We will be flying out to the States in a couple of months for a holiday, but................... I am absolutely petrified of flying and am wondering if anyone else has the same problem on here and what do they do to counteract it.

I am currently reading Allen Carr's book, 'The Easy Way to Enjoy Flying' and it's really good.

I have flown many times before and each time it gets worse. In fact on one flight I made a right spectacle of myself and screamed and cried. I am now at the point where I am spending the eight hours of the plane journey in crash landing position. I hate fairground rides and to me flying gives me the same sensations. And don't even get me started with turbulence!!! I know it's not dangerous, but I still don't enjoy it.

Oh I've tried Valium but my panic levels are so high, it doesn't touch them. :sad: We are also trying some desensitizing techniques also. We have been to Gatwick once already to watch the flight take off, which was fun, and it's good to see it visually take off safely, but even then my stomach was in knots just going to the airport. :blink:

Any tips anyone?:)

Oh I can sympathise Tigger. I've only done it once - a short flight to Spain. I felt sick in the weeks leading up to it. It was OK but I can't say I enjoyed it.

I'm going to Spain again next week and trying not to think about it. But then I don't really enjoy any form of travel be it car, train, ferry or flight.

I realised though that if I wanted to get some sunshine on holiday for a change then I had to grit my teeth and go for it.

That must be horrible for you, Tigger. Have you thought of trying hypnotism?

My advice is - don't go - I wouldn't. 3 hours max is my limit (and thats with valium), this allows me enough of the world to visit.

I am not as scared of flying as you - you sound positively phobic, but I have to say i really don't like it, and every time I first get on a plane I sit there really wanting to get off. I generally just go white quietly and try to ignore everything/one until I feel better.

I recently flew to the states though and on the in flight entertainment system there was an audio book about coping with flying that you could listen to to relax you. Although I think by what you've said you need more than that. I would tell the cabin crew about your fear and take the valium anyway - it might help. After all if you've paid to go all that way you don't want to be thrown off.

I wonder if there's any sort of meditation classes that might help, so you can learn to blank out/meditate through the worst bits. Might help

Aww Tiggs what a nightmare it is for you! I do hope you can work it out! :hug:

I can't give you any tips though as although I can't say I like flying, I don't have a phobia about it like you do!

The first flight I ever 'enjoyed' was long-haul to Malaysia - I took a strong sleeping tablet on take off and another when I woke up about half way there.

You get to miss out on the lovely airline food too :thumbsup:

Sympathise with you tiggs. I also hate flying. I used to love it but ever since I saw the film "Final Destination" it put me right off.
I don't mind it when Im up in the air, but it's the taking off that gets me. I hate it.
Not looking forward to flying to Oz in 2 weeks!

Not looking forward to flying to Oz in 2 weeks!


But at least you are my little Scottish Crumpet. I wouldn't ever dream of traveling somewhere so far on a plane. The pure terror that I feel up in the air is horrible..I can just about hold it together if there is no turbulance...but if there is I fall to peices.

I stick with short flights (last year we broke our 8 year record of holidaying in Menorca), Crete - too long, never again.

I am OK if I can have a couple of beers but can't have many when travelling with the kids. I manage by taking a light valium.

I would never put myself through the trauma of a long haul flight.

I really do sympathise with anyone who hates flying. I love flying, always have, but as Mr B fixes the things and knows how it all works and why it does what it does, I have a little more confidence in it all.
Doesn't stop me getting ****ed off though when we are delayed and he sits there saying 'well if they just check this or do that......we'd be gone by now' :wallbash:

But at least you are my little Scottish Crumpet. I wouldn't ever dream of traveling somewhere so far on a plane. The pure terror that I feel up in the air is horrible..I can just about hold it together if there is no turbulance...but if there is I fall to peices.

I stick with short flights (last year we broke our 8 year record of holidaying in Menorca), Crete - too long, never again.

I am OK if I can have a couple of beers but can't have many when travelling with the kids. I manage by taking a light valium.

I would never put myself through the trauma of a long haul flight.
Thank you for the vote of confidence! :ohmy:

Apparently, the airline Im flying with give you free alcohol during the flight. Obviously that will be getting abused (purely for stress reduction purposes!)

Thank you for the vote of confidence! :ohmy:

Apparently, the airline Im flying with give you free alcohol during the flight. Obviously that will be getting abused (purely for stress reduction purposes!)

Thats what I would suggest.

I only discovered I was so terrified when had the children and had to fly sober.

Drink yourself into oblivion then sleep the rest of the way.

Are you flying Qantas PJ?

Friend of mine drank himself into oblivion on on of their flights and came round to find he was being 'attended to' by one of the male trolley dollies.

He did get an upgrade to first though on account of it...

PJ if you are flying Qantas you might want to know that they have a 100% safety record. :)

Yes I am flying Qantas.

Tigger - thank you for telling me that. I feel a bit better about flying with them now :)

Fee - I plan to drink myself into oblivion too but can you please elaborate on how your friend was "attended to"?

Oh Tigger, poor you! My advice though is don't drink too much especially if you are taking tablets as well. My friend was coming home from the States not long after 9/11 and she was in a right state, so got some tablets from the doctor and also took some alcohol to calm herself. She was seated next to a family and she was accused of harrassing them and got herself arrested on touchdown!! :ohmy: Luckily she was able to explain what happened and apologised to the family, she was really embarrassed about the whole situation even though she couldn't really remember much about it!

Just try to sleep through most of it would be a good bet!

I generally don't mind flying...the only thing that gets me is claustrophobia....so I usually request an aisle seat. I've flown to Japan (a 12+ hour flight) and it was not fun....but what helped me get through it was getting up and standing in the back every once in a while...i know you're more afraid of the flying in general, but getting up and moving around might help you relax a bit more and maybe not feel so tense? I also would just take deep breaths whenever I felt like I was getting a bit too tense...just close your eyes and count to ten..that sort of thing.

Also, remember that flying in very safe...you're more likely to get in a car accident than a plane crashing. Also, maybe just remind yourself that what comes after the plane ride will be worth it and will be a lot of fun.

Best wishes on getting over your fears of flying.

btw, where in the states are you visiting?

Yes I am flying Qantas.

Tigger - thank you for telling me that. I feel a bit better about flying with them now :)

Fee - I plan to drink myself into oblivion too but can you please elaborate on how your friend was "attended to"?

Apparently his blanket must have got caught in his flies, and when the attendant, in all innocence of course, was making sure he was tucked in properly, it caused the zip to become undone.

Wishing to spare his blushes, the attendant thought it best to sort out the problem under the blanket and not being able to see what he was doing, inadvertently undid the zipper further instead of closing it.(easy mistake)

The Chief Purser thought sir might enjoy the remainder of the flight in First Class...

Thanks everyone for your words and advice, I will keep you all in mind when I am up above. Everyone wave! :laugh:





btw, where in the states are you visiting?


Islandman, we are going home to North Carolina, to visit family, friends and the beaches.

Mr tiggs brother has just bought six jet skis so we plan on trying them out also. We will probably first try them out on the pond (lake to us) on the farm, and then take them to the beach. I can't wait! North Carolina has some lovely beaches.:)

Are you afraid the plane will crash? Think of all the planes that are flying every day that you don't even think about - why should the one you are on be any more special than them just because you're on it? That's how I look at it anyway. Also, it might have someting to do with not being in control. You just have to accept that you're in someone else's hands and they are more than capable of flying you safely. Give yourself over to it and you might actually have fun!

My freind spent years terrified of flying...she would take a sleeping pill just before boarding washed down with a glass of vodka...she would basically sleep the whole journey away.....she still doesn't like flying but has a job which requires her to be alert on the flight now and so the pills and drink are gone...she just tells herself she's done it a million times before and so can survive this flight. :blink:

Sometimes our fears are phobias, i.e. totally irrational. I am terrified of wasps and I have no idea why. OK, one might sting me, but so what? Despite this, I am still petrified of them, and have a really strong physical fear response if I even HEAR one.

I think you are doing the right thing with the Allen Carr book. Allen is very good at reprogramming your mind, and I think you will find it extremely useful. I honestly believe that NLP/hypnosis is the only way to overcome irrational fears. (OK I do know you would probably be killed if your plane crashed, but you risk even more every time you get in to a car...so that is why I say it's irrational).

I just wish he would bring out, "Allen Carr's Easy Way to Deal with Wasps". :laugh:

You know I really can't pinpoint what I am scared of about flying. I absolutely love the take off and landing, which is bizarre as that is the most dangerous times. It's the sitting still for all that time that I hate and as I mentioned earlier the fairground ride sensations. I had a inner ear virus which damaged my balance when I was a child, so any movement as in airplanes, fairground rides, boats and lifts are greatly exaggerated for me. So I tend to avoid all of the above to not get those sensations.

That must be offputting tiggs- when I am on a plane I cannot feel it move at all, in fact what I hate is the fact that it is deathly boring, the atmosphere is stuffy and dry, and I can't walk around much! We did hit some really bad turbulence once having said that, and although I wasn't scared it made me feel really sick and I had to get my sick bag out - thankfully we stopped keeling from side to side just in time, but I would have been mortified if I had puked in public!

I hate coming into land...I'm not scared it's just the motion makes my stomache feel totally pukey! :sick:

but I would have been mortified if I had puked in public!


LOL Ceri, you are having a time with your bodily functions in public! :laugh:

But you know what? It's not the puking for me that bothers me, it's the fact that I wet myself big time if I puke. I mean it's a whole bladder full amount for me. That is another thing, I'm going to have to take several changes of clothing as if I do puke I will be soaked. I give up, I really do! :wallbash:

Oh poor old you tiggs - that makes my bodily function paranoia pale into insignificance! :hug: :laugh:

Do you know Ceri...I'm going to get the Alan Carr Flying book....why didn't I think of this before....if he can stop a 20 a day 26 year smoking habit over night...maybe it might help.
I had thought of the two as totally different things but it was your wording of 'reprogramming your mind' that made me think.

Cheers..I will let you know how I get on...going to order it from Amazon now.

Edit: Done, £5.50 (second hand edition).

Do peeps who have a fear of flying have the same fear of travelling on trains or buses? I guess not although either of the latter is probably more dangerous - think of all the accidents by rail in the last 20 years. Is it the fact that it is so final should something major go wrong, or is it that you can't see terra firma and feel totally out of control of the outcome, that there's no 'escape'?

I used to hate travelling on the tube...felt a little closed in and the way the carriges swung to and fro I thought it couldn't be safe...now after many a trip along the District Line I actually quite enjoy it! :mellow:

You know I really can't pinpoint what I am scared of about flying. I absolutely love the take off and landing, which is bizarre as that is the most dangerous times. It's the sitting still for all that time that I hate and as I mentioned earlier the fairground ride sensations. I had a inner ear virus which damaged my balance when I was a child, so any movement as in airplanes, fairground rides, boats and lifts are greatly exaggerated for me. So I tend to avoid all of the above to not get those sensations.

Oh Tigger, I can so empathise with this !!

I see flying as a necessary evil, and although I dont mind the take off and landing, I absolutely HATE the fact that I feel trapped in a tube, with the seat in front of me seemingly about an inch away from my face.

We are going to Rhodes on Friday - a four hour flight - and I am dreading it. After an hour of reading, I want to get up and get off !

Its impossible to get up and move around as the Stewardesses and Stewards tut and are constantly up and down the bloody aisle trying to sell you stuff.
Mr P doesnt help because as soon as he boards a plane he goes into a kind of comatose state and sleeps practically all the way there.

I cant sleep because Im a light sleeper and its just too noisy, I hate the confinedness of it all, I fidget, I get restless legs, ohhhhhhhhhhh I haaaaaate it !!!!!

Aww Tiggs your fear sounds quite debilatating. But I am sure with the right kind of help you can conquer it. I suppose you could look it as something to be beaten, like a pesky virus that needs stamping out. Try and distance yourself from it - so it becomes the enemy, and then I imagine it is going to be easier to think that this thing 'fear of flying' is not part of you, and will be hopefully easier to banish.

When I flew for a living, I adored flying, I couldn't wait to get on board and take off, land and buzz about the air for hours and hours. I just lived for it - I got mega adrenalin rushes from both take off and landing and it just spurred my love for it.

Since I left that job, oh 20 years ago now, my flying passion has been extinguished to the point where I do get a tad nervous. And I personally think it is something to do with the control factor.

When I did this for a living, I was in control [well not really cos I wasn't flying the plane], well I had elements of control. But as a passenger I become a passive participant who has little or no control. I don't know if that is the case or the reason, I have to say I am much happier when my boys are with me, hubby and sons! I suppose the thinking behind that is that if the plane crashes we all go together and that is more comforting than me going by myself and leaving my children motherless!

I don't really enjoy flying but only because it affects my stomach really badly and I get a huge build up of wind which is, frankly, very painful.