BA brings Flying with Confidence course to SA

Captain Steve Allright

For the people this happened to, the fear of flying was all too real and it's not that uncommon. About 25% of us experience some level of fear and one in 10 have a phobia about flying.

Today, air travel is about as unremarkable as steam engines were a century ago, so there isn't much understanding for people who baulk at the idea of an overseas holiday or having to fly somewhere to conclude a business deal. At best it's an embarrassing secret and at worst it can ruin holidays, strain relationships and even limit careers.

"People who're anxious about flying often don't realise that there are plenty of others who feel the same way and there are proven ways to deal with their fears," said Captain Steve Allright, who presents British Airways' Flying with Confidence course, which the airline is now bringing to South Africa.

No magic formula

Captain Allright, a senior British Airways training captain with over 11,000 flying hours, said there isn't a magic formula to cure a fear of flying. Rather Flying with Confidence provides nervous flyers with information and understanding about the issues causing their anxiety.

These can relate to the physics of flight, such as what keeps the plane in the sky, or the effects of turbulence, the mechanics of the aircraft and dealing with the underlying psychological causes of phobia and anxiety.

"There are two parts to the course. The first examines the technical side of flying. The clunk of the landing gear or the noise and vibration when the flaps are retracted or deployed are all perfectly normal, but can trigger anxiety. It really is a case of knowledge empowering, because if people know what is happening and why they feel more in control," explained Captain Allright.

"The second deals with understanding phobias and fears and practical, tried-and-tested ways of dealing with these, including being in the right mindset before you fly and how to react if you're becoming anxious."

Phobia therapists

As well as the accumulated knowledge of British Airways' pilots and cabin crew, the course also draws on the psychological expertise of four qualified phobia therapists. One attends each course to discuss the psychological tools for overcoming a fear of flying.

It is a combination that appears to work well and is underpinned by the testimonials on the Flying with Confidence website. In the last 25 years over 45,000 nervous fliers have attended the courses, which claims a 98% success rate. British Airways also puts its money where its mouth is and offers a 10% discount on international flights booked within a month of the course.

The South African course will be presented in Joburg on 15 November, 2014. The cost is R4500 per person.

For more, go to flyingwithconfidence.com