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| Ways to help calm a fear of flying |
| by Brian Kelly |
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Hi everyone,
First, I want to start off with a huge thank-you to the TPG subscribers, readers and travel fans who have purchased my new book, “How to Win at Travel.” This past week it was named a New York Times bestseller, and I am extremely grateful for and humbled by your support.
For this week’s newsletter, I wanted to share a snippet from the chapter on “How to manage a fear of flying.” With recent events in the news and the terrible tragedy in Washington, D.C., I know this topic is one that crosses everyone’s mind at some point.
Whether it’s due to a fear of heights, claustrophobia, motion sickness or other reasons, many people suffer from aerophobia, or a fear of flying.
I open the chapter with a quote from Whoopi Goldberg: “Fear of flying may never disappear. You just have to learn how to master it.” And I provide some actionable steps that anyone can take to help manage or overcome a fear of flying.
In addition to interviewing Goldberg, I spoke to many experts when writing this chapter. In particular, one of the experts I turned to was Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009.
Sullenberger said it all boils down to feeling out of control for flyers. It differs from riding in a car, which is a common daily occurrence for millions of people. But flying is statistically safer than driving.
As TPG’s aviation team reported recently, “According to a report published last year by the International Air Transport Association, the odds, backed by current safety statistics, work out so that any one traveler would have to fly every day for 100,000 years to experience a fatal accident.”
Here are a few tips for anyone trying to manage a fear of flying:
No. 1: Keep your mind busy
Whether you like listening to music, books or podcasts, finding a way to keep your mind occupied is key to staying calm. Noise-canceling headphones and Audible stories helped Goldberg relax a bit more when flying.
No. 2: Book yourself on a larger plane.
The bigger the plane, the less turbulence you feel. My personal favorite is the Airbus A380. There’s also a site you can check, Turbli, to see what your route looks like and ease your mind about turbulence on an upcoming flight. If you deal with motion sickness, come prepared with motion sickness pills, bands or oils. Aisle seats are best if claustrophobia is an issue, to allow yourself more space. Using points and miles to upgrade to premium economy or business class can also help.
No. 3: Speak to an expert
I know booking a larger aircraft isn’t feasible for every flight, so another great tip is to use the Dial a Pilot service. It’s $65 for a 30-minute session, and you can speak to pilots who can explain the different systems in use or explain turbulence. Understanding how planes work is key to calming fears. Virgin Atlantic’s Lovefly courses are available online or in person and have helped thousands of nervous flyers, including Goldberg. British Airways also offers a Flying with Confidence course.
These are just a few of the tips from my book, which includes more advice on how to travel better overall, from leveraging points and miles to budgeting, traveling with kids, and avoiding jet lag.
Stay tuned for more updates as we add more cities to my book tour. I hope to get the chance to meet more of you out on the road or in the skies!
Have a great weekend,
BK
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| Photo Credit: JONNO RATTMAN. |
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