How British Airways plans to help you beat fear of flying

Flying is something we all take for granted these days – the whir of a jet engine, that gentle push into your seat at takeoff and the occasional inflight bump are so familiar they no longer register.

Yet not everyone looks forward to flying, with various anxieties or fears often holding people back from stepping onboard – and there’s no shame in that.

A fear of flying, also known as aerophobia, is estimated to affect as many as one in four Australians to some degree.

And in a country celebrated in its own national anthem for being girt by sea, this can have a real impact on your holiday plans and even career, if you have to turn down a promotion that involves extensive flying.

The good news is that fear of flying can be overcome, and who better to help than an airline?

That’s why British Airways is bringing its highly-successful ‘Flying with Confidence’ course to Australia in January and February, with single-day sessions in Perth and Sydney giving nervous flyers an opportunity to gain the tools and reassurance needed to take to the skies.

BA Captain Steve Allright (a very appropriate surname!) says the airline is delighted to bring its course Down Under for the first time.

“With almost forty years of experience in helping thousands of people overcome their fear of flying, we hope that the knowledge and techniques that we offer will enable some anxious Australian flyers to make positive changes to the way they live their lives,” Allright adds.

Captain Allright has helped thousands of nervous flyers overcome their fears.

Held at the Rendezvous Hotel in Perth on January 21, and the Adina Apartment Hotel Darling Harbour in Sydney on February 5, the British Airways course covers a range of topics from turbulence to pilot training, as well as ways to reduce your anxiety.

Taking place on the ground only, the one-day courses can be booked for £115 (AUD $201) and allow you to focus on the information without the distraction or worry of having to get on a plane later that day.

Breathe control and muscle contraction are two of the simple techniques used to manage anxiety, while detailed explanations into the mechanics of flying provide greater clarity and confidence in the aircraft.

British Airways says it has helped over 50,000 people around the world through its Flying with Confidence program, claiming a 98% success rate based on feedback.

Another local option is ‘Fear of Flying’ from Flight Experience Sydney, which runs programs from a two-hour short course ($550) through to an in-depth one-on-one for $1,935. Group sessions are available for $985.

Fearless Flyers – a non-profit supported by Qantas and one of the best known providers of courses to help overcome the fear – was an unfortunate casualty of the pandemic.