I was always such a fan of heading to the airport and flying no matter the destination. I just felt incredibly cool and important. Then a few years ago, a minor incident happened during a flight and made me keenly aware of my own vulnerability when you are 30,000 feet in the air. Compound that with MH370 disappearing just days before my own trip Kuala Lumpur, and I am now slightly more anxious at the prospect of flying. With that said, here are a few tips on how to better manage or even overcome the fear of flying.
1. Do not watch the news…. Do not watch the news. I want to emphasize this point because it’s become super important for me. Now, don’t interpret this as blatant denial or that I am suggesting you don’t exert a normal amount of awareness like checking the CDC website for warnings. However, the worst thing to do is torture yourself by reading at nauseum endless reports of terrorism and deadly super bugs. It just makes you super paranoid and feeds that fear.
2. Repeat to yourself, “flying is the safest form of transportation”. Since the occasional plane crash are so highly mediatised we tend to ignore the substantial number of car crashes that happen on a daily basis. But it’s true that deadly plane crashes are highly unlikely and the philosophical part of me feels that if you are so unlucky than it was probably your time anyways. Some tough love 😉
3. Bring light-hearted entertainment. Nothing helps pass the time and distract yourself better than episodes of your favourite comedies or romance novel. Again stay clear of doom and gloom movies, do you really want to be watching a plane hijacking while on a plane anyways?!?
4. Travel with a friend. Having someone’s hand to grip while the plane is experiencing turbulence can be a great source of comfort. If you are incredibly strong they may think it’s more of a discomfort… Just buy them a drink later to say thanks and maybe some ice. Or you can enjoy a little drink on the plane 😉
5. Opt for larger air crafts. Having flown in just about every size of aircraft with exception of a 380 (those are the giant two story planes), I can attest that larger boeings makes for a smoother ride than a propeller plane. When booking a flight check the details to see what aircraft is listed or call the agency to confirm.
