In most departure lounges there will be someone sitting nervously in a corner. A few of them will leave without ever taking to the air. Tony Mallett visited Leeds Bradford Airport to find out how Virgin Atlantic Airways is helping travellers overcome a fear of flying.
LEEDS BRADFORD
On an otherwise mundane Sunday afternoon at the beginning of this year the flight information display screens at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) displayed an unusual destination – a departure to Leeds. That short flight was the culmination of a day during which 125 people learned techniques to help overcome aviophobia – a fear of flying – an affliction that research suggests affects as many as 30% of the population.
The group’s session started in a conference room at a hotel with introductions from course directors Richard Conway and Paul Tizzard, who congratulated attendees on taking the first big step toward facing their demons.
The key message was that fear develops within us rather than being present from birth, and everyone has the ability to ‘rewire’ their brain to reduce its impact and create favourable behavioural results.
Richard and Paul went on to explain that a lifetime fear of flying would not completely disappear …
