Travel Advice – fear of flying

The fear of flying is a very real issue for people affected by it, especially when you have loved ones abroad you want to visit, or you needing to fly for work. Most people who have a fear of flying have already flown and developed a fear since.

It can strike anyone. Business people who have flown thousands of miles can suddenly develop it, and teenagers can dig their heels in about flying, disrupting family holiday plans.

The fear can be related to a variety of causes; it may be that you had a bad experience on a flight, turbulence, technical problems or had long delays in an airport or on an aircraft. It may be that you suffer from claustrophobia or a fear of being trapped.

The cause can be unrelated to flying, it might be you had a bereavement, changed jobs, are having emotional problems, going through a stressful period, had a child, or suffered an injury or assault.

Living on an island means we need to fly more, just to do business or get away, and dealing with the fear is important. There are courses that will help you identify why you are fearful and help you cope with flying in the future. They usually include either a flight or a session in a simulator and on an aircraft.

Flyfearless.ie run courses every month in Ireland and have a special course for children. The adult course costs €200. There is an option of taking a friend/coach for €90: someone that you fly with who can assist you in the future.

British Airways also do occasional courses in Dublin and they cost from €300 (flyingwithconfidence.com).

Some readers have also found Allen Carr's book, The Easy Way to Enjoy Flying a useful self-help guide to overcoming the fear. It is available online through amazon.com and in book shops.

jscales@irishtimes.com