Anyone else scared of flying?

[rosiejo]

Hi guys,

My FIL2B has just told us that he won't be coming on our Wedding trip this November as he is scared of flying and just can't get his head round the 91/2 hour flight. He's spent the last 8 months worrying about it and has now decided to pull out. So my MIL2B will not be coming either.

Obvioulsy we are all very upset by this but are going to go ahead with the trip and the wedding.

I spoke to Virgin about their Flying without Fear course and there is one at the end of this month - we are going to ask him today if he will go on the day course and see how he feels after.

Has anyone done this course?

Or is anyone out there also scared of flying? How do you overcome your fear in order to fly to Florida?

All help and advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance...

TJ

 

[Rain]

Get him to take a look at TakingFlight.usTakingFlight.us
It is a great site, lots of pilots on there willing to explain fears etc.

 

[Cochise]

TJ,


Sent a PM.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Yes, I hate flying and always will.
Have cancelled holidays in the past but for the last few years have got better and better - I mean we have been 12 times, 13 next month so I guess I cannot be that bad.
Our little lad is Autistic - he is a perfectly happy normal lad but just cannot talk - he loves it in Orlando so we do not go anywhere else.
Whilst he is fine on the flight and we are very organised, personal DVD player etc I think having to concentrate on making sure he is okay has taken a bit of the worry away from myself.
I couldn't not let him go and have a great time - so I put up with it.

A couple of drinks before the flight have helped, but to be honest would rather not bother anymore as I want to be as fresh as possible when we arrive.

It is very difficult to give precise advice, however, there are 1000s who feel the same way, at the end of the day it is worth the worry to have a great holiday and the more you go the easier it becomes.

I actually booked a fear of flying course with BA several years ago and went along for the day but actually didn't have the nerve to go on the flight - thankfully I cope a little better these days.

 

[mark&sue]

My friend got married abroad and one set of parents didn't come as they thought they were too old for a long flight. She had a party for the people that could not make it when she got back. It is just one of those things when getting married abroad that not everyone can make it. We were lucky enough to go to the actual wedding and the party! Both went really well.

I hate flying and feel ill for weeks before I fly but I know there really are some people who just will not do it whatever.

A man I work with does not drive and his wife refuses to fly. They do not go on holiday. Just day trips away. (This to me would be awful as I have to have my Disney fix.)

The Arsenal football player Dennis Bergkamp has it written in to his contract that he does not have to fly and therefore misses many of the important european matches. You may have to accept that they really can't face it.

I hope everything works out for you. Let us know what happens.



Susan

P.S. My FIL wouldn't make the trip from Scotland to London for our wedding!

 

[CHRIS F]

I used to be scared but I got promoted at work but the catch was that if I took the job I had at least 50 to 100 flights per year now I am cured after three years but I used to be so ill before flying sometimes never leaving the airport toilets until boarding then having panic attacks sat on the plane waiting for take off.
My wife is still petrified she gets over it by getting happy pills from her doctor, as long as she takes them at the right time no problems, normally a few drinks on the flight as well. When we flew Virgin to Orlando the first time she took them we had bad turbulance on the journey when we landed I said to her you coped well with the turbulance [normally she wood have teeth marks on the seat in front] her reply was what turbulance?

It really depends on the people my wife thinking was she would not let her fear restrict her, but it is so difficult and for some people it is just too much which you have to accept it is an awful fear to have.

The point I am trying to make is that everyone is effected differently I don't think there is the same cure for everyone.

I hope everything works out

 

[UKDEB]

I am a nervous flyer, but each time it gets easier. By far the most effective cure is familiarity, so the more you do it, the less terrifying it is. Won't help your FIL2B, though.

I did a Fear of Flying course several years ago with Aviatours (BA Pilots and crew) and it definitely helped. The difference between that and the Virgin one is that you actually get to take a flight at the end of it. Only 5 people (of around 120) didn't get on the flight. The flight is a big plus - you get a running commentary for the entire duration and the plane is swarming with BA pilots and cabin crew to encourage you.

I also get Diazepam from my GP which has been a huge help. On our most recent trip in April/May this year, I managed without it which shows how far I have progressed. On my first couple of trips to Orlando I spent the entire flights gripping the arms of the seat!

 

[Queenie]

I'm a nervous flyer, not exactly scared to death but scared enough! I took a bottle of Kalms on the flights with me last year. I took two about 20 mins before sceduled flight time and topped up with 1 after 30 mins if the plane was delayed. I could also take them in the airport in the hours leading up to the flight if I got nervous - just be sure not to take too many (instructions are on the bottle.) They're cheap but really effective. I also had some rescue remedy with me which is an instant fix if you start to feel nervous during the flight.

 

[disneyholic family]

i'm terrified of flying (actually that's an incorrect statement - i'm actuallly terrified of crashing)...
in any case, it gets progressively worse...
i began flying 43 years ago, when i was 7 years old and wasn't at all scared....and continued to not be scared even though we even had a few near misses....we flew all the time all over the world and i was fine with it..

i'm not exactly sure when my really intense fears began.....probably within the last 15 years....maybe even only the last 10.....but it gets worse and worse...
but so far it hasn't stopped me from flying...but i get extremely wound up for several weeks before i have to fly (if i know earlier than that, then i get nervous then)....

somehow i just keep pushing past it....i can't say how....but i probably have passed up trips that weren't necessities for me....WDW is a necessity, and there's just no other reasonable way to get halfway around the world except by flying....

 

[rosiejo]

Thanks everyone - I've found a couple more threads on the DIs and everyone's advice is always the same - take some pills - relax - try a course etc.

We spoke to him last night though and he doesn't want to try any of these things and is dead set on not coming. So we just have to get on with it. I'm still very angry about it - most people on the Dis say they overcome their fear becasue they have to get their Disney fix... yet he won't overcome his for his own son's wedding...

So they'll just have to come to our @home reception we have planned for January - and miss out on what I hope will still be a very special day - even though I know it won't be the same now that they won't be there - so really that's why I'm angry - not because they won't come but because they're ruining it for us, and they won't even try some of these suggestions just to see if they could get over it...

Thanks again

RJ