Fear of flying? Here are courses and flights to overcome the tension

If the mere thought of getting on a plane terrifies you, know that you are in good company: Aerophobia (as the fear of airplanes is called) affects 6 out of 10 Italians. This is said by EuroDap, the European Association for Panic Attack Disorder.

Of course, there is fear and there is fear: it is one thing to close your eyes during turbulence, squeezing the hand of those close to you. It is another to prefer to travel three thousand kilometers in a car than to board an airplane. Because aerophobia is pure terror and is much more than the unconscious fear of losing control.

According to the study "Fear of Flying: Impact on the U.S. Air Travel Industry," it is dictated by fear of mechanical problems during flight (73%), fear of turbulence (62%) and fear of mechanical problems on the ground (36%). Yet, one only needs to see the numbers to realize how unfounded these fears are: the probability of suffering an in-flight accident is less than 1 in 45 million. Rarer than dying from a shark attack and much much rarer than losing your life in a car accident.

What about turbulence? They do not justify fear: feeling them is normal, and aircraft are specially designed to deal with them (in the history of modern aviation no plane has ever crashed because of turbulence). Then if you wanted to make sure you feel them less, know that by sitting near the wings the perception is less.

Fear of flying: airline initiatives

To overcome the fear of flying, the largest airlines organize courses and initiatives. Alitalia, for example, has come up with the "Want to Fly" program: the seminar is aimed at those who have never flown, as well as travelers for whom flying is a source of physical and psychological stress, discomfort, and genuine anxiety. A mix of theoretical lectures and practical experiments enabled the 90% of participants to fly with serenity.

EasyJet's course, "Fearless Flyer," is entirely online: created by Lawrence Leyton, a renowned expert on fears and phobias, it is taken from the British program "Fear of Flying" ("Fear of Flying"). The points it addresses? Proven techniques for learning to erase negative thought patterns, methods to stop fear and stop a panic attack, strategies to combat claustrophobia, fear of heights and of losing control, breathing techniques and the "Tapping" or "Thought Field Therapy" technique.

Lufthansa and Air Dolomiti are supporting the Munich-based Texter-Millot agency in organizing group and individual seminars. The first, lasting a weekend, addresses the psychological aspect of fear and allows people to learn through the words of pilots about the laws of aerodynamics, the reason for various noises, the process of departure, and the stages of flight from takeoff to landing. The second puts a team of psychologists and pilots at the person's disposal for an entire day, so as to say goodbye to fears and apprehensions for good.

Those who live in Switzerland, or near its border, can attend the "Fit-to-Fly" seminar in Zurich to understand what happens to the aircraft at each stage of the flight, how turbulence is not a problem and what is "hidden" behind the aircraft's noises. Organized by SWISS, Edelweiss and Lufthansa. In Geneva, the seminar "Voler Sans Peur" designed by SWISS, Geneva Airport and Skyguide offers similar content.

Fear of flying, the innovative solutions

But there are not only seminars, to overcome the fear of flying, JetBlue Airways in collaboration with the Inscape app offers meditation sessions for those already in the air in a full immersion of sound and vision.

Other airlines even offer flight experiences--without the flight! A solution, this one, that helped them "survive" during the lockdown. China Airlines gave the option of reserving a seat on board its Airbus A330: you would go through security and all the identification procedures and board. To then remain stationary in the parking lot.

Eva Air, on the other hand, allows you to board a plane--without a destination! A circumnavigation of Japan's Ryukyu Islands, starting from Taiwan and never getting off the ground. A kind of cruise of the skies, to fly even in times of lockdown and to overcome fear through views of dreamy vistas.

Without resorting to (extreme) originality, a few simple tricks can be used to overcome fear:
# don't be afraid to ask the flight crew questions
# don't choose the last rows of the plane, where turbulence is felt the most
# avoid exciting drinks such as coffee
#ake something on board that can help overcome fear, such as a book or mp3 player (but also choose a good movie)
# learn relaxation and breathing techniques.
# focus on the face of a flight attendant who inspires confidence

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