What is fear of flying?

First of all, it is not the inability to travel in a plane! Most 'fearful flyers' do actually fly - although they find it a very uncomfortable experience.

How each person experiences fear of flying will differ considerably and can range from a mild concern, that passes once you have made the decision to fly, to a powerful and over-powering fear that makes air travel an impossibility.

To determine how your own 'flying nerves' compares with others imagine (or draw) a line with mild nervousness at one end, a severe and disabling phobia of air travel at the opposite end and, somewhere in the middle, the person who travels by air only when they really, absolutely, have to.

Mild fear of flying

At the mild end of the spectrum is the person who becomes a little nervousness for a little while at certain stages of the flight.

They may become uneasy on entering the plane, when the doors close, when the plane takes off or lands or manoeuvres, or if they experience turbulence, etc. This is not a true fear of flying - and even the most confident flyers will, on occasions, be on this end of the spectrum.

'White Knuckle Flying"

Midway along the spectrum is the nervous or 'white knuckle' flyer. This person will travel by plane as a last resort, because they have no other choice.

They will try to avoid going on holidays or applying for jobs that might air travel. Or they will spend long hours travelling by car and ferry, much to the discomfort of family members or colleagues who have to accompany them.

If they really have to fly they will usually use strong medication or alcohol to help them deal with their fear of flying. Any trip involving air travel is an ordeal for them. When they arrive they may take quite a while to get over their outward journey - only to then begin nervously anticipating the return journey.

Phobia of Flying

At the other end of the spectrum is the person whose fear of flying is so strong that they cannot fly at all - even the thought of being in a plane causes anxiety.

For the person with such a flying phobia the experience of being on a plane can be quite distressing and may result in panic attacks, nausea, shaking, hyperventilating, etc.

A phobia of flying can be so incapacitating as to make air travel quite impossible and can even prevent them travelling to an airport to meet someone else.

Fear of flying is widespread

Up to 1 in 5 fear flying – depending on the intensity of their phobia they may either avoid air travel altogether or may only be able to fly with the aid of alcohol or medication.

For some this is inconvenient or embarrassing. For others it read more