How Youtube, Airlines and an App Can Help You Overcome Your Fear of Flying
You might be surprised to learn that even avid travelers are not always happy with flying (including myself after my scary flight in the Philippines), but Youtube, airlines and an app are some of the modern tools available to help you overcome your fear of flying.
If you’re reading this article you’re probably an avid traveler or are soon to hop on a flight (perhaps your first one) and don’t feel as comfortable in the air as you are on land. After all us humans are meant to walk and sometimes swim, but most definitely need a machine to fly. Loosing control of being in the environment that surrounds us is one of the main reasons that cause fear of flying, and as passengers our lives are in the hands of the crew and aircraft we are in.
We have all been told that flying is safer than traveling by car, that breathing hard will relax you and in extreme cases a good dose of drugs and alcohol will hopefully make you pass out during the trip. With technology, however, there are new options that can help you deal with this feeling present in one out of every four individuals according to some studies (indeed, you’re not alone). Fear can be conquered- let’s take a look at three tools that can help you.
Youtube Videos
Youtube is a great source for many things, and little did you know, it can also help you overcome your fear of flying. A recent video by British Airways in which pilot Steve Allright explains some of the factors that involve this fear (sometimes panic!) has become very popular, and there are several others that do a great job too. These are some of them:
This video by Howcast is good fun and provides some great tips (seats where the wings are enjoy the smoothest flights- don’t forget this!), and you’ll be happy you’re not paying first class.
Another video by British Airways.
And perhaps the most comprehensive of them all which in 12 minutes takes you on a flight, explaining every noise and bump you’ll probably feel ( by Virgin).
Fear of Flying Airline Courses
Most big airlines have courses that can help you deal and often overcome your fear of flying. At around 400-500 USD they may last from one to several days, and include mechanical explanations that explain why and how planes fly, psychological reasons that are often the cause behind this fear and how to deal with them, and they usually include a 45 minute flight at the end of the course to test the results. These course have a 95% success rate and some of the airlines that offer them are Birtish Airways with their Flying With Confidence course, Spain’s airline Iberia and Virgin with their Flying Without Fear course.
App for Smartphone
“Afraid of Flying? Finally there’s an App for That” is the motto the creators of Valk are using for the launch of their most recent app. “The ‘Flight App VALK’ was developed as a result of 23 years of scientific research and treatments by the Dutch VALK Foundation” , a collaborative venture by the University of Leiden, KLM and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Transavia.com, Martinair and ArkeFly set up in 1989 and is devoted to treating fear of flying. From their website “The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights. It informs users about aerodynamics, flight safety and turbulence, sounds and sensations during departure, flight and landing. Practical audio exercises help lower flight stress. When the passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, users of the application can access the special panic button, which provides audio and written aid to decrease the stress level immediately. The Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require internet connection in the air.” It is available in Itunes and Android, and costs around 3USD.
With the advent low cost airlines flying is easier than ever today, with prices being sky high in many carriers because of fuel surcharges but not even close in many airlines. While fear of flying can certainly be a burden when it comes to long distance travel there are many tools and resources that can help you make it a thing of the past.
And now it’s your turn:
Are you afraid of flying? How do you deal with it? Do you have any tricks up your sleeve? Please share them with us in the comments section below, as well as the videos and tools mentioned in this article, and don’t forget to share it if you think others might find it helpful!
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The app that is available for passengers who are afraid of flying will surely benefit them and it will surely destress their panic levels when they reach at their peak.Also the best thing about this app is that it can be used in offline mode once downloaded.
I am very frightened of boarding a flight because of my scary experience while traveling to Moscow.It was a horrific experience and till today i have the fear inside myself.I will surely check these apps which are available.Thanks for sharing this interesting post and i am looking forward to take some of these lessons offered by these airlines.
I agree with you Jannet that many people develop such fear mostly due to some bad flight experience.I have never been a victim to such bad experience but i understand the feeling of those people that have experienced such a bad trip.The article that you have described will be very useful to those who are fighting with this fear.
I was amazed to check out these apps which are available and i found them very useful for me because i am always terrified while flying because i think if something goes wrong then what will i do.Thanks for sharing this post.
I am quite amazed to know that there are apps available to overcome your fear of flying and i really want to check out this app.Also the airline lessons that they offer would be a great thing to consider especially to those who travel often and are dealing with this problem.
Many people develop fears as they mature and life seems more precious, while others may have experienced a bad flight. I have been the victim of bad flight due to bad weather condition that time and since then I am having Aerophobia. Coming across your blog post was a great delight for me as I came to know many tips to conquer my fear. Thanks a ton for sharing this post especially the YouTube video.
Flying was really a big pain. Gradually the level of fear started decreasing as nothing was happening what I was thinking, love that Youtube can help people with a fear of flying, good post, thanks for sharing.
Useful post, I never knew that there are apps available to overcome the fear of flying.I do not have any fear of flying but i can definitely tell my friends about these apps because I know how people get scared when the flight Takes off, good post, thanks for sharing.
I flew with Czech Airlines and I’ve seen in their brochure that they also offer ‘flying without fear’ courses. They use a cabin simulator.
Thanks for sharing this Izy,I’m sure somebody will find this info helpful.
Thanks for sharing this post.I never knew that there are apps available to overcome the fear of flying.I do not have any fear of flying but i can definitely tell my friends about these apps because I have some scary friends.Also it is great to hear that there are flying lessons offered by many airlines.
Nice post.I was never aware that there are flying classes offered to overcome the fear of flying.It was also nice to hear that there are many apps available to overcome such fear.Thanks for sharing this post and it was really interesting to read it.
There are apps available for your iPhone and Android to overcome your fear of flying and it is good for people to try out this especially those who frequently have to travel by flight.Also some courses offered by airlines would be another option to deal with the fear problem.
The smart phone app would be quite helpful and it would not cost much.It does not require internet connection once it is downloaded.There are also many fear overcoming courses offered by airlines and this would be quite useful to those who travel quite often and suffer panic attacks.There are many unknown fears in the mind of such passengers who suffer such attacks and it is important that they overcome those.
Fantastic article, I sincerely hope that it can reach those people. Everyone should be able to travel without fear and maybe actually enjoy the travel part. First time I scared a little bit but now its pretty cool and I really enjoy it. Just be positive and remember there are many people with you, if something happens LOL.
Initially, Flying was really a big pain. Gradually the level of fear started decreasing as nothing was happening what I was thinking LOL. Take off really used to scare me out. You have provided some wonderful app, its really going to be helpful, thanks for sharing.
As long as flights are smooth everything is fine, but only one bad flight is necessary to change one’s mood. Glad you liked the app
See, I only have problems with the landing, not the take off or the actual flying. For some reason I freak out every time.
Had never heard about such a fear…fortunately it doesn’t last too much!
Wow, great finds! I’m so glad I have no fear of flying, but I do have friends who suffer pretty badly. Might have to get them the app as a gift!
It might just be their best gift ever!
Very cool – love that Youtube can help people with a fear of flying. (BTW – A fear of flying and me would not be a good match!)
It’s a great resource for so many things isn’t it?
I think the airlines and their ridiculous policies are what make flying so scary (particularly Ryanair), not the actual flying part itself!
Cheap Ryanair doesn’t make things too much fun, that’s for sure!
I’m sure many travelers will be grateful for this one!
I think the videos are a great tool to get visual info on what’s about to happen…at no cost!
I heard of some of the videos you are mentioning… Fortunately though, I’m not afraid of flying!
Good for you!
Fortunately I am not afraid of flying but I did hear once that there is no case of a plane ever falling out of the sky, which is somewhat comforting.
They actually mention this in one of the videos…
Great find on the app!
I read a book about this somewhere… I think it was NLP. It worked for me
Hey John, great to know it actually worked for you. I wonder if it does with most people too?
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