Eight Top Tips to Help Nervous Flyers

Avoiding alcohol, cutting caffeine and keeping yourself busy are all featured in guidance for holidaymakers worried about taking to the skies.

Travel experts from MyBaggage.com have revealed eight top tips to help nervous flyers jetting off around the world on holiday this summer.

For many travellers, being six miles up in the air and speeding across the clouds at hundreds of miles per hour can induce significant anxiety.

But there are many steps that can be taken to deal with a fear of flying, which also include talking to flight attendants, breaking up the journey and distracting yourself. 

A spokesperson for My Baggage said: “There’s no shame in being scared of flying, even though it’s one of the safest modes of transport available.

“Thousands of Brits encounter the same fear getting on to a plane every summer, so we’ve released eight pieces of advice to help manage worries and have a more relaxing journey to sunny destinations across the globe.”

1. Avoid alcohol

Most Brits know that alcohol can cause headaches or feelings of sickness, as well as affecting your usual personality and actions.

The last thing nervous flyers need is to feel unwell or out of character in a confined space for a further few hours as beer or wine takes effect, so ditch the airport pint and forget the boozy drinks trolley.

2. Drink water

Dehydration can intensify stress and fatigue, particularly in low pressure environments like aeroplanes. It’s easy to become dehydrated during a flight because the air in a plane’s cabin comes from outside and there’s less moisture at higher altitude.

The solution is obviously to drink water – lots of water. Make sure you’ve had a glass or two before boarding and try to consistently sip away throughout your journey.  

3. Cut caffeine

Tea and coffee can accentuate stress and nervousness in uncomfortable situations on the ground, never mind in the air.

It’s wise for nervous flyers to cut out the caffeine all together both before and during a flight to avoid unnecessarily increasing anxiety – so say no to a hot drink in the airport too.

4. Bring headphones

Shut out the noise of the cabin and occupy your mind with your favourite music or an interesting podcast.

Bringing a set of headphones can allow you to take your mind off any worries for a bit, so sit back, shut your eyes and listen to something enjoyable or thought-provoking.

5. Keep busy

Another way to distract yourself from your fear of flying is to simply find any excuse to keep your mind and body occupied.

Get out of your seat and walk around the cabin, read a book or even the in-flight magazine, make friends with your fellow passengers, play games on an electronic device, take a pack of cards, do a puzzle, bring a notepad for writing or drawing, buy WiFi if possible to surf social media or stream a TV show. Anything to take your mind off the flying itself.

6. Talk to flight attendants

The most experienced flyers on the plane will probably be the staff working for the airline, so take a moment to chat to them.

Flight attendants will usually be more than happy to ease any nerves and reassure you that you’re in safe hands, as well as answer any more specific questions they can.

7. Train your mind

Remember the safety statistics – flying is safer than driving, as you’re more likely to be involved in an accident or injured on the roads than in the air.

It can also help those nervous about being in the air to focus on the positive outcome once they land – when you’re sat by the pool or lay on the beach, all that worrying will be worth it.

8. Break up the flight

Make sure to take advantage of any onboard meals – they might not be gourmet dining, but they’ll supress your hunger and give you something to do for a while.

Sleeping can be another great way to pass the time on a flight for nervous passengers. Try to get up early on the day of your journey so you’re tired by take-off – then shut your eyes and you’ll be halfway there before you even realise it.