EasyJet’s fearless Flyer programme returns for autumn and winter

The British low-cost airline has announced the return of its Fearless Flyer courses, which are designed to help people who are afraid of flying to overcome their fear. Nine courses will be offered across eight UK airports over the next four months.

There is nothing more frustrating than beginning or ending a holiday with crippling anxiety about flying, or worse, avoiding destinations altogether because air travel seems impossible. Around one in ten people in the UK suffer from some degree of aerophobia, though some sources suggest that the figure could be as high as one in six. With turbulence projected to increase in the coming years, such programmes are becoming increasingly relevant for adventure seekers and business travellers alike.

Mark Wein, easyJet’s Fearless Flyer Course Director, said he knows firsthand how life-changing the course can be. “As someone who used to have a fear of flying, I understand only too well how restrictive this fear can be, but it really isn’t that difficult to overcome it”, he explained, adding that more often than not, anxiety stems from a lack of knowledge. The very reason, he said, that made the easyJet Fearless Flyer course so successful.

easyJet says that since its launch, more than 14,000 people have completed the course, with a success rate of over 95%. This autumn and winter, the programme will be available at London Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast and Jersey.

With prices starting at £89 per person for the online course, easyJet stands out not only among low-cost carriers, but also as the UK’s cheapest flying-phobia programme.

The airline says the programme provides “reassurance and winning techniques by senior easyJet pilots and phobia experts to help combat concerns around flying, enabling even the most ardent aerophobe to overcome their fear”.

The course is delivered in three parts. The first part is a two-and-a-half-hour online ground session led by an easyJet captain. They explain everything that happens during a flight and demystify the unfamiliar sounds and sensations experienced at every stage of the journey, including take-off, landing and turbulence. Lawrence Leyton, a psychologist specialising in fears and phobias, shares tips and practical anxiety management techniques.

The second part is a one-hour preflight session. Participants meet the easyJet team via a Zoom session and receive further guidance about the airport experience to help familiarise them with the process and put them at ease about boarding. They can also take part in a live Q&A with a pilot, Leyton and Wein himself.

The third and final part is the highlight of the programme: a one-hour journey on board an easyJet aircraft, supported throughout by the Fearless Flyer team.

For many, the results are immediate. Fiona Deans, who took part in easyJet’s 200^th Fearless Flyer course at London Gatwick in May 2025, said that the experience allowed her to fly again after 18 years. “I’m so glad I finally had the courage to book onto the course. I hadn’t flown for 18 years until this morning,” she recalled. “The crew and easyJet staff were all very welcoming, reassuring and spent time with everyone on the flight to make sure we were all OK. They meet you at check-in and stay with you until after the flight.”

She added that having time to sit on the plane before and after the flight and talk with the pilots and crew was invaluable. “It was a great experience, and I wish I’d done it years ago.” Wein encourages “anyone with any doubts about flying to book now and change your life”.