Fear of flying – how to overcome it? 7 tips!

Is it possible for a travel blogger to be afraid of flying on a plane? One that flies at least several times a year? Yes, it is possible! :) How to stop being afraid of flying in an airplane, about the fact that fear only has big eyes…. And the golden rule of what to do to overcome this fear once and for all!

That’s the truth. Perhaps you won’t believe me, you’ll think it’s a stitch, for the public, but for many years I was afraid to fly in an airplane. Maybe not somehow panicky, or so much so that I had to take tranquilizers (although those were also in the plans more than once), but it was certainly not comfortable for me to fly, and I stressed a lot before each flight.

Did I get rid of the stress? I guess so :) I guess, because in truth, any long journey is fraught with a hint of stress. Yes, even in our case. However, I can definitely say that the fear of flying in an airplane no longer gets me, and I endure each takeoff and landing much more calmly. Therefore, I decided to write this post to help you as well.

7 rules to avoid stress before a plane flight

Below I present you with 7 ways to deal with the fear of flying on an airplane, all based on my own experience. I have one golden rule in this, which helped me above all :)

And the golden rule is.

Travel with your child!

Simple, cheap, natural, proven! :)

You won’t buy it in any supermarket, aliexpress or other gearbest, and I guarantee you 99.9% effectiveness!

Already quite serious…. it was serious :) Ever since the three of us started traveling, traveling (including by plane) has taken on a whole different dimension. When you travel with a child your head is cluttered with a thousand other thoughts. Both before and during the flight.

More important than fear and stress is whether everything for the behemoth is packed. Will there be good seats, will the toddler get his seat belts, will not clog the ears…. well, and above all, such a miracle needs to be entertained on the plane, so that it does not get bored and does not disturb other fellow passengers.

You have so much on your mind that you don’t even know when the plane’s wheels touch the runway again. And then there’s the relief that the behemoth didn’t poop 10 times, sleep soundly, or enjoy every moment of the flight with his parents.

Importantly, you don’t have to take your child on every flight to avoid stress. Since then I have also flown on a plane by myself and also then I no longer felt stressed ;)

But what if you already have a child or are not planning one for the moment in any possible way? Rest assured, I have some more advice, because I think that in my case, several factors have actually contributed to it. Therefore, it is imperative that…

Visit an ENT specialist

During one airplane flight, I had a slight cold. A clogged nose and a plane flight to the best combination is not. And that’s how I got severe otitis media.

After I healed myself and consulted with an ENT specialist, I started using special medications a few days before and during each flight that, in short, dilate the vessels in the nasal septum, and this was related to my natural affliction.

This makes it easier for me to breathe during the flight and my ears no longer clog (which was a common occurrence for me before).

These drugs are by prescription, so I will not write here what the specifics are. It’s best to visit your doctor and tell him about your afflictions, because it’s very possible that the clogging of your ears is also aggravating your unpleasant airplane experience, which later turns into stress and fear of airplane flights.

In addition to these two options, keep in mind…

Dress comfortably

Clothing is important for both practical and health reasons. Particularly for long flights, we should have light and loose clothing so that nothing puts pressure on us, since just sitting for 8 or more hours is not the most pleasant situation.

You also need to remember a warm sweatshirt or blanket. On airplanes, the temperature is usually lower than we’d like, so it’s a good idea to have something on hand to cover yourself with or at least tuck under your head (especially if you plan to sleep during the flight).

I wrote about clothes and other patents on how to sleep on a plane for you in this post.

In the course of packing, in addition to the clothing…

Bring something to read

On airplanes, newspapers and catalogs are not always readily available, or they may not exactly interest you. That’s why it’s a good idea to bring along an interesting book or magazine. Personally, I prefer light magazines with various interesting facts. If something doesn’t interest me I peruse further. Kamila, on the other hand, won’t get on a plane without an ereader enhanced with several new ebooks.

It is worth reading especially during takeoff and landing. Then we don’t think about all those sounds, tilts, pressure changes, etc. It will be easier to get to the blissful moment when the pilot turns off the seat belt order.

By the way, see why you should always have a seat belt on an airplane.

In addition to the book/newspaper or instead of them, it will also be useful to…

Over-ear headphones, preferably with music ;)

In addition to focusing on the text, it’s also a good idea to make sure that sounds that might annoy or stress you out are not coming through. And by that I mean both the sounds of the plane, but also fellow passengers.

It is best to choose mellow and/or cheerful music, so that this will improve our mood :)

Of course, we don’t set the music too loud, so as not to “make the time more pleasant” for everyone around and to hear the crew’s announcements.

In addition, I propose…

Candy, chewing gum and water

Candy or gum for life have two advantages. First, they help equalize pressure in the ears especially during takeoffs and landings. Secondly, you occupy yourself with something that further distracts you from sounds and situations that may be stressful for you.

It’s also a good idea to always have a bottle of mineral water on hand. Let’s forgo sugary carbonated drinks, which can intensify unpleasant sensations. Water will be sufficient, and remember that on the plane the air is quite dry, so it is advisable to drink large amounts.

And since it’s about filling the bladder….

Head to the restroom before boarding

Whether you want to or not – try it :) Go to the toilet to empty your bladder just before boarding. You probably don’t want to impatiently wait later for the moment when the machine is up and the seatbelt sign is turned off? Often it can take half an hour or even an hour. Especially since using airplane toilets is not one of the most pleasant experiences….

And finally, an eighth piece of free advice….

Read about the statistics

An airplane is definitely a safer means of transportation than even a car. An airplane crash is less likely than a car accident (in 2016, 2,993 people died on Polish roads
^[source]
, in aviation accidents worldwide 325 people
^[source]
).

If that’s not enough for you, read other sources, especially about statistics from recent years.

You can read more about safe travel (not just by plane) in this post: Where will the next terrorist attack be?

Summary

I hope this will make your next flight much more enjoyable and you will enjoy the first moments of your trip.

I myself am already looking forward to my next airplane flight at the moment (preferably as long as possible, so with 10 hours minimum ;)). I’ve always liked flying, although I’ve never quite felt comfortable with the situation. It’s not like that now, and I hope it will only get better with you too :)

If you have any other patents of your own for taming the fear of flying a plane then be sure to let us know in the comments!