Fear of Flying Help

Flying Fears | Domestic & International Seminars

Years ago,  several major U.S. airlines featured free fear of flying programs. One of the industry’s first offerings, from Pan Am in the mid-1970s, sometimes included a complimentary hop on a brief flight.  American, Northwest, United and US Airways also provided comparable programs; however, budget cuts led to the removal of such initiatives.

Now, private firms and airfield authorities at facilities around the country offer similar programs.  For those outside the U.S.,  several international airlines still offer fear of flying trainings at overseas locations.

Below are summaries of several well-known programs.
Domestic seminars
MySky Program.  This private company evolved from Northwest Airlines’ in-house curriculum, and now licensed psychologists and airline pilots direct an rigorous 3-day course. Seminars are held in Northwest’s two principal hub cities and usually consist of a short flight. With in advance registration, the fees are $895 in Minneapolis/St. Paul and $995 in Detroit.

SOAR Program. SOAR was founded in 1982 by Captain Tom Bunn, an airline captain and licensed therapist. He has helped in excess of 7,000 individuals conquer fear of flying.  It is the only program proven exceedingly effective by impartial academia research.Fear of flying remedy from SOAR establishes protection prior to flight that works unconsciously during flight.

Fear of Flying Clinic. This San Mateo, Calif.-based company-which was founded in 1976 by two female pilots-operates workshops throughout the year in northern California. Pricing information is offered through the website.

Flying in the Comfort Zone. Fearful fliers from the Wisconsin/Illinois region have been attending these courses at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport for more than 20 years. The lessons are held on four successive Saturday mornings and finish with a round-trip flight between Milwaukee and Chicago O’Hare. The company also offers a video tutorial with a virtual flight for $159.95.

International Seminars

U.K.:  Flying Without Fear. Virgin Atlantic Airways conducts these seminars at regular intervals at airports all around Great Britain, for a fee of 199 pounds. Of particular note is that the syllabus offers a seminar adapted just for children, which lasts half a day and includes virtual flight technology.

France:   Stress-Free Flying. This program, sponsored by Air France, is described as an “anti-stress workshop” and includes an interview with a flight stress expert and a session in a flight simulator. The price is 600 euros.

The Netherlands:  The VALK Foundation. This program is supported in part by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, while oversight is provided by Leiden University. The curriculum includes visits to static aircraft, flight simulators and real flights within Europe. Private training activities are available as well.

Australia:  Fearless Fliers. This Australian non-profit course is sponsored by Qantas Airways and has been in operation for more than 30 years. The curriculum includes relaxation and stress management techniques.

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Flying Fear and Your Career

Businesswoman Jodi Smith can isolate when things began to unravel at her previous career. Two months ago, she boarded a flight in Denver en route to a mandatory corporate summit in Philadelphia. The fear was too traumatic. Soon after, she quit.

The intimidating plane trip panicked Stacey Daniels. She missed a very important seminar due to her severe apprehension.  Instead of flying she rented a sports car and drove to the meeting, but arrived much too late. The sourcing corporation executives were not happy. It only got worse from there and she left.

Fear of flying restricts – or at least burdens – the jobs of millions of Americans.  Also known as aviaphobia, it causes many employees to pass up promotions or fail to go to out-of-town meetings, training sessions or sales calls. It can reduce productivity and damage relations with employers. In some situations, it limits careers  by pigeonholing individuals in jobs that they’re not well-matched  for however that will keep them firmly on the ground.

It is hard to summarize the true expense to a company due to fear of flying. A lot of employers do not fully value the cost they are paying given that the loss is unseen.  Less-skilled employees could be hired for positions requiring air travel, and less-capable workers must be sent to out-of-town engagements and business conferences.
Fear of flying “is a colossal problem,” says Jerilyn Ross, president of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Like other fears, it is an irrational, involuntary fear that causes a person to stay away from everyday experiences.

Public fears appear to have actually subsided since the repercussion of the September 11, 2001 terrorism attack. According to a recent USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll, 27% of US adults would be at least somewhat fearful of getting on an airplane tomorrow, including 9% who would be very afraid.  A comparable opinion poll taken in November 2001showed 43% at least somewhat afraid, including 17% who were very afraid.


Treatment options
Soar
Tom Bunn established Soar in 1982.  He is a licensed therapist and former airline captain. His business offers DVDs that enlighten fliers about airline flights and safety and recommend ways to establish emotional control by attaching a soothing emotion to each anxious thought.  A 10-DVD set costs $480, however, most people prevail over their flying phobias with a 4- DVD set that cost $195.  Tom Bunn additionally provides individual personal therapy as part of his program.
The Ross Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders
Jerilyn Ross, president of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, provides in-person treatment activities in Washington, D.C. Up to four sessions and a round-trip flight ought to be enough to conquer most fliers’ fears, Ross says. The cost for four sessions and a therapist’s flight time is roughly $2,000, together with the price tag of airline tickets.

CTRN (Change That’s Right Now)
Seymour Segnit, a neuro-linguistic programming teacher, offers 3- CDs and a workbook for $147, or telephone remedy that costs at least $1,500. Neuro-linguistic programming – the use of self-help rituals to program the mind – has been called futile by psychologists, but Segnit says it works. CTRN aims to instruct fearful fliers to take back control of their emotions.

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