Fear Not: Virgin Australia Introduces 'Nervous Flyers' Program
Virgin Australia is now offering special assistance to nervous flyers, as was announced by The Virgin Group in a press release. The program, which was first teased in October 2018 alongside the introduction of onboard meditation programs via the in-flight entertainment system aims to help passengers with a fear of flying or anxiety related to air travel.
The program entails receiving an email prior to the flight with "in-flight wellness research" and a behind-the-scenes look at certain "technical aspects of Virgin Australia’s operations," an "encouraging, positive text" on the day of travel, access to meditations on Virgin Australia’s in-flight entertainment system, and an alert to the cabin crew to keep an eye out for you.
Passengers can request the program, which begins a week prior to departure, during the booking process.
On the airline's website, Virgin Australia notes that 10% of its flyers experience nervousness related to air travel. Stuart Aggs, acting chief operations officer at Virgin Australia, said the mission is to make flying "as joyful and stress-free as possible," adding. "We understand that for some of our guests, flying can be nerve-wracking and often they feel overwhelmed by the entire travel experience," added Aggs.
Though Virgin Australia is the only airline to officially offer a service like the Nervous Flyers program, a number of other airlines have introduced guided meditations and programs to promote wellness in-flight. American Airlines and Qantas both offer guided meditations via in-flight entertainment systems. Additionally, travelers can view TPG's guide to 6 of the best apps to help calm nerves during flight.
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