Flying thousands of feet above the earth’s surface for long hours tends to invoke fear in quite some people. The fear of flying is also known as Aerophobia and if you ever feel scared of flying, you are not alone. Millions of people are affected by this, and it’s been found that about 33-40% of people worldwide have some fear of flying. However, this doesn’t mean you have to completely rule out the option of travelling by air, as you might miss out on a lot of travel. This article explains how you can cope if you’re often scared of flying.
Table of Contents
1. Know why you are scared
It is important to know the trigger for this fear you now have, as it can help you easily tackle it. Know the root of the fear and seek ways to handle it. For some people, it is probably because they feel the plane might crash and they would die. If this is the case, you might want to do your research and see the statistics of plane crashes in a year. You will find out that there’s a low statistic and your chances of being involved in a plane crash are quite slim. Also, this can guide you to choose carefully when it’s time to book a flight. Opt for airlines that you can trust or that have fewer to no records of plane crashes. This can help you feel safe.
If you get anxious when you’re about to board, you can choose to be courageous and keep practicing by flying even more. It gets better with time.
2. Know your rights
Some people get flight anxious because they worry that there might be a disruption, and this significantly affects those who plan their lives perfectly. Worrying over what could go wrong and how your perfectly planned itinerary can be ruined can get you anxious. In this case, we would suggest that you know your rights under the law. The EU 261/2004 regulation protects you if you are flying from the EU or landing there with a European airline.
You could get up to €250 – €600 in compensation if you experience a flight delay or cancellation. If you’re worried that you might never get compensated, you can get a firm like Flightright to do the work for you. This should make you feel less anxious.
3. Keep trying
Don’t give up after the first try. If you have a fear of flying, keep making efforts to get better at it. Get familiar with your rights as an air passenger, watch videos of flights taking off and landing if it helps, and most importantly, start small. You can start with short-distance flights before going for longer ones.
Bottom Line
Your fear of flying can be dealt with if you follow the simple steps in this article. However, if you have an underlying health condition making you scared of travelling, it’s best to see your primary physician to discuss how safe it is for you to travel by air.
