Ok, don't laugh... I am afraid to fly....

[Janet Hill]

I hate to fly as well, but my fear has nothing to do with crashing. I suddenly become a germophobe (the thought of the recycled air kind of freaks me out). Oh and I'm claustrophobic too. I've flown a few times, most recently from dc to Southern CA. There was no way I could have flown direct about 3 hours is the most I can do in a plane without a break. So I guess I won't be going to Hawaii anytime soon.

Oh and those who fear flying because of 9/11 --- well I haven't been on the metro since 9/11.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Take a friend who is comfortable flying. Try, perhaps, a short Southwest flight - out and back in 1 day. If it's a short flight and it doesn't go well the first time, go to the car rental area and rent a car one-way to return.

I'll tell you a shory.

Years ago, when you were still getting your boarding coupon from a SW gate agent, I flew to Detroit - flight had a stop for me in Cleveland. I chatted with the gate agent - he remembered me from many other filghts (travel often for work).

I boarded first - went to my favorite seat (20F) sat down, closed my eyes are prepared for a comfortable flight. Gate agent told me there were only 66 passengers on our flight so I knew there would be no middle-seat people.

Shortly a young woman (late 20's)sat in the middle seat - next to me ... asking me if I could sit there. I opened one eye and said SURE and was now hoping for a quiet flight.

She chatted continually and somehow I realized...something was wrong. I asked her if she was a "fearful flier" and she said she was terrified to fly. As odd as it sounds, I asked if she wanted to hold my hand for take off and thrilled....she grabbed it. She never let it go until we landed.

I was departing in Cleveland and driving to Detroit....she was flying through Chicago and ending up in Detroit about the same time I expected to land.

Odd again....I asked if she wanted to ride with me and I would take her to her destination. She said yes.

During the ride I discovered her husband was in Florida trying to reach Detroit but would make it later in the day. The day before this lovely woman's sister and two neices were killed when a truck ran a red light. She was absolutely terrified to fly and had to board that jet alone that morning. She was flying to Detroit for their funeral.

There have been a few times in my life where I know for sure God has placed me there for a reason...this was one time. I was there to hold her hand, talk to her and distract her and finally deliver her to her family.

When we arrived in Detroit her family poured out of the house to hug her....and it took me about 20 minutes to finish all the hugs and thank yous this sad family had saved for me to.


So my advice, fly a test flight with a friend who is a comfortable traveler to help you through it. Perhaps that's all you need.

If you cannot fine one....PM me and I'll fly with you!

Good luck and happy travels.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Great story Mouseaholic!!!...I really enjoyed reading it and will remember it the next time I fly. Thanks for sharing!

 

[disneynewbee]

I can't give you any advice, I've never flown before but wanted to let you know you are not alone. Dh and I both have a fear of flying, his worse than mine. My mom kept bugging us to fly for this trip and I was really dreading an 18 hr drive with my 3yo who hates being in the car so I caved and booked. Dh kept wavering back and forth so I just went and did it before he changed his mind again LOL. When he found out I booked he nearly had a heart attack at the reality. Now it's done though and we have to go through with it. I am so worried that the kids will see our fear and be scared so I'm trying to prepare myself. I know I'll take the advise of those on here to watch the flight attendant for clues. I might have to actually drug the husband though he's that scared. Thing is he drives so bad I know flying is a safer bet. SHhh don't tell him I said that.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Thing is he drives so bad I know flying is a safer bet. SHhh don't tell him I said that.

Even if he was the safest driver in the world, he'd still be more at risk driving then flying.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Fear of flying is a VERY common fear and nothing to laugh at.

I can so relate with you. On our last trip to WDW, I shuddered with fear even thinking about it. The odd thing is I have flown to Florida many times, and each time I get more and more fearful. (I think it is because I feel like sometime my "luck" is bound to run out)

I found this excellent website that I would highly recommend. It really helped ease my worry. When I was able to look at it from a more informed and logical standpoint, it really helped.

http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/

You just go down the page, and begin the course. It is absolutely free. It includes articles, videos, excerpts. It is just a great site.

Another oddity of mine is that my crippling fear is in the days/weeks prior to the flight. I think the day of I am so pre-occupied with following a schedule that I do not have time to be sick with worry. Weirder yet, I actually feel better once I am on the plane than I do 2 days before. Now, I think everyone has that little bit of healthy anxiety once they are that high with no control; if it is a short flight, you may even take some Tylenol PM or Unisom beforehand, and maybe you could sleep most of the flight. I have never been able to sleep during a flight ever, but I have never taken sleep-inducing meds before one either.

Check out the site; you won't be disappointed.

 

[Anal Annie]

I can't give you any advice, I've never flown before but wanted to let you know you are not alone. Dh and I both have a fear of flying, his worse than mine. My mom kept bugging us to fly for this trip and I was really dreading an 18 hr drive with my 3yo who hates being in the car so I caved and booked. Dh kept wavering back and forth so I just went and did it before he changed his mind again LOL. When he found out I booked he nearly had a heart attack at the reality. Now it's done though and we have to go through with it. I am so worried that the kids will see our fear and be scared so I'm trying to prepare myself. I know I'll take the advise of those on here to watch the flight attendant for clues. I might have to actually drug the husband though he's that scared. Thing is he drives so bad I know flying is a safer bet. SHhh don't tell him I said that.

Oh please don't freak out your kids!! My DS loves to fly...when he was little he played Tower of Terror with the window shade! Don't you wish you were behind us on that one?! I don't fly for business but I do fly a few time a year. I am not afraid to fly so I can't really help you with that - I would suggest either hypnosis or Captain Morgan is your friend!!! If you're flying in the morning maybe have a couple of Mimosa's at breakfast?! Take a good novel or puzzle book or hobby that will keep your mind occupied. Take a laptop & DVD or an Ipod (you can't use them during take-off or landing but you can during the flight.)

I will admit to feeling apprehensive about flying the first time we flew after 9/11. It was in Oct. right after and they were still figuring out the security stuff at the airports and they were doing a lot of random checking - we had bottled water and they made us drink it in front of them in the security line etc... We live in the DC suburbs which can be unnerving in of itself - DH and I were going to Hawaii alone, on our first trip w/o DS who was only 4 at the time. The original plan was for my parents to come here from WV to stay with DS so he wouldn't be too disrupted but after 9/11 we revised the plan to him going there to stay. We just felt it was safer. Then while we were in HI there was that first anthrax scare. That is the last trip we've taken w/o DS. But we have since relaxed about flying again and no longer eyeball people up & down with suspicion or anything. It has become routine enough that it doesn't bother us.

Just please, take whatever you have to take in order to stay calm in front of your kids. You don't want them to spaz out on you and to develop the same fears. They'll smell the fear ya know. So take something. Dramamine. Booze. Something. I don't care what. I have been afraid of severe storms since one in particular that scared the crap out of me and it's really hard for me not to freak my DS out when I say "let's go to the basement". You've just got to be calm and keep them in mind. There's nothing to it.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Yes me again.

I was in the air on 911 - en-route from Baltimore to Providence, RI. Flying home the following Monday my happy little travel World was much different.

Rather than being frightened from travel, it made me more resolute to change NOTHING in my travel life. I would not allow "them" to take that away from me.

As Jack Ryan said in Patriot Games....."they just made me mad".


Happy flying everyone!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Yes me again.

I was in the air on 911 - en-route from Baltimore to Providence, RI. Flying home the following Monday my happy little travel World was much different.

Rather than being frightened from travel, it made me more resolute to change NOTHING in my travel life. I would not allow "them" to take that away from me.

As Jack Ryan said in Patriot Games....."they just made me mad".


Happy flying everyone!

Exactly how my dh feels. On 9/11 we had great airfares on hold. (back then you could get a 3 day hold w/USAirways.)
My intention that morning of 9/11 was to double check with my sup that I could get my intended vac. days off before booking.
I called dh at work later that morning to see about cancelling the whole thing. He was like, "He** no. They will not stop us from living our lives!"

So that Nov. we went to WDW and it was empty. Like scary empty. Ds and I rode Splash mountain alone in the boat and no one was waiting to ride so we rode again w/o getting out.

 

[angela3676]

I'm 45years old and I've never flown before. My family and I are flying to disney in a couple of weeks. I'm a little afraid but I'm going to do it. I'm not thinking about it to much I'm just going to do it. I'll also be with my dh who has flown many times and my dd. My dd has never flown before either but she usually follows my lead so I don't want her to be afraid to fly just because I am. I figure I'd at least need to do it once before I decide I don't like it.

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

I was scared to death to fly to my wedding in February but I knew I had to do it. What I did was a ton of research on flying. I was basically afraid of the turbulence. I found that during turbulence a pilot will go to a different altitude and make sure they can get out of any turbulence if they can. I also learned that if something were to fail on a plane they have a ton of back ups. I also took xanax which helped me calm down.

It turned out that my fears were worse than the flight. We had a pretty smooth flight. When there was turbulence I told myself that the pilots will get out of it if they can and just pretend i'm in a car on a bumpy road. It worked! I also recommend bringing an Ipod and watching a movie or reading. Flying is actually very relaxing. Once you get over your fear the first time you will love it!

 

[famsen]

I just turned 40 and I haven't flown since I was 12 years old. We just returned from a 6 night stay at WDW and we drove the 20 hours as we have the last 11 trips. DH and I are just too old now to deal with the long drive. It is hot, tiring and boring, especially the drive back. I am terrified to fly but now I decided when we go back in October, I am booking a flight. Life is too short and I am going to enjoy all the time on vacation that I can.

 

[Anal Annie]

I just turned 40 and I haven't flown since I was 12 years old. We just returned from a 6 night stay at WDW and we drove the 20 hours as we have the last 11 trips. DH and I are just too old now to deal with the long drive. It is hot, tiring and boring, especially the drive back. I am terrified to fly but now I decided when we go back in October, I am booking a flight. Life is too short and I am going to enjoy all the time on vacation that I can.

40!? Too old to drive that far?! I did a real double take when I read your post!

We drove it once (back in the 90's). It was about 16 hours for us - to save vac. time we drove it down & back over night in one shot w/ no sleep. We said we'd never do it again. Two reasons - we were exhausted from the lack of sleep and we still don't want to waste another day in ea. direction. Flights are 2 hrs. 5 min. from our area. So I doubt we'll ever drive it again.

But "too old" at just turned 40? You got a long way to go until you're "too old".

 

[SassyCat]

Hi, guys! Another scared flyer here. I have not been on an airplane since 2000. The last time I was 15. At that point, it was my fourth trip (including two trips to London from ATL) to ride on an airplane. I don't remember having any anxiety about it at all. I have OCD (specifically germophobia), which leads me to having a lot of anxiety. Anxiety all of the time about a wide range of crazy things. I sometimes have panic attacks. In the last few years, my anxiety has gotten a lot worse. At this point, I worry about having anxiety. When I get really nervous like that, bad things happen to my body (for example, I get really bad stomach pain and feel like I'm going to throw up). We are going to fly down from ATL to WDW for a short trip in early july for my birthday. The past two trips we drove, but we do not have time for that since our trip is only 3 days. I am so nervous I cannot even tell you. I'm scared to death that I am going to have a severe panic attack on the plane. I have researched what to do in case of a crash (just so I have some idea...), and I know logically that we are much more likely to be in a car crash than a plane crash. Despite this, all logic has abandoned me. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm probably going to take some drammine (sp?) before the flight, but every time I think about it, I get a really sick feeling in my stomach.

 

[tam626]

I can relate. I flew for the first time last Oct., to Disney. Then back in April, we were on a cruise & my 3 yr. old became very sick & severely dehydrated & we both had to get on a Coast Guard helicopter & fly to a hospital an hour away. I actually had to get in one of those baskets & be lifted up. Needless to say, on the flight home, I was'nt as nervous anymore. Honestly, for me, the only way I got on that helicopter was to pray to God to take my fear away. Good luck.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

40!? Too old to drive that far?! I did a real double take when I read your post!

We drove it once (back in the 90's). It was about 16 hours for us - to save vac. time we drove it down & back over night in one shot w/ no sleep. We said we'd never do it again. Two reasons - we were exhausted from the lack of sleep and we still don't want to waste another day in ea. direction. Flights are 2 hrs. 5 min. from our area. So I doubt we'll ever drive it again.

But "too old" at just turned 40? You got a long way to go until you're "too old".

I don't think the pp meant that literally. I took it as: once you get to a certain stage of life, you're not willing to go the absolute cheapest way possible just so you can take the trip.
For example, before dh and I were married, I surprised him with a trip to WDW for his bday. I stumbled on an ad in our Sunday paper for something like $199 pp for RT air, car rental (economy size) and 4 nts. at the Quality Inn Plaza on Intl. Drive.
He took one look at the place and sarcastically said, "Jeez, think you could have found a cheaper place?" I didn't 'get it' and replied, "Actually, this really was the best deal I could find." as in cheapest. I was 24 then and happy just to be in FL. He is 9 yrs. older than me. We also upgraded the rental car b/c it was so small he said it looked like something we'd get killed in. Ended up with a Nissan Altima.
Now almost 20 years later I want to be pampered a little more and don't mind spending extra for it. My standards have matured so to speak.
I learned from him that sometimes you can just spend a few hundred more and have a drastically different trip.
If a coworker asked me to chip in with 8 other people on a dumpy rental house at the Jersey shore for a week, sleeping on the sofa, I would think she's out of her mind. I would have loved to at 21.
Now I am too old for that.

 

[LEOnie211]

I am afraid of flying to but I intend to sleep all the way from the netherlands to orlando.

 

[Poohbear5]

I hate to fly and just joined the train crowd for our 25th anniversary trip to the World this month.

We drove 10 hours to the Autotrain, stayed over night in VA, went to church and breakfast the next morning and headed over the the train about 1pm.

Definitely more time consuming than flying (well, except for the time our plane was delayed 16 hours at one airport, then another delay at the next..).
The pace was fine by me, I enjoyed watching the miles roll away, sitting with my sweetheart, visiting with other passengers at dinner and in the lounge.

Just don't have any desire to start and end my vacation with being anxious and fearful up in the air or in the airport!

I'm considering Amtrak from Boston to FL next time.

 

[La2kw]

Fear of flying is a VERY common fear and nothing to laugh at.

I can so relate with you. On our last trip to WDW, I shuddered with fear even thinking about it. The odd thing is I have flown to Florida many times, and each time I get more and more fearful. (I think it is because I feel like sometime my "luck" is bound to run out)

I found this excellent website that I would highly recommend. It really helped ease my worry. When I was able to look at it from a more informed and logical standpoint, it really helped.

http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/

You just go down the page, and begin the course. It is absolutely free. It includes articles, videos, excerpts. It is just a great site.

Another oddity of mine is that my crippling fear is in the days/weeks prior to the flight. I think the day of I am so pre-occupied with following a schedule that I do not have time to be sick with worry. Weirder yet, I actually feel better once I am on the plane than I do 2 days before. Now, I think everyone has that little bit of healthy anxiety once they are that high with no control; if it is a short flight, you may even take some Tylenol PM or Unisom beforehand, and maybe you could sleep most of the flight. I have never been able to sleep during a flight ever, but I have never taken sleep-inducing meds before one either.

Check out the site; you won't be disappointed.

fearofflyinghelp.com has helped me tremendously. I am also afraid to fly, but I have gotten to the point that I refuse to let my fear stop me from doing the traveling I love to do.

This site also helps, http://www.fearofflying.com/ , and if you register, Captain Tom Bunn will email you with regular updates and rational explanations for anything concerning that happens, such as the Buffalo flight and the one that landed in water after bird strikes.

 

[dannysmommyval]

Thanks you guys!! I have to say that this is the bestest site ever!
I checked out the links (in here and pm'd to me) and I was ready to do it!

Then a bunch more people wanted to go so it is cheaper to drive...ugh....

One day very soon I am going to do this without telling anybody - fly down on night and then fly back. Even if it means just doing an about face in the airport...

Thanks you guys are the best!