Ever wished you could fly away on holiday but too scared to board a plane? A programme to help aerophobics might be the answer.
Fear of flying creates problems for people around the world, up to one in six of us, according to Easyjet. While it might seem trivial, fear of flying can cause real issues in the workplace and tensions between family members, preventing those who suffer from taking well-earned vacations with loved ones or from visiting family and friends around the world.
But some carriers offer training courses to help fearful flyers overcome their phobia. Easyjet recently celebrated its 150th “Fearless Flyer” course, having given new confidence to thousands of passengers.
The aerophobia courses first took off in 2012, with a learning element and a flight experience element, and are designed to allay passengers’ fears and reduce anxiety by explaining in advance the process of taking a flight.
The budget British carrier claims a 95% success rate, with over 11,000 flight phobics assisted.
As an ex-phobic myself, to have personally seen more than 11,000 people with a fear of flying successfully take the skies fearlessly is a hugely rewarding experience. We regularly receive messages from our Fearless Flyers telling us about their family reunions, amazing holidays and even career opportunities that were made possible because they overcame their fears.
Mark Wein, Course director used to be one of the phobics
While Wein’s fear was rooted in the “technical”, “turbulence” and “distrust of the aircraft”, the course can also help those with other worries about flying, such as claustrophobia and more.
EasyJet’s Fearless Flyer course exists in person and with online options. It is delivered first at a ground school, then a pre-flight briefing and then finally a one-hour “experience flight”, meaning those taking the course can have their first flight in the presence of the course instructors who have been reassuring them. Including information about the types of noises and smells to expect, the course also offers coping strategies to address phobias.
A Zoom call follows up the course, addressing any additional questions about what to expect.
Finally, students board the training flight that is included with the course. Instructors are there to explain the process step-by-step, and to help students to put coping mechanisms into practice.
The 11,000th student, Marc Carlton, regained enough confidence to fly in commercial aircraft again after 25 years.
“The online course teaches you about the technical aspects of flying and just how safe a form of transport it really is,” he explained. “The psychological part of the course teaches you that fear is a choice and that fear can be deleted by replacing negative thought patterns with positive thoughts and beliefs. The fear gradually dissipates. I’m delighted to be flying again and looking forward to holidaying overseas!”
With a series of courses coming up in the early summer and beyond, it’s worth checking fearlessflyer.easyjet.com for further information and booking. You can download a free e-book there. You’ll also find VIP options, giving lifetime access to the courses, in case you feel you will need a top-up.
Simple Flying points out that other airlines also offer courses, such as British Airways’ “Flying With Confidence” course and Virgin Atlantic’s “Flying Without Fear”.
