FEAR OF FLYING 12 Helpful TIPS by CAPTAIN JOE

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Article Highlights:

Discussing the common issue of fear of flying.

Offering practical tips to overcome avophobia.

Encouraging steps for a stress-free flying experience.

Sharing resources such as videos and consultations for guidance.

Dear friends and followers, welcome back to my channel.

Today we'll be talking about a less technical subject and rather address a very common problem that concerns at least one out of five passengers. The fear of flying.

Now, this fear often comes with emotional effects such as phobias like claustrophobia or the fear of losing control.

In this video, I want to give you some tips on how to overcome avophobia, the fear of flying.

I'll teach you some techniques to enjoy the by far safest and fastest method of traveling.

So to all my nervous flies out there, pen and notebook for this one, please. And let's get started.

So here are 12 helpful steps in no particular order to reduce your fear of flying or at least make it a little easier for you to step into a plane.

The first one: Bring a Distraction.

Now the first thing you should consider if entering a plane makes you nervous is to bring some kind of distraction, a good book or a few magazines for yourself to read whilst traveling.

Make sure to download your favorite movies and shows to your tablet or laptop in advance. The flight will be over in no time.

Number two: Don't fly alone.

Bring a friend or family member if you can. It will give you immediate comfort to look at a familiar face and talk to a person you know.

After all, most things become less scary if you're not alone. To face your fear, have your own little sort of family and friend task force with you to calm you down.

Number three: Sit in the Forward Part of the aircraft.

Now, since your flight starts at the moment you book your ticket, it's important to choose your seat wisely.

Although pilots will do everything they can to actively avoid turbulence, the forward part of the aircraft is less prone to getting shaken back and forth compared to the AFT part of the plane.

And the seats situated over the wings are also a good choice. So you could book these two, but not the ones over the emergency exits.

Getting instructions by the cabin crew on how to open the overwing exits in case of an emergency won't calm your nerves for sure. Therefore, make sure to get a seat that's situated in the front part of the plane to enjoy a smoother flight in case of turbulence.

Number four: Prevent Motion Sickness.

The fear of flying isn't the only problem for most passengers. Just like people who start to feel unwell when riding a bus, motion sickness can occur on a flight as well.

This happens due to the mismatching signals your brain is receiving. Now, while your eyes see the interior of the plane, which looks as if it's not moving, a part of your ear, called the vestibular system, registers movement as you fly through the air.

In order to avoid these opposing information, you should ask for a window seat. That way you can make sure that your eyes will give your brain the exact same message as your ears do.

You might be one of those who think, “I don't get motion sickness.” Get on a fun fair ride with your eyes closed. Good luck with that.

Number five: Anti Fear Training.

Another technique that might sound a bit funny at first is to pinch yourself in the back of your hand.

Now, this technique is also used by psychologists and can be learned very easily. In fact, we can start practicing it right now.

I want you to close your eyes and think about a situation that makes you feel really good. Think about your partner, your kids, your last vacation, your graduation.

It can be really any kind of event that you enjoyed. Now picture it in front of your eyes and then gently pinch the skin of your hand between your fingers.

I admit it will take some practice, but after a certain time, your brain will link this mild physical pain with happiness.

And this is a great technique because it can help you to go through any fearful situations. Now you only need to pinch your skin like you always did, and it will make you automatically happier.

Number six: Positive thoughts.

Gather positive information. Therefore, I do not recommend binge watching air crash investigation reports the evening before your flight.

You don't watch car crash compilations just before going on a road trip, do you? You should rather ask yourself the following questions.

What type of aircraft will I be flying with? And what route are we going to fly? Take a look at the map and draw a line between your departure and your destination airport.

Now, by doing so, you'll approximately know where you're going. If you want to know more about your route in detail, then just check on Flight Radar 24.

Not only will this be reassuring, it's also interesting and keeps your mind off other things.

Number seven: Achieve small goals.

Step by step. Divide and conquer. First, try to fly shorter distances. Fly from one city to another, or choose holiday destinations that aren't that far away.

I'll give you an example. Let's say you were living in Munich and you plan to go to see the capital of Bel Italia, Rome.

A direct flight would only take you about an hour and a half. Now after that trip, you want to step it up a bit and go for like a beach holiday.

You could then try and fly to Mallorca with a flight time of only two hours. Now, two hours might sound a lot for now, but if you follow my first advice and bring a book or movie, the time will pass very quickly.

After a few of those shorter flights, you'll get more and more comfortable with the plane environment. Gain confidence when it comes to flying and you might be able to visit a destination that's even further away.

This is a good way to face your fears step by step. There's no need to rush. Give yourself time.

And speaking of rushing brings me nicely to point number eight: Travel stress-free.

Many airports give you the opportunity to check in your baggage the day before your flight. Use that opportunity to reduce your overall stress level on the day of your flight so you have less to worry about.

Make sure to arrive early the next day. Eat something, go to the bathroom, walk through the shops at the airport.

Set an alarm on your phone so you know when to get to your gate on time. Now, in case you're traveling further and there's no direct flight, only book connections with at least one hour or more in between the two flights.

Because chasing your luggage and racing through airport terminals is not what you want as a nervous flyer.

Number nine: Speak to the crew when entering the plane.

Talk to the cabin crew about your issues with flying. They are well trained to handle all kinds of situations, including passengers with fear of flying.

They will keep an eye on you throughout the flight and will check on you every now and then. If time permits, you might even get the chance to talk to the pilots as well.

In most cases, you can ask them anything and everything and they'll be happy to make your flight experience more enjoyable.

Just a heads up from a pilot: if you want to speak to the pilots, be among the first passengers who board the plane so the pilots have time to talk to you during boarding.

Don't come in last and expect the pilots to have time for you once boarding is completed. It's go time unless the pilots make an announcement that the flight's delayed for an hour or two because of a slot or something.

Then you may ask the flight attendant if you could nip into the cockpit for a calming chat. Or you can call me! I'm not kidding.

Use the link in the description box below to schedule a zoom call with me. I'll make the time to answer all your technical questions about sounds you've heard that were you on the plane, turbulence, dangerous, etc.

I'll be more than happy to enlighten you and calm your nerves.

Number 10: Sedatives as a last resort.

For people who really experience flying to be a torture but have to fly for work occasionally or for holidays once a year with their family should consider seeing a doctor to get a prescription for sedatives.

However, this can't be a solution in the long run and should only be considered in case you can't do anything else.

While doing the research for this video, I came across many people that said just get drunk before your flight.

Some real wise kids out there. That's the last thing you want to do. Do not drink excessive amounts of alcohol before getting on an airplane.

It will not help. Once the alcohol slowly wears off, you become an emotional plane wreck with mixed feelings of fear, anxiety, and sadness.

All the emotions of the flight attendant and your surrounding passengers do not want you to express. You've become that nervous fly that turned unruly passenger that headline rights itself.

Number 11: Fear of flying Courses by Airlines.

Now a much better solution that can help you for future flights is to participate in a flight seminar about fear of flying. Such courses are held by most major airlines, so you'll find one near your location for sure.

Many of them sort of claim they have a success rate of more than 90% and I can promise you that they will go through all the steps I've just mentioned, often followed by guidance from psychologists and a flight to practice all the mentioned methods.

And last but not least, number 12: Watch my videos on this channel.

You can find a lot of videos that sort of cover almost every topic related to flying, from technical videos to cockpit recordings on how pilots perform certain procedures, etc.

If you watch the technical videos, you'll get a better understanding of the plane and its redundant backup systems. Feel free to watch them to gather valuable information prior to your next flight.

Still unsure and a little bit worried? As I said before, book a zoom call with me. I'll give you that motivational pep talk you need or that calming talk you need.

The link is in the description box below. That's it for today. Thank you very much for your time.

I hope that my given tips are helpful for you and calm your nerves a little prior to your next flight.

And use your checklist for today: