Fear of flying!

All In London Forum
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Elpul
Right, for the past 6 or so years, i've had an insane fear of flying. I used to love it, but had a couple of bad experiences (an emergency landing, gas masks come down mid flight etc) which has since led me to hate it.

I'm alright as long as there's no turbulence, then I freak out and think im gonna crash. hate take off too. I only like landing as it's almost over and am kind of ok if it's nice and flat when your in the air.

My sister lives in Florida and I'm soon going to have to do my first transatlantic solo flight.

Just wondering if anyone has any brilliant tips to keep me at ease during the flight 9 hours on board??

Would be great if you do as I'm really nervous.

Thanks all!
Posted: 2007-07-20 15:03:00
TheMog
I used to be exactly the same, loved flying for my first few flights then started to think about it too much and had near panic attacks when they closed the doors.

The way I deal with it is to keep thinking about the statistics (it's incredibly safe compared to driving) and look at how calm the in-flight staff are, they're doing a few flights a day every day!

I also say to myself "you're here now and there's nothing you can do if anything goes wrong so just enjoy it"


My coping strategies were really put the test last year on our Honeymoon in Tanzania, we took loads of flights on those tiny planes, turbulance on those is a whole different thing to the large jets, bloody terrifying.


Mogwai
Posted: 2007-07-20 15:19:43
Elpul
Thanks. those are some good ideas.

Any more from anyone?
Posted: 2007-07-20 17:30:36
lozbbe69
hmmm well i love flying but i know somebody who is tterrified n she says spiggy helps!!!

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Posted: 2007-07-21 14:45:39
Aly
What's spiggy? :-?


I'm the same! I used to have no problem with flying. I absolutley LOVE heights (still do!) and used to enjoy looking out of the window on flights. My first flight was to Cyprus... don't remember much of it, but i'm sure I was fine. Next flight was to Florida. So I had the 9 hour flight! I was fine then too. Just watched mnovies and on the way back, slept through most of it. Watching movies may help to take your mind off flying. But suprisingly, even though I have had no bad experiences when flying, since 9/11 I have had the fear of a hi-jack or something happening to the plane. I went to Spain with my best mate in 2005 and she's a fine flyer, but I was getting nervous. I was ok through most, but at times I was thinking "What if we crash?" And stupid things like, "How is the plane staying up in the air?" Lol!
But the worst was when I went to Edinburgh, which was only a 30 minute flight! But I think it's worst the shorter it is, because I'm like "I want to get down now! It's only short, we should be there now!" My boyfriend was with me then, and he's a nervous flyer. So it was worse to be with someone who panics than with someone who doesn't... So if you're on your own, you might feel better.
But anyways, I just have a real vivid imagination and I work myself up over nothing. My brother is a real bad flyer and he went to Malia (I think :confused2: ) not too long ago and what he does to calm his nerves is he asks to see the piolet and the cockpit. They let him do it and he just talks about the various knobs and switches I think and the pilot reasures him how safe it actually is. Try and do that before you set off :)

All the best buddie! :party:
Posted: 2007-07-25 17:01:09
Elpul
yeah - i was wondering what spiggy is too!!!???

I had my first pre flight plane crash nightmare last night! (i always get them a number of weeks before i go long haul). its stupid and irrational!!

im flying with Virgin atlantic and apparntly they have a channelon the radio devoted to people who are scared of flying so relaxation stuff. hopefully that will help.

thanks guys for looking ou for me. ive done that flight so many times. i really need to overcome it. :confused2: :-?
Posted: 2007-07-25 22:44:09
lozbbe69
ahhh sorry guys i 4got a lot of u wur 4rm down south... spiggy is chuddy lol... n erm if u dnt sey chuddy chewing gum lmfao ;)

yeah flying is absolutely mint in my opinion.. i videod my take off/landin on my phone lol.. i may just put it on youtube ;)

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Posted: 2007-07-26 01:33:06
lozbbe69
ooo and yeah el ive flown to florida with virgin atlantic and they had a good selection of stuf and i remember hearing something about that!!!

the games are mint on it haha i love it plus u can keep goin bak to the air hostesses n u get cans o coke etc free

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Posted: 2007-07-26 01:34:35
Elpul
ORIGINAL: lozbbe69

ahhh sorry guys i 4got a lot of u wur 4rm down south... spiggy is chuddy lol... n erm if u dnt sey chuddy chewing gum lmfao ;)

yeah flying is absolutely mint in my opinion.. i videod my take off/landin on my phone lol.. i may just put it on youtube ;)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



aaaagggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you're one of those people that scare the poo out of me by having their phone switched on on a plane !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 2007-07-26 12:19:52
lozbbe69
hahaha el u madd ed!

my phone is extra cool lmfao so it has flight mode which means u can use everything on it but the signal things which mess up the plane are switched off... so its all good and u can.. *brrreeeeaaaatheee* lol :smug: :laugh:

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Posted: 2007-07-26 14:42:03
Aly
My phone doesn't have flight mode :( Just music mode. As in you can turn your phone on but just use the walkman part of it.

I'm sure you'll be fine El. Just try and bring as many things on to the plane with you as poss so you can take your mind off flying. Try and get some sleep as well. Or just not go... :p
Posted: 2007-07-26 15:33:42
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