Flying tomorrow......help!

Relax! It will be fine. Don't overthink it and get yourself worked up. I am claustrophobic and spent years avoiding lifts, planes, trains anything that generated panic. I went to psychotherapy classes to try and overcome my problem but in the end it came down to talking myself round. Enjoy your holiday.

I used to get into a terrible state, but somehow managed to get a more rational grip, and now can fly with only the minimum of fear, but much more manageable. Not sure how I did it, but wouldn't allow myself to be irrational was one thing.

Decide you are going to enjoy it. The forecast for tomorrow is good so you will be flying through a lovely blue sky. And there's the nice food at the airport. And the snacks the trolley-dolly brings round. How long is your flight? Which airport are you leaving from? Take a book or kindle. Flights go very quickly.

Flying from Aberdeen to Palma to connect with our cruise. 3 hour flight leaving at 7am. Maybe I'll fall asleep.....

Just pretend you're in a bubble, you can't do anything except relax, eat, read, kick the seat in front, push your own seat back, annoy other people ....

(I do know how you feel though, although I wouldn't do the last three things, but they have been done to me!)

Pilots often know short cuts. You will be there in no time.

katek there was an item in the Metro newspaper the other day - 5 best fear of flying apps (or something like that). Why don't you download an app? Worth a try, anyway. Good luck

flyfright.com/flyingapps/

And what's more - there was an "Overcome your fear of flying" webchat on this very site!

www.gransnet.com/webchats/fear-of-flying

Thank you, memory! (And Google).

Up at 4 so off to bed to try and get a few hours sleep. Thanks for wise words everyone-hopefully the anticipation is worse than the event!

Good luck Katek, you'll be fine. I'm sure I have heard somewhere that if you mention to the air hostess that you are a nervous flier, that they will be sympathetic and keep an eye on you. Enjoy your holiday

A Valium,and a couple of glasses of wine,that's the only way I could fly.
But apparently it's the safest way to travel.
Just wish they could just skim the rooftops instead of going so bleddy high.

Ooh marmark please no, a plane skimming the rooftops is the stuff of a recurring nightmare I have.

Did you keep asking the cabin crew 'are we there yet?'

We get those Grannyknot as they practice their low flying up the valley

The first was to Katek

Well, I'm here on the back deck of a very large ship with enough food being consumed to sink it! Flight wasn't the best experience but hey, I'm here and I didn't run up and down the aisle screaming! ( Felt like it but gritted teeth and breathed deeply) I'm not going to think of return flight until I have to. Sufficient unto the day....
Thanks for encouraging words-I'll prob be back on next Sat for return journey

Well done - you did it!

Well done!
I was like you and found that sticking in earphones and listening to music or an audiobook switched me off beautifully- if music I read a good book at the same time.

Have a wonderful holiday and hopefully you'll be completely blessed out for the return flight.

Have a great time.

If you ask the captain nicely will he just sail back to the UK for you at the end of the cruise?

The answer is gin. Ask for a triple when the Tucker Chucker comes round with the trolley and before you know it, you will be landing in Palma

Several years ago when going through a bad patch I was given some Prozac and my GP suggested a holiday may be good. When I said I didn't like flying he gave me 5 tabs of something else which now I can't recall, just for the flight. The pharmacist was very surprised and remarked something about not taking them together. Well I did and the double Gin mentioned and the flight was ok. I don't fly now or holiday at all but still wouldn't like flying.

Sympathies KatyK, I do not fly well on the outward journey wherever its to or for however long so fully understand your trepidations. Its not a fear....I just get so darn ill. I'm fine coming home and am leaping about emptying the suitcase and loading washing machine as soon as in the door, yet on a recent trip to US I arrived having been sick on plane and with an untreatable blinding headache (I tried everything). Then spent two days in hotel room sleeping, not eating and just generally feeling dreadful. I have yet to find a cause and would love anyone's insight.
When I finally loose the headache and the tummy settles down (no fun hurling on an empty stomach - I do not eat on the plane of course) I am able to get on with the holiday and can tuck into local food and walk for miles! Its got to the point where we have to build these two extra days into any trip nowadays.

HildaW that sounds much like a migraine, poor you.

Hilda not eating at all on the plane may be a mistake. Granted the aircraft food doesn't tempt you, and the trolley is full of things you don't want, but if you took with you a small amount of something light that you know you will enjoy and digest easily, you might feel better. And always drink a lot of water dehydration can give you a headache.