.

Most of those who died were in the forward cabin - tell them it didn't make any difference where they had been sitting.

[mixture]

But we still have accidents (obviously) and more to the point those still include events where some passengers die and others survive depending on where in the aircraft they were fortunate/unfortunate enough to be seated.

Three things are guaranteed in life.... birth, taxes and death.

You are going to die at some point. You are not going to have any control over the time or method of your eventual demise, nor is your family, nor is your chosen symbol of faith (should you have one). One day, you will die.

Life is all about compromises.

In the grand scheme of things of everything that could possibly go wrong on board an aircraft, there are bigger and better things to worry about than where you are going to sit. Sit where you want to sit, end of story. Left, right, front, back .... sit where you fancy sitting, not where you think you should sit because you might possibly - despite the odds being already stacked against you with front facing seats and lap belts - survive a crash that you are, in all honestly, unlikely to experience in your lifetime.

Flying remains the safest form of transport out there, and incidents where people die are very, very rare indeed if you compare the number of such incidents to the number of flights each and every day.

You are far more likely to die of a medical condition of some description than be involved in an aircraft incident, let alone an incident that gets you anywhere near contemplating your imminent death.

Look at the bigger picture and put your fears in context.

[PAXboy]

All very true mixture but that is not going to help the nervous pax to fly... The OED:
phobia
· n. an extreme or irrational fear of something.
– DERIVATIVES phobic adj. & n.

Rational thinking does not work with a phobia.

[mixture]

Rational thinking does not work with a phobia.

Fair point PAXboy.
The correct answer is of course to encourage professional psychiatric assistance.

Otherwise you might want to try something like the BA "Flying With Confidence" courses (see here (http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flying-with-confidence/public/en_gb)), despite the rather odd choice of banner image they use on their website that would probably give you a fear of flying in its own rights....

http://www.britishairways.com/cms/global/assets/images/information/travel_prep/flying_with_confidence_770x180.jpg

[PAXboy]

Strange image indeed! The next time i meet a person feaful of flying, I'll be sure to show them an unrealistic picture of someone sleeping in Bic class ... :hmm:

[ExXB]

... While being groped by a man in a dark blue jacket. That is it looks like a man, but anything is possible,

[mixture]

... While being groped by a man in a dark blue jacket. That is it looks like a man, but anything is possible,

ExXB, glad someone got it ! Seemed to have flown right over PAXboy's head.

That is what I meant by "probably give you a fear of flying in its own rights...." PAXboy :E

[PAXboy]

:ooh:
:ooh:
:ooh:
:ooh:

I just thought the Cabin manager was making sure that she was properly tucked in. I'm just too innocent. :p

[Load Toad]

There's a lot to be said for the women who are not properly tucked in imho.

[PAXboy]

I don't know anything more than is here: Virgin Atlantic Airways - Popup (http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/frequentflyer/fcpartners/virgingroup/flyingwithoutfear.jsp)
but they might be useful for some folks.