Afraid of Flying? You are not Alone

Business travelers usually find flying boring. People who don’t fly often are usually excited. However, some people suffer from a phobia - an illogical fear - and are terrified of getting on an airplane.

Being afraid of poisonous spiders is logical. However, being afraid of all spiders, even tiny, harmless ones, is a phobia because it is illogical. The most common phobias are of heights, being in small areas, or being in large, open areas. There is no logical reason to be afraid of these things when there is no danger. People who have a phobia of flying often imagine the plane crashing, but they forget about the millions of safe flights every day. It is 30 times more dangerous to travel in a car than a plane, but most people do not have a phobia of cars or driving.

People are afraid of flying for different reasons. Perhaps they are afraid of heights. Some people may be scared of being in closed in places like a lift or a tunnel. Some are afraid of the crowds and noise at airports, especially older people. Many are scared of the unknown because they don’t understand the technology of planes and flying.

If you don’t need to fly much, having a phobia of flying isn’t really an issue. However, if you need to travel a lot for business, a fear of flying can really affect your life – and your job!

All is not lost though. There are special classes to help people control their fears. They go to an airport with special instructors, pilots, and psychologists who explain everything to them and show them all the different parts of the plane as well as explain all the noises that are made by the plane when it is flying. In this way, it is possible for people who have a fear of flying to learn to control their fears and perhaps even come to enjoy flying!